According to property expert Joshua Houston at WhatCost, there are five common property laws citizens must abide by.
The first one is to ensure you have a respectable garden, as an untidy garden is against the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1976.
Having a messy garden is not only an eyesore for the surrounding neighbours but could also lead to a pest infestation of rats and mice.
Homeowners are required to keep their gardens in good condition, or else they risk up to a £500 fine.
In a similar vein, the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1976 also prohibits an overflowing bin full of rubbish.
A bin that is overflowing and/or is broken could lead to a hefty fine of up to £500, depending on where you live.
Meanwhile, the Street Naming and Numbering Regulation of 1999 requires all households to have a house number that is clearly visible.
While this has practical reasons—so that delivery personnel can post to the right address—households without a clear door number can be fined up to £500.
Additional purposes for a clear door number include allowing public service officials to identify the home and allowing emergency workers to locate the property if needed.
The Building Act 1984 states that homeowners should keep their drains clear and well-maintained to avoid blockages, floods, and bad smells.
While the fine amount will be dependent on the area, the fee could go all the way up to £5,000 if the property law is broken.
Unkept drains can encourage pests—such as cockroaches, rats, and mice—to enter the area.
And, finally, the most expensive fine of all – going up to £30,000 – is if you do not sort out dangerous cracks in your property.
The Housing Act 2004 requires homeowners to fix any dangerous cracks in their property, which can be hazardous to people living in the home and those in close proximity.
