Richmond Capital Partners chief executive Paul Holohan, said that "rogue valuations" were leading to difficulties selling a business and ultimate disappointment.

He said: "Print owners looking at the prospects of selling their businesses are being misled by rogue valuations made by less scrupulous so called 'specialists' purely to attract the potential business – rather similar to the practices adopted by some estate agents."

Valuers that term their services "evaluations" or refuse to commit their valuation to paper, are among those to be avoided, said Holohan.

Holohan's warning comes as he said more and more print bosses were considering selling their businesses rather than continuing to "struggle against the odds".

He added: "I know that many print owners may view their businesses as their pensions but, however hurtful it may be, they must be realistic about valuations.

"False promises only benefit the rogue advisers – and the industry can do without opportunists who are only in the industry for their own good."