This photo, taken on Sept. 6, 2020, shows a sign about the temporary closure of a store in the traditional Gwangjang Market in central Seoul as small merchants suffer amid a flare-up in new coronavirus cases. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — Conflicts over repair costs accounted for the largest share of commercial lease disputes in Seoul last year, the city government said said Thursday.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, 188 dispute cases were filed with the commercial lease dispute coordination committee last year, of which 28.2 percent or 53 cases were related to repair costs.
In the ranking of causes for commercial lease disputes, repair costs climbed from third in 2021 to the top spot last year.
The city government attributed the growing number of disputes over repair costs to the increase in the number of commercial businesses resuming operations after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following repair costs were cancellation of contracts with 52 cases, adjustment of lease fees with 45 cases, premium on the lease of commercial buildings with 16 cases, and renewal of contracts with 13 cases.
Among the 188 cases of disputes filed with the committee, 147 cases were filed by tenants, 3.6 times higher than for property owners.
There were many cases where lessees filed coordination requests for repair costs (44 cases), adjustment of lease fees (36 cases), and cancellation of contracts (32 cases).
For lessors, contract cancellations (20 cases) accounted for about half of the coordination requests.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
