The Pubs Code Adjudicator’s Annual Tied Tenant Survey is under way. It sees 1,200 tied tenants contacted by independent research company Ipsos.
Pubs Code adjudicator Fiona Dickie
Those surveyed represent 15% of all tied tenants from the six pub companies that operate within the Pubs Code: Admiral Taverns, Greene King, Marston’s, Punch, Star, and Stonegate.
The annual survey aims to promote and incentivise fairness in the tied business relationship, by providing robust comparative data on tenant experiences of their key code rights, the information and support tenants receive, and their satisfaction in their business relationship with their pub company.
The survey focuses on areas such as tenant awareness and understanding of their statutory rights under the Pubs Code, their views about information received by new tenants, and their experience with rent negotiations, repairs, and premises insurance.
This anonymised data is made available to the industry. It aims to support pub-owning businesses to understand where they can improve, as well as supporting new and existing tenants to make informed choices, and informing the Pubs Code adjudicator’s regulatory priorities.
‘We will be looking for signs of improvement’
“Understanding tenant views is a crucial part of the PCA’s role, and the tied tenant survey is our way of ensuring tenants can have their say,” said Pubs Code adjudicator Fiona Dickie. “I’m pleased that the 2025 survey is now live and will be open until mid-March.
“Out of the 1,203 tenants interviewed in 2024, 63% were satisfied with their tenant relationship, whilst 21% were dissatisfied, and we want to track any change in those figures.
“The insight gained from the survey showed that tenant satisfaction related to good communication and the relationship with the business development manager or area manager, listening and responding to issues quickly, providing fair and transparent information, giving freedom, and being supportive during the cost-of-living crisis.
“However, some areas identified by tenants as a cause of dissatisfaction included: a lack of support or one-sided relationship; little to no contact with the business development manager; and slow repairs or disputes with repairs and dilapidations schedules.
“We will be looking for signs of improvement in this year’s survey results and will be exploring in more detail tenant satisfaction with how pub companies handle repairs, as we know that this has been an area of concern for tied tenants in previous surveys.”
