The “Expert” Tax
It’s Rent Review time. You know the drill. You need a “Red Book” valuation to prove the Pub Company is ripping you off. So, you Google “Pub Surveyors.” You find names like Morgan & Clarke, Fleurets, or Sidney Phillips. They are excellent at what they do. But then you see the quote: £2,500 + VAT.
And that’s just for the report. If you want them to negotiate for you? That’s an hourly rate or a percentage of the saving. Suddenly, saving money is costing you a fortune. For a small wet-led community local, spending £3,000 on professional fees might wipe out the entire first year of rent savings. You are trapped.
The Fix: 3 Ways to Value Your Pub
1. The “Comparable” Guess (Risky)
You look at what the pub down the road pays.
- Why it fails: Every lease is different. Their “Headline Rent” might be lower, but maybe their beer tie is higher, or they have a “full repairing” lease while you don’t. BDMs will tear this argument apart in seconds.
2. The Chartered Surveyor (Expensive)
You pay the £2,500.
- Why it works: It carries weight.
- Why it hurts: It’s slow and expensive. It’s a sledgehammer. Sometimes you just need a scalpel.
3. The “Shadow Surveyor” (AI-Powered)
You use Pubs Code Guardian. Our Shadow Surveyor tool uses the exact same methodology as RICS surveyors (The Profits Method of Valuation).
- Input: You enter your barrelage, wet/dry split, and operational costs.
- Processing: The AI cross-references this with regional benchmarking data (the same data surveyors use).
- Output: A professional-grade “Shadow Rent” calculation that shows exactly what your Fair Maintainable Trade (FMT) should be.
The Winner: Pubs Code Guardian
For the initial stage of negotiation, Pubs Code Guardian is the undisputed winner.
Why pay £2,500 just to find out if your rent is too high? Use the Shadow Surveyor for £29.
- If the tool says your rent is fair -> You just saved £2,471 by not hiring a surveyor.
- If the tool says you are overpaying by £10k -> You now have the data to confidently hire a surveyor if you need one later for arbitration, or simply use the report to negotiate yourself.
Run a Shadow Surveyor Report Now (Takes 5 Minutes)
The Math: The 8,500% Markup
Let’s look at the price difference.
- Chartered Surveyor Report: £2,500.
- Pubs Code Guardian Subscription: £29.
The markup on traditional surveying is 8,500%. Are they 8,500% better than an AI trained on the same data? In 2025? No.
Free Tool: The “Is It Worth It?” Calculator
(Developer Note: User enters “Potential Rent Saving” (e.g., £2,000). Tool calculates if hiring a surveyor is ROI positive. Result: “If you only save £2,000, a surveyor will cost you more than you save. Use AI instead.”)
Don’t spend £3,000 to save £2,000.