News archive: May 2026

• How are health needs considered in a financial settlement after divorce?
  Posted on May 21, 2026
  Divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership is rarely straightforward, but where one party or a child has significant health needs the legal and financial issues can become particularly complex. Health conditions, whether physical or mental, may affect a person’s ability to work, their future financial security, the need for ongoing care, and the overall fairness of a financial settlement.
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• Selling a property with solar panels
  Posted on May 19, 2026
  Solar panels play a key role in the move to greener energy with the Government proposing all new build properties should have them by 2027. Moreover, the attraction of lower energy bills means solar panels have already proven popular with many homeowners. For some though, the panels have proven less desirable when they have come to sell due to off-putting commercial arrangements with the power company.
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• How to deal with defamation of your business
  Posted on May 13, 2026
  If your business has been the subject of a negative and inaccurate statement, you will know how damaging this can be to your business in so many ways. It is particularly frustrating when it feels like you cannot do anything about it, because it appears online or is written in a review that can be widely seen.
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• Renewing your commercial lease – use your bargaining power
  Posted on May 12, 2026
  If your commercial lease is coming to an end and you are negotiating a new one, it could be worth trying to get a better deal on some of the terms. Like any commercial negotiation it depends whether you or your landlord have the most bargaining power, but there are a few obvious areas to think about and there is often a deal to be done. Your landlord may have their own plans for the property, which may mean they are willing to give you something in return for a change that suits them.
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• Developing a site – beware of legal obstacles
  Posted on May 11, 2026
  The key to a successful development is choosing the right site. Even when you think you have found the perfect place at the right price, there are plenty of things that could get in the way and make your development more expensive or even impossible. Some are obvious if you know what to look for. Others will only come to light from formal searches and a title investigation. A good commercial property lawyer will spot any pitfalls and advise you on the best way to get round them.
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• Dishonest job applications: an employer’s guide
  Posted on May 11, 2026
  Anyone applying for a new position will be keen to highlight their best points and draw attention away from any blots on their career history, but there are occasions when employers discover that a new employee or a potential recruit has been dishonest or has omitted to provide key information during the recruitment process.
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• Renters’ rights and problems with a letting agency
  Posted on May 8, 2026
  Navigating the private rental market can be a challenge, especially if you find yourself at the mercy of an unscrupulous letting agency acting as intermediary between you and your landlord. While these agencies are bound by a complex web of statutory obligations and consumer protection laws, this does not stop some letting agents bending or even breaking the rules.
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• Pensions and Inheritance Tax - planning for the April 2027 changes
  Posted on May 7, 2026
  Pensions have long played an important role in estate planning. Unlike most other assets, pension funds have generally fallen outside the scope of inheritance tax (IHT) because death benefits are typically paid at the discretion of pension scheme trustees rather than forming part of the deceased’s estate.
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