Churches, treasure, and cows...
Chancel repair liability: your home might owe the church thousands
Dating back to medieval times, chancel repair liability allows certain churches to request funds from homeowners for roof repairs, regardless of their own religious beliefs. The obligation is linked to the land itself and can even affect properties located far from the church. Changes in 2013 required these liabilities to be registered to remain enforceable.
Seemingly, not all were updated in time, meaning some homeowners could still be liable for unexpected costs. Ironically, praying will not help here. However, checking your title deed and securing chancel repair indemnity insurance is a wise precaution.
Treasure found on your land belongs to the Crown
You're in your garden, enjoying a lovely dig. Your spade hits something unfamiliar, hard, metallic sounding. Heart pounding, you reach down and brush away the dirt. Treasure! You are now rich beyond your wildest dreams.
Except you're not. If you dig up something made of precious metal that’s over 300 years old, you can't just keep it. This includes coins, jewellery and other artefacts. If declared treasure, the find belongs to the Crown, although finders can sometimes be rewarded. It gets better. As a bonus, if you own the land, failing to report the discovery is also a criminal offence under the Treasure Act 1996.
Right to roam and the dangers of cows
The public is entitled to walk on specific types of private land, including public footpaths across farms or estates. Landowners can’t block access unless they secure permission to reroute a path. This right has led to unusual legal outcomes, such as a 2003 case in which a walker was injured by a cow and successfully sued the landowner.
Farmers are now more cautious, often posting livestock warnings. Still, if a path exists, the public can legally use it, even across fields with grumpy animals.
