With Let me illuminate Xmas deco issues

DO people joke that lights on your house at Christmas time are putting a strain on the National Grid?

This is the weekend when many people will start to decorate for the festive season.

But if you have extravagant plans to illuminate the outside of your home, there are a few things you need to consider first:

DO YOU NEED PERMISSION?

If you rent from a private landlord or the local authority or live in a shared ownership house, you may need permission to put up decorations outside.

Last year two readers told me their housing association wrote to them demanding they take down the external lights.

So check the terms of your lease or housing agreement before you turn the outside of your pad into a festive version of the Blackpool Illuminations.

ARE YOU CAUSING A NUISANCE? Act 1990. It means you could be told to take the lights down. COULD THE DECORATIONS BE A HAZARD?

When people come on to your land (such as visitors and the postman) you owe them a duty of care. That is a duty not to cause them injury. It is therefore important that no Christmas decorations cause a hazard.

Last year I heard of a story where a delivery driver in Sheffield tripped over a Christmas ornament placed on the homeowner’s driver and, as a result of this, he sued for compensation.

INSURANCE

Rita in Yorkshire wrote to me about a house fire that happened last December.

It was initially thought it was started by festive lights outside.

When she approached the insurer they rejected her claim.

It was then discovered that this was in fact not the cause of the fire so they paid out. But the point is they wouldn’t have done if the decorations had been the cause.