Davis Solicitors Clear legal advice, in plain English

Davis Solicitors

Clear legal advice, in plain English

Latest Articles

The Briefcase That Should Not Leave: Client Information After a Key Employee Resigns
Commercial Law

The Briefcase That Should Not Leave: Client Information After a Key Employee Resigns

When a trusted employee resigns, the immediate concern is often continuity. The harder question is whether client contacts, pricing knowledge or confidential documents are leaving with them. This guide sets out the practical and legal steps a small business can take without turning a resignation into an unnecessary dispute.
A Document Worth Getting Right: Lasting Powers of Attorney in England and Wales
Wills & Estate Planning

A Document Worth Getting Right: Lasting Powers of Attorney in England and Wales

A Lasting Power of Attorney is often treated as a later-life formality, yet it is one of the most practical documents a family can put in place. This guide explains how LPAs work, why signing and registration errors cause delays, and what can be done now to avoid a future application to the Court of Protection.
Fences, Deeds and Disagreement: A Measured Approach to Boundary Lines
Litigation & Disputes

Fences, Deeds and Disagreement: A Measured Approach to Boundary Lines

A boundary disagreement can feel like a simple question of where the fence should stand. In law, it is rarely that straightforward. This guide explains what records matter, how to reduce conflict, and when to seek advice before positions harden.
When the Scaffolding Goes Quiet: Legal Steps for an Abandoned Building Project
Litigation & Disputes

When the Scaffolding Goes Quiet: Legal Steps for an Abandoned Building Project

A contractor’s silence can leave a homeowner or small business exposed, especially when money has already changed hands. This guide explains how to tell a temporary pause from a repudiatory breach, protect the evidence, and recover deposits or appoint a replacement without weakening your legal position.
The Invisible Estate: Putting Your Digital Affairs in Order
Wills & Estate Planning

The Invisible Estate: Putting Your Digital Affairs in Order

A will deals with houses, savings and possessions, but it may say little about the photographs in a cloud account, the email inbox that still receives bills, or cryptocurrency held under a seed phrase. This article explains how digital assets are treated in England and Wales and how to leave clear, lawful instructions for your family.
A Room, Not a Tenancy: What Homeowners Should Know Before Taking in a Lodger
Residential Property

A Room, Not a Tenancy: What Homeowners Should Know Before Taking in a Lodger

Renting out a spare room can help with household costs, but the legal status of the person who moves in matters. This guide explains the practical difference between a lodger and a tenant, and the paperwork that helps a homeowner keep their position clear.
Funding a First Home: A Parent’s Guide to Deposit Contributions
Residential Property

Funding a First Home: A Parent’s Guide to Deposit Contributions

Parents often help with a first home deposit, but the legal difference between a gift and a loan can matter enormously later. This guide explains how to record the arrangement clearly, why a declaration of trust may be useful, and how to protect both the money and family relationships if circumstances change.
Keeping Hold of Your Goods: Retention of Title When a Customer Becomes Insolvent
Litigation & Disputes

Keeping Hold of Your Goods: Retention of Title When a Customer Becomes Insolvent

A retention of title clause can let an unpaid supplier reclaim stock from an insolvent customer, but only if the clause is properly incorporated and the goods can be identified. This article sets out where such clauses fail and what to do before unpaid invoices become a crisis.
Shares Without a Successor: Planning for a Shareholder’s Death in an Owner-Managed Company
Commercial Law

Shares Without a Successor: Planning for a Shareholder’s Death in an Owner-Managed Company

A shareholder’s death can leave a private company with an unexpected owner, a voting deadlock or an estate pressing for cash. This guide explains how the articles, any shareholder agreement and a cross-option arrangement can keep the business steady.
Before the Month Runs Out: A Small Business Guide to Subject Access Requests
Commercial Law

Before the Month Runs Out: A Small Business Guide to Subject Access Requests

A subject access request can arrive by email, verbally or through a member of staff. UK GDPR requires a prompt response, usually within one month. This practical guide covers identity checks, redaction, exemptions and the records a small business should keep.
Cohabitation Without Marriage: What the Law Does and Does Not Assume
Wills & Estate Planning

Cohabitation Without Marriage: What the Law Does and Does Not Assume

Living together does not create the same legal rights as marriage or civil partnership. This guide explains what happens on separation, why property ownership and wills matter, and how a cohabitation agreement can reduce costly assumptions.
The Envelope Marked Legal: A Calm Guide to Solicitors' Correspondence
Litigation & Disputes

The Envelope Marked Legal: A Calm Guide to Solicitors' Correspondence

A formal letter from a solicitor can be alarming, but it is not a court judgment. This reassuring guide explains what such letters are for, which deadlines matter, the mistakes to avoid and how to gather documents and take advice without escalating the dispute.
Signing Away Shelter: What Directors Need to Know About Personal Guarantees
Commercial Law

Signing Away Shelter: What Directors Need to Know About Personal Guarantees

A personal guarantee can turn a company debt into a personal one, often on a single page signed near the end of a negotiation. This guide explains the difference between limited and all-monies guarantees, the clauses that matter and the practical steps directors should take before signing in 2026.
The Will Review Checklist: Five Milestones That Deserve a Fresh Look
Wills & Estate Planning

The Will Review Checklist: Five Milestones That Deserve a Fresh Look

A will is often signed and stored away, but life keeps moving. This checklist explains five common milestones that should prompt a review, from marriage and divorce to a new child, a property purchase or retirement, and what to do next.
From One-Star Review to Legal Claim: A Small Business Guide to Online Criticism
Commercial Law

From One-Star Review to Legal Claim: A Small Business Guide to Online Criticism

Online reviews can be unfair without being unlawful. This guide explains the difference between fair criticism and defamation, the practical steps a small business can take, and why a measured response usually beats a heavy-handed one.
The Leasehold Fine Print: Five Clauses That Can Change Your Budget
Residential Property

The Leasehold Fine Print: Five Clauses That Can Change Your Budget

Leasehold clauses can look technical, but they often decide what you pay each year and how easily you can sell. This guide explains five common clauses in plain English and sets out the questions to ask before exchanging contracts.
Write It Down: Why a Short Contract Is a Small Business Asset
Commercial Law

Write It Down: Why a Short Contract Is a Small Business Asset

Friendly emails and handshakes feel efficient, but they rarely set out what happens when a project changes or a payment is late. A short written contract is not a sign of distrust; it is a practical way to protect the relationship and the business.