Trim hedges now or risk fines: The little-known garden law

Last chance for homeowners to trim hedges or face potential fines

Green-fingered Brits are being warned to cut their hedges by the end of this month or risk breaking a little-known law.

As winter draws to a close, many householders will be eager to prepare their gardens for spring, giving it a much-needed spruce up by pulling out weeds, cutting the grass and pruning back any overgrown hedges.

With that in mind, the home insurance experts at Tiger.co.uk are reminding property owners that February is your last chance to cut your hedges without running the risk of incurring a hefty fine.

This is because of an environmental law designed to protect nesting birds, which applies from March to August.

The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 makes it an offence to intentionally damage or destroy a wild bird’s nest while it is being built or in use. Breaking this law can incur an unlimited fine and, in some cases, even six months in prison.

While it is not illegal to cut domestic hedges during nesting season, anyone who damages a bird’s nest while doing so during this period – even inadvertently – will still be liable to face a penalty.

However, it should be noted it is illegal for farm hedgerows to be trimmed from March 1 to August 31, except under certain exemptions.

Ian Wilson, home insurance expert and Managing Director of Tiger.co.uk said: “With spring fast approaching, many people will be keen to take to their gardens and do some long-overdue tidying and clearing out.

“Many people choose to leave it to the summer to maintain any hedges or trees on their property, but it is important that householders are aware that by doing so they could potentially fall foul of the law.

“While it is not illegal to cut back domestic hedges during the months of March to August, doing so carries the risk of picking up an unlimited fine or even prison time. Therefore, gardeners may want to consider making it a priority to tackle any overgrown hedges before the end of February and then put away their trimmers until the nesting season has passed.”

Keeping your hedges well maintained not only enhances the aesthetics of your property, but there could also be legal ramifications for failing to do so. Anyone who owns or lives on land next to a public road or footpath is legally responsible for cutting back any hedges or trees growing on their property which could obstruct the view of passing motorists or endanger pedestrians.

It should be noted that as a requirement for home insurance, your property and grounds need to be well maintained. If an incident occurs through lack of care, you may not be protected by your insurance policy.

As a price comparison site, Tiger.co.uk can help householders across the UK compare and find savings on their home insurance.