Rent Review Valuations and Negotiations in Tunbridge Wells
Why Choose Olden Property
If you’re in Tunbridge Wells (or nearby), and you have a commercial lease with a rent review coming up, you don’t have to guess what the “right” rent should be. At Olden Property, we deliver independent, RICS‑compliant rent review valuations and negotiations, acting for both landlords and tenants. Whether you own a retail unit in the town centre, an office near the station, or an industrial premises in North Farm, we combine in‑depth local market knowledge, technical valuation skill, and strong negotiation to get fair outcomes.
What Is a Rent Review?
Commercial leases almost always contain a rent review clause, often every 3 or 5 years. The clause sets out when the rent will be reviewed, how the review will be carried out (e.g. open market rent, RPI‑linked, fixed or stepped uplifts), and what comparables or evidence can be used. Many tenants assume rent always increases at review; in practice it’s a process and sometimes there’s room to argue no increase or a more modest one.
Our Services
We support you through every stage of the rent review process:
Market Rent Valuations: We assess what the true market rent should be for your premises, using recent lettings and local data.
Review of Lease Clauses: We interpret your lease’s rent review terms to see what method applies and whether there are any restrictions.
Comparable Evidence Reports: Drawing from similar properties in Tunbridge Wells (town centre, North Farm, Southborough etc.), so your case is backed by real‑life parallels.
Negotiation: We negotiate on your behalf — for landlords seeking rent uplifts, and for tenants trying to limit rises or challenge unreasonable proposals.
Dispute & Expert Determination Support: If negotiations don’t resolve matters, we can help with arbitration or expert determination, preparing all evidence and submissions.
How We Help Landlords & Tenants
For Landlords
Ensure your rent review is triggered correctly and on time.
Advise on what rent level the market supports—so you don’t under‑charge.
Undertake negotiations so that rent outcomes are well‑documented and properly agreed (rent memoranda or variations prepared correctly).
For Tenants
Check whether the landlord’s proposed increase is supported by valid market evidence.
Challenge inflated or unfair proposals.
Represent you in negotiations, or where needed in determinations or arbitration.
Ensure you understand your lease obligations and rights—so you’re not caught by unexpected clauses or deadlines.
Local Knowledge That Makes the Difference
Tunbridge Wells commercial property market is varied:
Shops on Mount Pleasant Road, Camden Road, The Pantiles
Offices in historic and modern buildings like Calverley House
Industrial & warehouse units in North Farm, Longfield Road
Mixed‑use properties across Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, High Brooms, Langton Green etc.
We use comparable recent lettings and rents in your immediate area, so your valuation reflects local reality—this gives you stronger evidence in negotiatio
Fees & What to Expect
Our fees are calculated on a case‑by‑case basis, depending on the size, complexity, and risk of the rent review.
We often use a model where negotiation fees are a percentage of the rent saved; if we don’t achieve a saving, there may be no additional fee.
There are no hidden costs; we’ll explain up front what our fee proposal looks like.
Recent Examples
“Received notice from your landlord that your rent has gone up by 75%? After the initial shock, your first task is to read your lease. You likely have the ability to challenge this increase. Even if the lease is “upward‑only,” you may be able to negotiate or agree a more moderate and fair rent than proposed.”
When to Contact Us
The earlier you act, the better. If you:
Have a rent review date approaching
Have just received a review proposal or landlord’s notice of increase
Are unsure what your lease requires
Want to avoid being locked into an over‑inflated rent for several years
…then contact us now. Early involvement means more time to gather evidence and negotiate, and less risk of being swept by surprise increases.
Areas We Cover
We provide service in and around:
Tunbridge Wells town centre
Southborough, High Brooms & North Farm
Langton Green, Pembury, Rusthall
Tonbridge, Crowborough & the wider Kent & East Sussex region
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Commercial lease agreements contain provisions for a review of the annual rent at specified intervals during the term of the lease. These are agreed upon at the outset and are dependent on the length of the lease. Typically, they are every three or five years.
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Both landlords and tenants want to ensure that they are charging and paying the ‘going rate’ or a rent amount that’s in line with the current market value. Landlords want a return on their investment. Tenants want to protect their profits and future projections. A registered valuer can help to ascertain what the correct amount of rent should be.
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Unfortunately for tenants, rent reviews are nearly always upward so the best a registered valuer could do would be to agree an unchanged annual rent figure with the landlord.
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Just as the time intervals for reviews are agreed at the outset, so is the method of review. This ensures that there are no surprises for either party and due process is followed. The method of review is contained in the lease.
The rent review process involves the landlord’s and tenant’s representatives proposing their respective valuations and supporting market evidence in order to negotiate a settlement.
For more frequently asked questions on Commercial rent review click here
“If you are a business taking a new lease, renewing an existing tenancy or you have a rent review coming up, it is important to take advice from a valuer. Rent is usually the biggest quarterly outgoing for any business and it is important you are not over paying. Once rent is agreed, it is likely this cost will be fixed for three to five years so you need to be confident it is the correct market value.
The same goes for landlords in the same position, as a source of revenue, you need to ensure your property is rented to its true market potential.
Whether your property is a shop, office or industrial property Olden Property can provide you with an UpToDate market rent valuation and where required, negotiate the new rent on your behalf. ”
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