Tenants who prepare poorly for rent reviews are responsible, in part, for high rents - that's the stark warning from former BII licensee of the year Richard Macey.
Multi-award winner Macey, Marston's lessee at the Fountain Inn in Clent, West Midlands, warned the 160 delegates at the BII rent-review seminar in Birmingham that if they failed to prepare they could have no complaints over high rents.
"Who sets rent? I don't believe it is the freehold owners. Rents are set when we accept those given to us because we have not prepared properly. The less we prepare, the higher the rent."
Macey said he had been through two rent reviews - one where he "had his arse kicked" and another where he was totally prepared.
"The quicker you get into your mind the rent is going to go up, the better - we just have to limit the amount we let them put it up. Be prepared to fight, but you also need to know when to stop."
Macey's tips included having honest conversation with fellow licensees about lease terms, rent levels, tie and discounts as well as signing up to mailing lists from licensed trade agents to study what is on the market. Other tips included keeping detailed records and entering awards to prove you are above the hypothetical "average tenant" used in rent calculations.
He added: "We insure our cars, homes and health - so why don't we insure against rent reviews? If you need to take professional advice every three to five years, that means saving roughly £5 a week - that's two pints of cask ale or a packet of fags."
But he also warned the pubcos to play fair. "I know who my key customers are and I know how to treat them. The pubcos' key customers are us.
"Please don't pull the wool over our eyes - stick to the new codes of practice."