Revamping your garden could land you with a fine or criminal record when carrying out home improvements, an expert has warned.

As we move into spring, millions of Brits will soon be venturing out into their gardens to plan for the year ahead.

Many will be making big new improvements, such as laying a composite deck or installing new fencing to better protect against future storms. 

Home improvement specialist Helen Godsiff, brand manager at Eurocell, breaks down how to improve your garden while avoiding fines of up to £20,000.

Height restrictions with decking 

Installing composite decking has become a more popular garden trend in recent years, but there are still strict rules to follow when putting up your new seating area. 

Currently, regulations state that any decking that rises 30cm or more off the ground is subject to planning permission.

The same can be said if you plan to install decking that occupies 50 per cent or more of your total outdoor space, whether that be in the front or the back garden. 

Failure to acquire the proper planning permission from the council could result in a hefty fine, or an enforcement notice requiring you to remove or amend the size of your new deck.

Raising or lowering your garden

Altering the landscape of your garden could impact things such as retaining walls, drainage, pipework or your neighbour's property.

If work undertaken on your property negatively impacts your neighbours, such as by flooding their garden, you could be subject to an abatement notice from the local authority.

Failure to comply with this order can lead to fines of up to £5,000 for individuals or £20,000 for businesses. 

Building a shed or garden room 

In 90 per cent of cases, prefabricated garden rooms don’t require any planning permission. 

There can be some exceptions to this, however, such as adding a garden room in front of the principal front elevation of a home, building in a conserved area or placing a garden room into the property of a listed building.

If you go ahead without planning permission and then fail to comply with an enforcement notice then that is a criminal offence and you can face prosecution. 

Here, you can face prosecution in a Magistrates’ or Crown Court. The maximum fine in a magistrate’s court is £20,000, but there is no limit on the maximum fine a Crown Court could impose. 

Letting your hedge grow too high 

We’ve all heard of disputes arising from neighbours arguing over the size or shape of a hedge, but did you know that they’re also included in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003?

Part 8 of the act declares that it’s the “homeowner’s responsibility to keep their hedges maintained. If a neighbour has an issue then they can complain to the local authority.”

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Failing to install your fencing at the correct height 

When erecting wood or composite fencing, it’s important to consider the legal limits for height. The maximum height for fencing is two metres, or 6'6”. It is possible to erect fencing higher than this limit, but you’ll need to acquire planning permission beforehand. 

You’ll also need planning permission if you live in a conservation area or historically listed building.

Failure to gain planning permission can trigger a sequence of events that could lead to a £20,000 fine or more.