Our Blogs

This final blog explores the transition landlords will need to make (or at least think about making) to ensure compliance with the Renters Rights Bill (‘the Bill’). All existing fixed term tenancies will automatically convert to periodic assured tenancies upon commencement of the Bill. The Private Rented Sector Database (“the Database”) and the Landlord Redress…

dgb announces the retirement of our esteemed Chairman, Ian Pentecost, on 31 March 2025 following an illustrious career that spanned over 40 years. Under Ian’s chairmanship, the firm has grown into one of the leading firms of solicitors in Kent, renowned for its commitment to excellence, client service and commerciality. Ian joined the firm as…

Since my last blog, further amendments to the Renters Rights Bill (‘the Bill’) have been made, whilst other proposals remain under review by the House of Lords. It remains, however, that landlords must follow strict conditions imposed by Section 8 to recover possession of their property. Also prohibitions against both discrimination of applicants and rental…

The housing landscape is set for change, as the Government is committed to transforming the experience of private renting by abolishing Section 21 (‘no fault’) evictions.  The Renters Rights Bill (“the Bill”) aims to safeguards tenants’ existing rights and introduce further protections to ensure private renters not only have access to a secure and decent…

What is security of tenure? Security of tenure is a statutory right in England and Wales, set out in the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (“LTA 1954”). It provides business tenants of commercial premises the right, subject to certain conditions being satisfied, to continue their occupation of their premises and renew their tenancy on materially…

Our solicitor Neana Allen is a proud Longstanding Member of The Association of Lifetime Lawyers (the new name for Solicitors for the Elderly).  They are some of the most qualified specialists in the country in helping you make decisions and plans for the future. Here’s some of the reasons why you should use a Lifetime…

An investigation is to be launched into firms that offer quick Will writing services by the UK competition watchdog. Currently, Will writing in the UK is unregulated. Any person can draft a Will. This can lead to inaccuracies in how you wish your estate to pass on your death and it increases the potential that…

The Government passed a new law that starts on 26 July 2023. It relates to estates where you die intestate (without having made a Will) and the law dictates who will inherit your estate. Previous laws said that if you left a spouse or civil partner and children on your death, your spouse would receive…

I am delighted to announce that Caroline Gibbs has become a partner of dgb. Caroline is an outstanding member of our and team and has played a significant role in the success and growth of the firm over many years.  This is a highly deserved appointment.  We are very pleased to welcome her as a…

LeO (an independent complaints body which investigates complaints from clients about their legal service providers in England and Wales) is introducing updated rules, effective from 01April 2023. A key change relates to the timescale to refer complaints to them: this is reducing to within 1 year from the date of the act or omission about…

Criminals are actively targeting property purchases, with the aim of tricking you into transferring your house deposit and/or the balance of purchase monies to them. These schemes can be highly sophisticated, and almost always involve the criminals pretending to be a lawyer in order to con you into sending your payment to an account

Rights for a property owner to use another person’s land do not always appear on title deeds, but a buyer of the land may nevertheless purchase subject to them. In a recent case, a vicar asserted his own and others’ rights to use the drive of a house as an access route to and from…