A Punch licensee feels she has been forced into accepting a

Maria Wells, of the Crown Inn in the West Yorkshire village of Addingham, claims she spent close to £30,000 on improvements to the pub since taking a tenancy agreement with Pubmaster in February 2002. 'I was to be offered a lease so believed the investment was worthwhile,' she said.

The rent at the pub stood at £13,214 a year, with Wells investing £20,000 on converting the 'derelict' upstairs to bread and breakfast rooms and £4,000 on a new patio among other improvements. Wells claims the average weekly take at the pub is £4,500 and that trade has increased 10% year on year.

When the three-year tenancy ended on 15 September, Wells was offered a renewal of the three-year tenancy at a rent of £28,000, but did not wish to go down that route because of the greater benefits available on a lease.

Wells said the initial lease offer was for £33,000 rent per year, which was later reduced to £27,700. 'This is unbelievable, but they say take it or leave it. Punch is happy because we have spent all this money. We have no choice but to stay, work for nothing and sell the lease in two years.'

Punch has agreed to spend £25,000 on carrying out maintenance work, external decoration and a toilet refurbishment.

A Punch spokesman said: 'There was certainly no pressure for her to go down the leasehold route. The final agreed rent takes into consideration Maria's investment in the pub and hard work in building up trade levels.'

Do you have a rent-based story? Is your pubco increasing your rent? Is it decreasing your rent? Ring The PMA Team and tell him about it on 01293 610344.