Gowen & Stevens LLP

04/03/2026

Watch Out – Fake Bailiffs Are Targeting the Public

They may sound official, but in many cases, they’re not the real thing.

The Courts and Tribunal Service has recently issued a warning about scammers contacting members of the public while pretending to collect debts. These fraudsters claim to be acting on behalf of debt collection agencies called “Media Services UK Limited” or “Financial Data Management Limited.”

If you receive contact from any organisation claiming to collect money on behalf of these companies, please do not provide your bank details or make any payment until you have verified that the request is genuine.

There have also been reports of criminals posing as County Court Bailiffs, High Court Enforcement Officers (“HCEOs”), or Certificated Enforcement Agents (“CEAs”). It is important to know that a legitimate Bailiff, HCEO, or CEA will never telephone you to request your bank details or ask you to transfer money using your sort code and account number.

If you believe you have been targeted by fraudsters or have experienced cybercrime, you should report it immediately by calling Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

If you are unsure whether someone contacting you is genuine, contact your local County Court directly. If the caller claims to represent a professional body, you can also check with the High Court Enforcement Officers Association or the Civil Enforcement Association to confirm their credentials.

Please help raise awareness by sharing this information and protecting others from becoming victims of these scams.

17/02/2026

Happy Pancake Day from Gowen & Stevens LLP!

3, 2, 1...

300ml milk
2 eggs
100g plain flour

How do you like yours?

09/02/2026

Today, the firm held the funeral of a dear client. The funeral celebrant had told us about Lillie’s in the Garden , a Tea Room at Sutton & Merton Joint Cemetery, Garth Road, Morden, and after speaking with Debbie who runs the Tea Room, she kindly let us hold the Wake there. It was the perfect setting, a calm and peaceful environment, to have a cup of tea and reflect.

Lillies in the Garden was borne out of the devastating loss of Debbie's daughter, Lillie, who herself had dreamt of one day having her own Tea Room. Debbie opens Lillie's in the Garden 7 days a week, and serves the local community, raising funds for charity and campaigning for a change in road safety legislation. Please take time to look at the page, and even better, take a trip to Lillies in the Garden and support Debbie and her fundraising.

01/01/2026

27/11/2025

Starts at 4.30pm this afternoon, and the Big Man will leave the Woolpack after a little livener at 5.30pm!

We look forward to seeing you!

Hello

We are looking forward to seeing you tonight.

Santa will be arriving at the The Woolpack around 5:15pm for 530PM set off.


Banstead Christmas Community Event



🎄

19/11/2025

Wrap up warm, and come along on the 27th!

14/11/2025

Countdown Begins for Landlords...

The Government has announced that the Renters Rights Act 2025 will officially take effect on 1 May 2026.

One of the biggest changes this new law brings is the end of Section 21 Notices—the type of notice that currently allows landlords to end a tenancy by giving two months’ notice without needing to give a reason.

Starting 1 May 2026, landlords will only be able to end a tenancy by using a Section 8 Notice, which requires a valid reason for eviction.

The new Act adds two extra reasons landlords can rely on:

• If the property is being sold, or

• If the landlord or their family needs to move into it.

However, these two reasons can only be used after the tenancy has been running for at least 12 months, and the landlord must give 4 months’ notice in those situations.

Because of these changes, it’s likely many landlords will choose to serve Section 21 Notices before 1 May 2026. If you’re planning to do this, it’s essential to make sure your notice is valid at the time it’s served. An invalid notice means you won’t be able to successfully apply to the Court for possession.

Key things to check before serving a Section 21 Notice:

• Correct form and timing: Have you used the right form and given the correct amount of notice?

• Deposit protection: If a tenant paid a deposit, has it been properly protected, and have you given the tenant all the required Prescribed Information?

• Gas Safety Certificates: Have these been provided to the tenant?

• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC): Did the tenant receive a valid EPC before you served the notice?

• How to Rent Guide: Have you given the tenant the Government’s “How to Rent” guide—and was it the correct version at the time?

• Property licensing: If your property is in an area with selective licensing, have you applied for or obtained the necessary licence?

• Prohibited payments: Have you avoided taking any payments from the tenant that are not allowed under the Tenant Fees Act 2019?

Please make sure you’ve checked all of these points before serving a Section 21 Notice. If you’re unsure about anything, it’s a good idea to get professional advice—this can save you both time and money by avoiding mistakes that could invalidate your notice.

Finally, if you do serve a valid Section 21 Notice before 1 May 2026, any Court proceedings must be started by 31 July 2026. After that date, you’ll lose the right to bring a claim based on that notice.

12/11/2025

We're looking forward to the Banstead Christmas Community Event on 27 November, organised by Banstead Village Residents' Association.

Hazel at our Banstead office has created 2 hampers, one for the raffle organised by the Residents' Association; and one for our own raffle with proceeds being donated to Maggie's London, our nominated charity for 2025.

Our office at 175 High Street, Banstead, will be open for the event from 4.30pm, so come along for a glass of fizz and a cupcake. Raffle tickets for our hamper can be bought from the office during the event.

We look forward to seeing you!

11/11/2025

Today, as we honour those who stood in defence of our democratic freedoms, we also remember the solicitors who served - upholding justice both in and beyond the courtroom.

311 solicitors and 220 articled clerks lost their lives in World War One, and a further 7,200 solicitors and 2,253 served in World War Two.

Their names are commemorated in our Reading Room at 113 Chancery Lane as a powerful reminder of individual sacrifice from members of our valued profession.

Without their courage and commitment, we might not have the vibrant, diverse, and dynamic legal community that exists today.

We will remember them. Lest we forget. ❤️

07/11/2025

Compulsory ID Verification for Company Directors and PSCs: What You Need to Know

If you’re a company director or a person with significant control (PSC), there are important changes being implemented from 18th November 2025. Here’s what’s changing and how to stay ahead of the curve:

What’s Changing and When

From 18 November, identity verification becomes mandatory for all company directors (including newly appointed directors), and all persons with significant control.

From 18 November, all new directors and PSCs must be verified before appointment or incorporation. Existing directors and PSCs must comply within the timeframe set by Companies House.

Why This Is Happening

Identity verification has been available voluntarily since April 2025, more than 1 million people have already completed verification, but an estimated 6 million are yet to comply.

Making the process compulsory is intended to improve the accuracy of the public register and reduce the risk of fraud and misuse.

Goodbye to Duplicated Registers

Also effective from 18 November, companies will no longer need to maintain their own internal statutory registers of:
• Directors
• Directors’ residential addresses
• Secretaries
• PSCs

This simplifies admin and removes duplication between your internal records and Companies House. But remember, you must keep Companies House up to date whenever changes occur.

What You Should Do Now

• Identify who needs verification
• Plan for future filings, ensure any new appointments or incorporations after 18 November include completed verification.
• Monitor Companies House updates on verification steps, documents, and deadlines.
• Update your internal processes, ensure your compliance calendar and onboarding checklists reflect the new filing-only approach.

If you are planning board changes or incorporations around the deadline, aim to build verification into your timeline to avoid filing delays.

31/10/2025

You may have heard that the Renters' Rights Act was finally passed earlier this week.

Further information is awaited from the Government as to when and how the changes will be implemented.

We will update you when we know more.

The biggest shake up to renting rules in England for 30 years will affect millions of tenants.