People are being cautioned about five laws they could unknowingly break in their homes, potentially without even realising. Recent data has highlighted the everyday laws homeowners may inadvertently violate, which could result in fines totalling a large sum, potentially as much as £37,070
There are many well-known laws, such as being drunk or disorderly in a public place and obstructing the police. However, few people know about the other laws that exist when going about daily life at home.
With the cost of living keeping bills high, avoiding fines where possible is a top priority for many. Here’s a look at some of the most common laws you might unwittingly break at home.
1. Leaky tap – £1,000 fine
Severn Trent has published an online document with a flow chart explaining where homeowners can be responsible for leaks. It is on this link here. A section called ‘the legal bit’ states: “If a leak on a private supply pipe isn’t repaired within 14 days of the leak being confirmed, we’ll start the Defective Water Fittings enforcement process under Section 75 (2) (b) and 170 of the Water Industry Act 1991.
“If you fail to carry out the necessary repairs within the period stated in this notice, we will take the following steps: a) Carry out the work through a contractor and recover any costs from you. b) Prosecute you under Water Industry Act 1991 Section 73 for allowing your water fittings to be or remain in a defective condition. The maximum fine is £1,000.”
2. Blocking neighbour’s driveway – £70 fine
Parking in front of your neighbour’s driveway could land you with a fine. The Highway Code is clear on the matter, with Rule 243 stating: “Do not stop or park in front of an entrance to a property“.
The RAC adds: “It is perfectly legal to park outside someone’s house, unless the vehicle is blocking a driveway or a wheel is over a dropped kerb. Where no parking controls exist, drivers do not have an ‘automatic spot’ for parking outside their homes.
“If your vehicle is on your driveway and another car is parked on a public highway and blocking your access out of your driveway, the council has the power to act. But if that other car is on a drive, it’s technically on private property – and the council has no authority to remove it.”
A local council can fine a car parked in front of your driveway if it’s blocking access to your property. This is because parking over a dropped kerb is illegal.
What to do:
- Check if your local council has taken on Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE).
- If your council has CPE, report the vehicle to them.
- If your council doesn’t have CPE, contact your local police force.
You can contact your local council using the information on gov.uk or you can contact your local police force using the non-emergency number 101. The council can issue a penalty charge notice (PCN) to the vehicle owner. If the problem persists, the council can mark a white line below the dropped kerb.
The amount of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) depends on the type of offence and the council that issued it. PCNs are often issued for parking illegally. You usually have 28 days to pay. In some cases, the fine is reduced if you pay within 14 days.
For example, a standard cost of a PCN can be between £50 – £130. A Fixed Penalty Notice can range from £50 – £300, depending on the severity of the violation. If you pay the Penalty Charge Notice within 14 days you will only be liable to pay 50% of the total charge.
If your driveway is blocked and you can’t get to it, the police most likely won’t be able to assist you. On the other hand, if someone is stopping you from leaving, that might be considered anti-social behaviour, and the authorities could step in to help.
3. Not disposing of electricals correctly – £5,000 fine
Tossing your TV into the bin could land you in hot water, as it’s against the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013. This law prohibits throwing away electronic items like TVs in your regular trash.
Not following these rules could lead to significant fines and potential legal consequences. You should not put a TV in the bin as doing so can contaminate the land with hazardous and toxic chemicals.
In the UK, the penalty for disposing of a TV in your regular household bin can differ based on your local council’s regulations. Generally, you can expect a fixed penalty notice of around £80 to £100 for improper waste disposal. If you continue to ignore these rules, the fines may increase, or you could face additional legal consequences.
Gov.uk adds: “The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive can result in fines for non-compliance, ranging from £5,000 to unlimited…You may sometimes get warning letters and formal cautions before a prosecution. The Office for Product Safety and Standards enforces these regulations. You can contact them if you have any questions on compliance or suspected non-compliance.”
Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) is regulated to reduce the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) incinerates or sends to landfill sites. Reduction is achieved through various measures which encourage the recovery, reuse and recycling of products and components.
4. Not fuelling your log burner correctly – £1,000 fine
Local authorities in England have the power to issue fines starting from £175 for improper log burner use. But the fines can go higher.
What are the wood burner regulations?
- If you live in a smoke control area, new wood burners can’t emit more than 3g of smoke per hour.
- If your log burner is on the list of Defra-exempt appliances that produce fewer smoke emissions, you can apply for an exemption.
- You must use an approved fuel, which varies depending on where in the UK you live. See the full list of approved fuels on the Defra website.
- Look for the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo on fuel packaging. This means the fuel has less than 20% moisture and complies with Defra’s regulations.
- All new log burners must adhere to Ecodesign rules to reduce smoke and pollutant emissions. Check with the manufacturer if a wood burner adheres to Ecodesign rules.
Under the DEFRA Clean Air Strategy, it’s mandatory to have your log burner checked and serviced annually by a professional. You must also use low-smoke wood fuel and fit a carbon monoxide alarm in your home.
You could also get a fine of up to £1,000 for using unauthorised fuel in an appliance that’s not on the Defra-exempt list. If the situation goes to court, fines could be as high as £5,000 for repeat offenders.
5. Dangerous crack – £30,000 fine
A serious crack in your home may be classified as a “category 1 hazard” under the Housing Act 2004. This classification means that your local housing authority is required by law to take action against the property owner to ensure necessary repairs are carried out.
This could involve issuing an improvement notice or even taking emergency measures if the crack presents an immediate danger to those living there. If the property owner does not comply, they could face fines.
A statement on Legislation.gov.uk says: “The local housing authority may impose a financial penalty on a person if satisfied, beyond reasonable doubt, that the person’s conduct amounts to a relevant housing offence in respect of premises in England. In this section “relevant housing offence” means an offence under— (a)section 30 (failure to comply with improvement notice).
“(3)Only one financial penalty under this section may be imposed on a person in respect of the same conduct. (4)The amount of a financial penalty imposed under this section is to be determined by the local housing authority, but must not be more than £30,000.”