PCA embarking on research to understand tenants’ recent MRO experience

What is the research about?

The research will look at the motivations of tenants who requested the Market Rent Only (MRO) option, how they have used the process (including the impact of the proposed rent and terms and any negotiations with their pub company), and their overall experience.

The PCA wants to capture the recent experience of tenants and the research will be aimed at those who served a MRO notice from April 2019 onwards. The outputs of this research will be published and will help inform the PCA’s work in making sure the Code is working effectively.

Why are we doing it?

The PCA has been working with user research company Hive IT to conduct a research exercise to understand awareness of and barriers to communication and information sharing with the PCA. During this research, the PCA has identified the need to look further into the MRO process beyond the scope of the original project. Therefore, we are doing further research to understand the recent experience of tied tenants requesting MRO.

The responses will supplement information the PCA receives through MRO questionnaires and other sources of intelligence.

Timings

Hive IT will start contacting tenants over the coming weeks and interviews are planned to take place during March 2021.

How to get involved

Hive IT will be contacting tied tenants who have served a MRO notice from April 2019 to complete a short survey and confirm whether they would be willing to attend an interview.

To help focus the survey effectively when speaking to tenants, the PCA has also invited those with recent experience of representing tenants in arbitrations to provide their views on the principal issues for tenants in the MRO process.

Who is Hive IT?

Hive IT is an independent and impartial design and research agency, with extensive experience carrying out discovery projects. At the end of this project, they will present their findings to the PCA.

You can find out more about them at www.hiveit.co.uk