Bank holiday heatwave: Eight ways you could break the law simply by relaxing in your garden; You may want to think twice about what you get up to in the sun this weekend.
Byline: Ian Johnson
We are set for a Bank Holiday heatwave and the sun is already scorching.
But if you are planning on spending some time in the garden this weekend, be careful what you get up to.
Gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk has published a list of eight things we should avoid getting up to in our garden if we don't want to get in trouble with the law.
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The list, reported byCornwall Live, covers common issues such as overhanging branches - for example, you are allowed to cut back tree branches that overhang into your garden, as long as they do not go past the boundary line and there is no Tree Preservation Order in place.
But you can't keep the trimmings or any fruit or flowers on them and you can't throw the branches back into the tree owner's garden without permission.
Here are the eight things we shouldn't be doing (but probably are)...
If a tree's branches overhang into your property from a neighbour's, you can trim them, but only up to the property line. You can't lean into the neighbour's garden to do this, though, as it constitutes trespass.
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If a tree is covered by a Tree Preservation Order, you can't cut the branches.
Although you can cut branches that hang into your garden up to the property line, they still belong to the neighbour -- as do any flowers or fruit on them.
Your neighbour is legally entitled to demand them back, so you won't be able to stockpile the branches for your next bonfire. But do not throw them into the neighbour's garden, as this could constitute garden waste fly tipping.
Things to Do Widget
This also applies to hedges. If a hedge grows along the boundary between two gardens, both neighbours are responsible for trimming. If a hedge belonging to a neighbour grows into your garden, you can trim it but, as with tree branches, you must return the trimmings to the owner.
Windfallen fruit technically still belongs to the person who owns the tree. So, if your neighbour's windfalls end up on your lawn, ask for permission if you want to keep them.
Under the Rights of Light Act, if a window has received natural light for 20 years or more, neither you nor your neighbour can block it with a new tree.
These can be tricky to resolve. The house deeds should indicate who owns fences and is responsible for boundaries (although there is no legal responsibility to keep...
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