The City of Narva is planning to end its lease with Art Club Ro-Ro, a fixture of the border city's cultural scene, as the club has racked up more than €7,000 in unpaid rent.
The club's current operator, Puhtus ja Hoolitsus OÜ, has rented the city-owned premises since summer 2022. Despite a reduced winter rate of €165 a month, compared with €811.51 in summer, the company began falling behind on rent in its first year.
Over the years, the city has repeatedly accommodated the club, offering repayment plans to help it clear its debt. The operator made some payments this spring and summer but officials say it stopped responding to reminders and proposed solutions in July.
As of October, the debt has reached €7,164.55, and the club has not requested a new payment plan.
The City of Narva filed a lease termination notice on October 16, giving the company until October 31 to settle its obligations.
Deputy mayor: Same rules apply to all
Narva Deputy Mayor Oleg Karpikov (Center) said the issue in Ro-Ro's case was not a one-time lapse.
"We're not talking about a one-time violation here; this is a debt that has accumulated over several years," he explained.
Officials stressed that the city government considers neither a tenant's public profile nor its line of work when deciding how to handle arrears. While it's in the city's interests to preserve local cultural venues, they added, the city must also protect its public finances and treat all tenants equally.
Other tenants also facing lease terminations
Ro-Ro is not the city's only tenant facing possible lease termination. Termination notices have also been drawn up for Lounge Cafe OÜ, which operates a seasonal cafe on Narva's riverfront promenade and owed €4,110 as of this month, and the nonprofit Young & Active.
While several other tenants paid their overdue rent after receiving warnings, the city has already terminated its lease with another nonprofit, Tribune.
In all, Narva has about 200 leases for land and premises that generate rental income. The city estimates that around 5 percent of tenants fall behind on payments, with arrears typically rising in late summer and fall as the heating season begins.
--