Leading retail landlords have to date collected less rent following the June quarter day than they did at the March quarter day, with experts warning that negotiations between property owners and tenants are vital to prevent a similar situation in September.

Almost a week after the 24 June quarter day, specialist retail REIT Hammerson said it had received just 16%. By this point in March it had collected 37% of rent due. British Land announced it had collected 36% of its retailers’ rent so far – it collected 43% in March.

In a Property Week poll asking what the average retail landlord would receive at June quarter, more than half of respondents (61.5%) estimated landlords would receive less than 25% of rent due.

“Realistically, three-quarters of rent levels will look like this,” said Stephen Springham, head of retail research at Knight Frank.

“There needs to be some continuity planning by September. The aim now is for retailers and landlords to work out what the future looks like. For one-man-band property owners that are likely to miss out on three-quarters’ worth of rent, it might be enough to push them under. The REITS are not bulletproof either, as intu has shown.”

Revo chief executive Vivienne King told Property Week landlords had been left “out in the cold” with little intervention from government to help during the crisis.

“The gap in income flow as a result of lockdown is just going to build and build unless there is some intervention,” she said.

“The moratorium that has been put on enforcement has emboldened those who feel they can get away with not paying their rent and the consequences have a ripple effect right the way through the infrastructure of retail real estate ownership.

“It’s galling that your ability to support those who genuinely need it is constrained by those who don’t, preventing you from doing what you would like to do.”