AEW UK REIT has received all of the £1.2m rent due from tenants Sports Direct and bingo hall operator Mecca Bingo following a ruling in its favour earlier this year.
In April, the REIT was awarded summary judgment in claims for unpaid rent at a Sports Direct store in Blackpool and a Mecca bingo hall in Dagenham.
In a stock exchange update, the REIT said the tenants – neither of which it named – had not sought to appeal the ruling. They have now paid the rent arrears as well as rent due since the claims were issued, at a combined £1.2m. The parties have also reached an agreement with the landlord on legal costs.
At the time of the ruling, AEW UK REIT criticised companies that it said were able to pay rent but had used government legislation to avoid it.
“AEW UK REIT has always made it clear that it will take legal action against tenants if required, particularly well-resourced companies that it believes are able to pay their rent and have sought to take advantage of government legislation intended to protect financially vulnerable tenants,” the REIT said.
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