Here are few things that you need to be careful to avoid fines in UK.
We all know that the laws and rules of the land need to be respected and followed. However, have you ever been in a situation where something that you thought is perfectly legal, put you in trouble or made you pay penalties? This is a situation that immigrants usually come across, no matter which country they are living in. One of the reasons for this is something that is perfectly ok in their home country might not be that way in the country that they are living in.
A perfect example happened in Manchester recently, when an immigrant student had to pay £150 penalty for feeding a pigeon while in a public park. The student was apparently having food and just shared some with the birds as a usual practice as he followed in the home country. The council official charged him for wasting food and littering in the public park.
Wait!! What??? YES, and, if you’ve ever spent time in Trafalgar Square, you might have committed a crime without even realising it, thanks to a ban put in place more than a decade ago. Since the early 2000s, it has officially been illegal to feed pigeons in Trafalgar Square. What if the student never pays that penalty? Well, he may be able to push the payment for some days, but at the time of Visa/PR renewal or for any documentations/approvals from govt departments, he will have to clear the penalty first and then proceed.
In another case, a bird-lover who infuriated neighbours by ‘excessively feeding’ seagulls and pigeons in her own garden has been hauled into court by her council and fined. Neighbours complained about birds flocking to garden after she began feeding them with bird seed and other food in several feeders. Is there bird feeding laws in UK? Bird feeders aren’t often illegal, but they can be if the local city or community ordinances, homeowners’ associations, or neighbourhood bylaws restrict feeding wildlife. Violations could lead to substantial fines and other unpleasant penalties. The council rule for feeding the birds has to be followed.
In this context, it might be helpful for all of us to know about some of the do’s and don’ts while living in UK to avoid fines. We are trying to make this article as informative as possible, so stay tuned till the end to know more about main fines in UK.
Fresh water fishing in UK
England has many areas perfect for fishing. However, there are certain rules which must be followed and in some cases, if these are not adhered to you may be committing an offence. You must have a rod fishing licence for England and Wales if you’re fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel with a rod and line in England (except the River Tweed),Wales, the Border Esk region, including the parts of the river that are in Scotland.
You can get a fishing licence fine of up to £2,500 if you’re fishing in these areas and cannot show a valid rod fishing licence when asked.
There are different rules for Ireland. Children under 13 do not need a licence. Licences for children aged between 13 and 16 are free. You’ll still need to get a junior licence. You can get rod licence for short /long periods by paying the fee.
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TV Licence in UK
After hearing all these, you might want to relax a bit by watching TV. Wait!! That would need licence too. Yes, licence required for watching live programs.
If you are not covered by the licence then you are not supposed to , watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, or download or watch BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer – live, catch up or on demand.
This applies to any device or provider you use, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, games console, digital box or DVD/Blu-Ray/VHS recorder. You could be prosecuted if we find that you have been watching, recording or downloading programmes illegally. The maximum penalty is a £1,000 fine plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay.
Garden maintenance in UK
Untidy garden and keeping the house frontage clean is very much the responsibility of whoever is living there. The garden and lawn need to be tidy and kept clean with proper landscaping to avoid penalties in UK.
Pest Control fines in UK
When it comes to pest control, you can be fined if you cause any unnecessary harm to animals. In order do to control pests (insects or animals causing harm or nuisance) on your property, you can contact your local council to find out if they provide pest control services – you may be charged a fee. Another option is to hire a pest controller.
Traffic/Driving related fines in UK
Needless to say that all traffic related rules and regulations are strict in UK too. Drink and drive, seatbelts, speeding, road traffic offences etc can cost a lot of money to you in terms of fines and points on the driving licence. If you are a new driver and you are committing these kinds of violations a lot within 2 years, the authorities can even revoke your licence
Since we started this article of with birds, let’s talk bit about some animals. While driving, if you hit an animal in UK, then there are few things that need to be taken care of. If you hit an animal which is covered by The Road Traffic Act 1988 – namely, dogs, goats, horses, cattle, donkeys, mules, sheep and pigs you are legally required to report it to the police.
As horrific as the idea is of hitting someone’s pet whether it be a cat, dog or rabbit. You are not required legally to stop at the scene if you hit a cat… but if you do, and it has a chance of survival, you can take some action to help the animal survive based on humanity. As far as the questions on the insurance claims for the damage, if it is wild animals, then no chance. If the animal is a domestic one, then there is a chance depends on various other factors.
The other traffic offences in UK that might give you a fine or imprisonment are are;
- Careless driving / without due care
- Dangerous driving
- Drunk driving(driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs or with excess alcohol)
- Failure to provide specimen of breath
- Failure to notify identity of driver
- Failure to stop at an accident
- No Driving licence
- No insurance
- Traffic lights
- Mobile phone use
- Seat belts
- Speeding
Cycling related fines in UK
Cyclists in UK those who rides between sunset and sunrise, must have use one white light pointing straight forward and one red one pointing straight back. Your bike must have at least one red rear reflector and four amber pedal reflectors. Your bike should have two functioning braking systems. Bike bells are not required by law in the UK, but it’s good to have it. Wearing helmet while riding is not mandatory in UK. Cycle tracks to be used while riding and footpath cycling in UK is not allowed. Cycling on the pavement in UK is an offence, but there is clear guidance that the police are supposed to exercise discretion. Non adherence can cause penalties from the authorities.
Cycle tracks
These are normally located away from the road, but may occasionally be found alongside footpaths or pavements. Cyclists and pedestrians may be segregated or they may share the same space. When using segregated tracks you MUST keep to the side intended for cyclists as the pedestrian side remains a pavement or footpath.
Cycle Lanes
These are marked by a white line (which may be broken) along the carriageway. Keep within the lane when practicable.
Hope this article shed some light on to some of the common things that need your attention while living in UK. As a matter of fact, it is important to create basic knowledge about the laws /rules and regulations of the country to avoid troubles and lead a good life.
Hope this article is informative and will help you in some way. Stay tuned for more articles on a variety of subjects related to the life in UK.