Grow a small fortune by making the most out of your garden with our top tips

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THE Consumer Crew are here to solve your problems.

Mel Hunter will take on readers’ consumer issues, Jane Hamilton will give you the best advice for buying your dream home, and Judge Rinder will tackle your legal woes.

Jane Hamilton, property expert

Property expert Jane Hamilton shares her tips on finding a home in the country

The garden’s where it’s at

CAN your garden grow you a small fortune?

The coronavirus crisis means both homeowners and renters are now prioritising gardens over any other part of their homes.

The coronavirus crisis means people are prioritising gardens over any other part of their homes

Property portal Rightmove found three in five of us now say outside space is a prime concern when moving home.

Here’s how to make gold from your green space . . .

  1. Begin with the basics. Trim overgrown plants, bushes and weed borders, and jet-wash patios and terraces to remove stains and moss.
  2. Customise your colours. Who says you have to stick to a creosoted fence? Be bold and choose a coloured fence paint. But brush on carefully so it’s not leaking on to the neighbour’s side. Cuprinol does a range of trendy choices, from £20 for a 2.5-litre tin.
  3. Tiny garden or patio space? Add an outdoor mirror. A large feature mirror makes the tiniest space look bigger, or place mirrors along the whole length of a wall for the wow factor. You can pick one up from £25 at garden centres or Amazon.
  4. Zone your garden. Create an outdoor area for eating, with a table and chairs, or even an outdoor sofa if you have room. You may want to deck this area or add pea shingle to section it off. Keep a separate lawned zone then add a veg plot, or plant herbs and colourful flowers such as lavender in ceramic pots.
  5. Get your lighting right. Adding lights transforms your garden into an extra “room” you can use in the evenings. String up fairy lights or spike solar lights into the ground along borders and paths.
  6. Build a garden room or home office. This is an expensive option, with builds ranging from £5,000 to more than £30,000 depending on the features and specs. But a good one can add at least five per cent to your home’s value – so work out if it’s worth it and whether you’ll use it.

A buyer’s market

THE property market is showing signs of life.

Househunter numbers are up seven per cent and agents are agreeing an average of five sales per branch in the two weeks since restrictions were lifted.

But the figures from estage agents’ body NAEA Propertymark also showed 70 per cent of homes went for under the asking price, so there is still plenty of room to negotiate.

Boss Mark Hayward said: “It’s great to see the market up and running again, bringing back much-needed confidence.”

Judge Rinder

 Judge Rinder’s answers do not constitute legal advice and are not a substitute for obtaining independent legal advice

Q) I HAVE a problem with a neighbour’s tree that has caused damage to my property.

A root has grown out of the ground and damaged a fence panel and a post, lifted paving slabs and knocked down a small retaining wall.

I’ve spoken to my neighbour numerous times about it, but to no avail.  

The last time I spoke to him, all he would say was: “See a solicitor.”

I have written to him twice with proof of posting, saying I would not claim for any damage if he resolved the issue. He has not replied to any of my letters.

What is my next step?

David, Bucks

A) You’ll be pleased to hear that you are totally in the right.

If your neighbour’s tree is causing damage to your property, especially a supporting wall, he is legally responsible for removing it. Full stop.

It seems to me that this neighbour isn’t interested in settling this matter amicably so you are going to have to take legal action.

If the damage to your property costs less than £10,000 to repair, this case shouldn’t be too difficult to manage yourself.      

You’ll need, among other things, to get proof from an expert surveyor that the roots are causing the structural damage you claim.

You should write to your neighbour one last time, making clear that this is a letter before legal action and you would not issue proceedings if he removed the tree.

If he doesn’t reply to you, or repeats his aggressive indifference, then go to the small- claims court website and issue proceedings.

It may be worth getting some further legal advice if the damage is more extensive than it seems, as the case will be more challenging to deal with.

If your neighbour’s tree is causing damage to your property, especially a supporting wall, he is legally responsible for removing it