laws on cutting hedges - help please before costs start

gardenroute

Cutting the hedge on her side is her responsibility, even if the hedge is planted on your property.
But if you leave it to grow on her side it will make cutting the whole of the top very difficult; especially at 10' high.
It also might make a difference what type of hedge it is and how long it is.
It's not the ideal solution but a lady on her own might not be able to afford to have it cut or do it herself; so it might be easier to do it yourself just to save stress in the future.

Biggles

If you start getting involved with trimming your hedge on the neighbour's side, you'll be doing it every year, you don't want that. And you'll find you'll be asked to do it exactly the way they want it - it will be inspected!

Trim your side and the top (as far as you can reach across) and explain that the rest is up to them. Which it is.

moneypooh

Believe me the neighbour concerned can easily do it herself, she's not elderly.
I have extended your comments to my neighbour and they'll be leaving it be.
Apparently the neighbour still feels it's their responsibilty and has phoned them to say so. It'll probably get a bit messy, but no change there then (with this particular person)

jpscloud

Does it depend on who is responsible for the boundary? On the deeds of my house it shows the boundary responsibilities for each of the gardens my garden has a boundary with - some are mine alone, some are shared and some are others' responsibility. I'm not sure how all that works out legally, but I would guess it means if it happens to be your boundary responsibility, and your neighbour can show it is causing them problems, they could force you to deal with it (I'm thinking of bazillion-foot-high leylandii and the like though, not just a few wisps of twigs).

I also understand that if a neighbour's tree/bush/plant is overhanging your property, you can cut it back but only as far as it's on your property, and you must offer the cuttings back to the owner (apparently this is to do with the value of the produce, as it could be fruit or valuable wood etc.)

Farway

Roundup?

Oh did I say that, sorry

aliasojo

RAS wrote: »

The rule is

Letter asking for hedge to be cut.
Letter advising that if hedge not cut, then quotes will be sought for the job.
One month later, send quotes for the job and advise that if the job is not done within timescale (say two weeks),
Get job done
Bill to hedge owner.

This goes entirely against what an old neighbour of mine was legally advised.

When you say 'rule' do you mean the general acceptance between people, or an actual law somewhere?

keystone

If the hedge is the boundary then both sides should maintain their own side.

If the hedge is on Person A's property but is overhanging over Person B's property then Person B has the right to cut said hedge back to the boundary but no further. It is wise to communicate that that is what you intend to do. Person B is obligated to "offer" the arisings back to Person A as they are their own property. Person A does not have to accept them and if he/she/they decline it is Person B's responsbility to dispose off them at their cost.

Person B has no right to get it done and give Person A a bill. Person B has no right to demand that Person A has it done.

Cheers