Five mistakes this Christmas that could land you with a £5,000 fine including bin rule

WITH so much to remember at Christmas, it can be easy to forget important rules that could land you with a huge fine.

From bin collection dates to illegal log burners and driving offences, these little-known rules could dampen your festive spirit.

To help you avoid being slapped with an unexpected bill over the winter months, here we explain all the rules you need to know.

Breaking bin collection rules – up to £400

Local councils will differ on which day they will collect your bins because it depends on when staff will be working.

You should have been notified about when your bins will be collected over the festive period.

If you are unsure then get in touch with your local council.

In some areas, your bins will not be collected on public holidays or the days around a bank holiday.

You should be told of any changes in your area.

Christmas and New Year may have different collection dates if your bins were due to be collected on a day between this period.

You should have received a letter in the post or you can access this information on your council’s website.

If you are not sure which council is your local one then you can use the government’s council finder on its website to find out.

All you need to do is enter your postcode.

You could be charged up to £400 if you break your council’s rules.

Typically this is because you put the wrong items in your recycle bin.

There should be instructions on an item to tell you how to dispose of it.

Meanwhile, foil wrapping and glitter can’t be recycled.

Check whether your local council recycles wrapping paper, food packaging, Christmas cards and crackers.

Disposing of your Christmas tree – £5,000

Getting rid of your Christmas tree the wrong way could land you with a huge fine or even a trip to court.

Make sure that you have a plan for how you will dispose of your Christmas tree to avoid being slapped with a hefty fine.

In South Norfolk, residents were warned last year that they could be fined up to £5,000 if they give their waste to an unauthorised person who illegally dumps it.

Meanwhile, in previous years North Herts Council has issued fixed penalty notices of £75 for littering and £400 for fly-tipping.

Wakefield Council will also charge fly-tippers up to £250.

You can take your tree to the local recycling centre where it can be turned into chippings for paths or made into soil.

Some councils will also collect your Christmas tree and dispose of it for free.

For example, residents of Hammersmith and Fulham in London can leave their Christmas trees out with their rubbish.

It must be a real tree, clearly visible and not obstructing the pavement.

All decorations and pots must be removed.

The tree must be put out for collection before 7am on your regular collection day between January 2 and January 22.

Ignoring log burner rules – up to £1,000

If you break log burner rules then you could be slapped with a huge fine or even a criminal record.

Regulations were tightened last year to reduce the amount of smoke that wood-burning stoves are allowed to emit in “smoke control areas”.

The limit has been reduced from 5g per hour to 3g per hour.

These areas were introduced by the Department for Environmental and Rural Affairs to reduce air pollution.

They now cover many towns and cities in England.

Now that the rules have come into force local councils can issue fines of between £175 and £300 to those who are in breach of them.

You could also be fined if you live in a smoke control area and use unauthorised fuel in your log burner.

In designated areas you must use approved fuels or smoke-free ones in your log burner.

You can find out if you live in a smoke control area by visiting:

If you fall foul of these rules and buy unauthorised fuel to use in an unapproved device then you could be fined up to £1,000.

If the situation goes to court then the fine could be as high as £5,000 for repeat offenders.

Plus there’s an additional £2,500 charge for every day the breach continues.

Breaking parking rules – £130

Many of us will be driving to see loved ones this Christmas season.

But parking rules can vary in different regions, so check before you set off.

In London, you cannot park partially or wholly on the payment and should not do so unless signs allow it.

Some boroughs including Newham and Hackney will charge you up to £130 for a serious parking offence.

Meanwhile, in Stratford-upon-Avon the charge can be up to £70 but this falls to £35 if it is paid within 14 days of being issued.

Not de-icing your car – £60

If you do not de-ice your car property on a winter’s day then you could receive a £60 fine and three penalty points on your licence, the RAC warns.

If you drive without clearing your car fully then you could be classed as using a vehicle with parts of accessories in a “dangerous condition”.

By law you must have a full view of the road and traffic ahead, so you must clear your entire windscreen, mirrors and side windows.

You should also avoid leaving your engine running while your car is unattended.

The Highway Code warns: “You must not leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.

“Generally, if the vehicle is stationary and is likely to remain so for more than a couple of minutes, you should apply the parking brake and switch off the engine to reduce emissions and noise pollution.”

If you break the rules you could be slapped with a fixed penalty notice of £20 from your local authority.

If it’s not paid properly then it could soar to £80.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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