Who can enter your home without a warrant?

By [bbanks]

Council staff have the power to snoop around homes in Lincolnshire, without permission, it has been revealed.

Suspicions of illegal hypnotism and the existence of plants without passports are just two of the reasons council staff can enter homes without permission.

The information has been brought to light by national campaign group, Big Brother Watch which submitted Freedom of Information Requests to all councils in the UK.

And there are 21 people working in various departments at the City of Lincoln Council who at any time, can enter private property without a warrant or police escort.

And among other things, they have the power to check whether hedges are too high, under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 and whether residents have the required passport for their plants – Plant Health Order 2005.

West Lindsey District Council has 41 members of staff who can exercise the powers and North Kesteven District Council has 34.

Chief executive of West Lindsey said: "It could be that a Council needs to inspect a building that is in danger of collapse that could literally put someone's life at risk or there could be a pest infestation that is so severe that neighbours' lives are being made a misery.