"court" means a court, tribunal or other body or person authorised by law, or
by consent or agreement of parties, to decide or resolve any issue that is in
dispute between parties, and includes an arbitrator.
"party" or
"former party" to a retail shop lease or former retail shop lease includes a
person who is a guarantor or covenantor under a lease or former lease.
"retail tenancy dispute" means any dispute concerning the liabilities or
obligations (including any obligation to pay money) of a party or former party
to a retail shop lease or former lease, being liabilities or obligations which
arose under the lease or former lease or which arose in connection with the
use or occupation of the retail shop to which the lease or former lease
relates, and (without limiting the generality of the foregoing) includes a
dispute about a security bond, but does not include a dispute of the kind
referred to in section 31 (1) (b) as to the rent payable under a retail shop
lease (where the rent is to be current market rent for the shop).
(2) This
Part extends to apply to--
(a) a retail shop lease that was entered into
before the commencement of section 6 or under an option granted or agreement
made before the commencement of section 6, and
(b) a dispute that arose
before the commencement of section 6 or which concerns a liability or
obligation that arose before the commencement of section 6.
