Homeowners urged to check trees in their gardens or risk being slapped with an unlimited fine

Homeowners are being urged to check all trees in their gardens before carrying out any work or risk being slapped with an unlimited fine - or in the worst case a criminal record.

Experts are warning homeowners that some trees in the UK are protected, and you need to apply for permission to carry out work on them, which includes chopping down or removing a tree completely.

A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) protects a tree from deliberate damage or removal with the person carrying out the works facing unlimited fines if they’re guilty, and a criminal record.

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The order, made by local planning authorities, prohibits the cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting, wilful damage and wilful destruction of the tree without written consent. The order can be used to protect individual trees, trees within an area, groups of trees and even whole woodlands.

The person who has cut or damaged the tree is liable, which could be the current homeowner, former homeowner or a professional paid to carry out the works, and you can be found guilty even if you were unaware the order was in place.

Fines take into consideration the damage caused. If the removal or damage adds value to your property, the fine will reflect this and it can go up at a later date.

Expert Chris Bonnett from Gardening Express says anyone found guilty of deliberately damaging or removing a tree protected by a Tree Preservation Order faces big penalties.

However, he advises that this doesn’t mean you can’t touch or maintain the tree, you just need written permission for any works to be carried out.

Chris explained: “Tree Preservation Orders can be a headache to navigate and if you cause