The Close · Chichester
Starting a Gardening Business in The Close
A straight answer on licensing, waste rules and your first clients around The Close and Chichester.
Get the step-by-step Gardening Business Launch Kit — £22If you're considering a gardening business in The Close, the legal bar to entry is low, but it isn't zero. Here's what genuinely needs sorting before your first round in Chichester.
What the rules say
No general licence is required for general garden maintenance work. Specific activities carry their own requirements though: removing a client's garden waste yourself will likely require waste carrier registration with the Environment Agency (or SEPA in Scotland, Natural Resources Wales in Wales), and chainsaw/tree work or pesticide application have their own certification requirements. Public liability insurance isn't a legal requirement for a sole trader, but it's widely expected in practice.
Quick answers
Do I need equipment of my own to start in The Close?
Most new gardeners in The Close start with core equipment -- mower, strimmer, hedge trimmer and hand tools -- building up as the client round grows rather than buying everything up front.
Can I offer one-off tidy-ups as well as regular rounds in The Close?
Yes -- many gardeners in The Close mix one-off clearance jobs with regular maintenance rounds, which helps smooth out seasonal demand across the year.
Do I need a licence to be a self-employed gardener in The Close?
No general licence is required for general garden maintenance in The Close. Specific activities -- waste removal, chainsaw/tree work, pesticide application -- have their own registration or certification requirements.
Do I need to register as a waste carrier to work in The Close?
Likely yes, if you take clients' garden waste away yourself as part of the job anywhere in the UK, including The Close. Confirm directly with the Environment Agency, SEPA or Natural Resources Wales depending on where The Close sits.