Two men have been charged after allegedly holding a tenant against his will when he was unable to pay his rent due to the coronavirus crisis.

A landlord and another man allegedly held a tenant against his will at Surry Hills on Wednesday afternoon.

The 24-year-old man owed back-rent due to financial difficulties as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

He believed he had negotiated a payment plan with the landlord but when he arrived at the rental property he was allegedly threatened, assaulted and prevented from leaving until he paid the outstanding rent in full.

Once the tenant transferred the money he immediately reported the incident to police.

A 56-year-old man and a 57-year-old man have been denied bail and will appear in court at a later date.

NSW Police Superintendent Tim Beattie told Ben Fordham disputes need to be settled in a better way.

“Obviously people can relate to this type of situation at this time.

“But people have got to understand they can’t cross the line.

“If anyone thinks they’re a victim of crime they need to report it to the police.”

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Image: Getty