The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is requesting that commercial landlords deliver on their promises and allow more tenants to switch from quarterly to monthly rental payments.

The BRC has responded to The British Property Federation’s (BPF) announcement that the UK’s biggest industrial, office and retail landlords will go the extra mile to support firms through the downturn.

Stephen Robertson, the BRC’s director general, said: “We welcome this public commitment by landlords to be more flexible, but they need to back up their words with action.

“Our objection to quarterly payments has always been a point of principle – not just about helping businesses through tough times. Monthly rents are now more common on new leases, but our figures show many landlords have yet to deliver the flexibility they promise – especially on existing leases.

“Demanding to be paid quarterly in advance has no place in the modern world of online banking. Landlords should offer tenants monthly rental terms, where retailers ask for it.”

Currently only 12% of retail property leases are on monthly rental terms and, although 90% of occupiers stated that they have been allowed to move to monthly terms, they will or already have been penalised by higher charges, with approximately 40% being allowed to move onto a monthly rental scheme but only for a short period, typically 12 months.