History
We have been in Hertfordshire in one shape or another for over 250 years but have gone through exceptional change in recent years. Our history in Hertfordshire stretches back over...
Training contracts
Debenhams Ottaway is a great place to start your career in law. Our long-running training contracts have been very successful, with many of our lawyers and partners starting out at...
Current Vacancies
Find out more about our latest job vacancies below. To make an application please send your CV and covering letter to recruitment@debenhamsottaway.co.uk Even if there isn’t a relevant vacancy listed,...
Work with us
We are changing the way people think about lawyers and we want you to join us on our journey! Be part of a team that prides itself on delivering award-winning...
In the community
As a thriving business in Hertfordshire for many years, our involvement in the community is deeply embedded in our DNA; as both an organisation and as individuals, we always go...
Recommendations and awards
We place great emphasis on ensuring that our legal expertise and client service are of the highest standard to provide reassurance to our clients. This has been recognised by achieving...
What our clients think
Your experience matters most. Everything we do is shaped by what matters to our clients. That’s why we actively listen, through regular feedback surveys and mystery shopping, to understand what...
Contesting a Will made without proper knowledge or approval
The person making a Will (the ‘testator’) must understand and approve the contents of their Will in order for it to be considered legal. This is distinct from the physical...
Contesting a Will made under pressure or undue influence
When someone is unhappy with the contents of a Will after a loved one has died, it is not uncommon for them to question whether the Will truly reflects their...
The Will was made by someone not of sound mind
A person making or amending a Will must have the mental capacity (and a sound mind) to do so. This is sometimes phrased in legal terms as ‘testamentary capacity’. It is...
The Will was not signed, witnessed or drafted correctly
When a Will is signed (sometimes phrased in legal terms as ‘executed’), there are a number of formalities that must be followed, otherwise the Will can be invalid you and...
Boundaries and rights of way
With pressures on living space increasing all the time, it is becoming more common for issues to arise between neighbouring landowners around ownership and use of their land. We are...
Dilapidations and property disrepair
Dilapidations are items of disrepair or defects caused by the tenant failing to maintain and repair the property in accordance with the lease, causing the landlord to suffer a financial...
Recovery of service charges
There is a significant difference in the law relating to service charges on residential property as compared with commercial property. The law on service charges for residential property largely deals...
Business tenancy disputes
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (the 1954 Act) governs the relationship between landlords and tenants of most business premises. The rights and obligations contained in the 1954 Act supplement...
Landlord and tenant disputes
Landlords and tenants have different priorities, so it’s inevitable that they might not always see eye to eye. Disagreements between landlords and tenants can often be emotive, costly and time...
Rent claims
If your tenant is not paying rent, this can have a significant impact on your cash flow and may even affect the underlying value of your investment. If you have...
Recovery of possession of commercial property
Landlords – how to recover possession of commercial property If you are a landlord and your tenant fails to pay rent or breaks the terms of the lease contract that...
Louise Attrup
Louise is the head of our employment team and has over 20 years’ experience in employment work, she is one of the region’s most dynamic and sought after employment lawyers. Recognised...
Residential repossession and tenant eviction
As a landlord, you may want to repossess your property for a number of reasons. It may be that the tenant is not paying their rent or not keeping the...