Danielle Clements, who is a Property Dispute Solicitor at Gorvins, discussed the trouble with neglecting the outside of your property with The Independent and how this could have expensive consequences for the owner.

Many people spend a lot of money on interior design but few spend an equal amount on the exterior. Poor maintenance of paths, risks of falling branches or masonry and structural problems could lead to severe financial and health problems.

Danielle told The Independent that the most obvious risk is that a visitor could be injured as a result of the homeowner’s neglect. “Under the Occupiers Liability Act 1957, the owner has a duty to make sure legitimate visitors will be reasonably safe.”

She continued, “If injury is caused to the visitor as a result of the state or condition of the property and the danger was something the occupier should have been aware of, then there is a risk of a claim for personal injury. There have been cases of postal workers and supermarket delivery drivers suing homeowners after they fell while making deliveries.”

The advice is to maintain your property both inside and outside to avoid a potential legal claim.

The full article can be found in The Independent from 26th June 2016 – ‘It’s on the outside that matters’ by Felicity Hannah.

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