Trees/hedges who's responsibility?

nublue

Hi,

Quite new to having a garden and have at the rear of our garden on the boundary a tree and a bush which were there when we moved in.

There is the back garden of another house backing on to our garden and the tree and bush have apparently been overhanging their garden for quite some time (we cannot see this easily from our side and didn't know). From what they say it has become quite bad for them.

They have told us it is our responsibility and that we should either come and cut it back for them or should pay for someone to do it.

I just wondered if anyone knew if this is correct?

Thanks

Mojisola

Your neighbours have the right to cut back anything to the boudary - and no further - and have to offer the trimmings to you. If you refuse them, the neighbours have to dispose of them.

That's the legal situation. If you want to get on well with the neighbours and are fit enough to do so, you could trim the bushes back yourself but I would drop it into the conversation that you don't have to do this for them. I would also suggest that they start trimming any future overhangings while they're small so that the bushes are easier to keep under control.

If the neighbours are nice, they'll appreciate it. If they start telling you that you have to do all sorts of other things as well, back off from them.

nublue

Hi Moji,

Thanks for your reply, it's kind of what we thought. The problem we have is that we are a very busy young(ish) working family and we struggle to achieve the tasks that need doing in our own home.

In our garden we try and keep on top of things when they happen so we don't have a huge mess to clean up. So it's a bit difficult when someone then requests you sort out their garden (even if it is a plant from your garden!)

I guess my husband and I need to just decide what we are willing to do and go from there.

Thanks for clarifying things for me.

Kind regards,

Leah Bevan

Mojisola

nublue wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, it's kind of what we thought. The problem we have is that we are a very busy young(ish) working family and we struggle to achieve the tasks that need doing in our own home.

In our garden we try and keep on top of things when they happen so we don't have a huge mess to clean up. So it's a bit difficult when someone then requests you sort out their garden (even if it is a plant from your garden!)

In that case, I think I would politely tell the neighbours that it isn't your responsibility to cut back the hedge but you don't mind if they do.

krlyr

Do you want to keep the hedge and tree? A longterm solution could be to have them removed - you could always place screening across the back if you wanted some privacy.
Legally, you may not be obligated to trim it, but I would try to maintain a good relationship with the neighbours too. We have an apple tree that grows over one side, fortunately the neighbour seems happy for us to keep it (they're into feeding the birds so I think they like that it provides a nice spot for the birds to sit in/nest in - and apparently makes nice apples!) but if it was a problem for them then we'd probably have it removed as we just don't have the inclination to maintain it.

Leif

I don't see why you need to maintain it. If it is on the boundary, then they cut their side. If they don't like that, they trim it to the boundary then erect their own fence. If they can't be bothered to pay for a fence, tough.

A hedge is a better windbreak than a fence. And better for wildlife. I have a lot of dicky birds tweeting away in mine. And their tweets are more intelligent and interesting than Stephen Fry's.

Del_Astra

They seem quite forward telling you to trim your bush :-)

I would try to keep it all pleasant and polite, you don't have to do anything however. Discuss the options with them, don't just assume anything, they might get up set if you removed completed (which is your right). I have also heard of people doing it and throwing the cutting over as they belong to you, again you can avoid all this by discussion / communication.

It sounds like this may have been raised with the people in the house prior to you and it didn't go well. Hopefully once they see your willing to discuss it, it won't be seen as an issue.

You say it appears to be quite bad for them? In what way is the tree blocking out light to the property? How high is the bush, I'm struggling to see how it can be bad for them unless its pretty close to the property in which case I would be tempted to opt for removal as if it is so close that the height is an issue, the roots are likely to cause even more issues.

SailorSam

Trees and bushes really only need trimming once a year (late in the year) so it shouldn't take a lot of extra time when you're doing your own garden. It doesn't have to be done neat.

Leif

SailorSam wrote: »

Trees and bushes really only need trimming once a year (late in the year) so it shouldn't take a lot of extra time when you're doing your own garden. It doesn't have to be done neat.

They say you trim after flowering. In some cases such as Forsythia the flowers are on the previous years growth hence pruning at year end will mean no, or fewer flowers. But as you say, trimming does not take long, unless you cannot reach the top ...

nublue

Hi thanks for all the replies. I think the issue for them as I understand it is they do not like the leaves dropping and having to be picked up and I think the overgrowth is getting close to their shed. The reason it doesn't appear that it would be a quick job is twofold - firstly we have been at the house for two years and this is the first we have heard of it, secondly their house is at a lower level to ours and so where I could stand on a chair with a long shear to do ours, we would have to drive round to them (the way the estate works means although they are behind us it is actually a biggish walk over to them) with a long ladder (which we don't as yet own!), gain access to their house and then do the job - it cannot be got at from our side because of fencing.

We don't want to upset anyone, but we also don't want to have the Micky taken out of us either... I don't want to have it removed because it provides good privacy and we are very overlooked, and there are lots of birds which nest in it every year.

Thanks again for all the advice,

Del_Astra

I'm guessing it hasn't been trimmed / attended to since you moved in then. It might be worth getting some quotes and getting it tidied up now / brought to a height you can maintain it at and are happy with. From previous experience it cost me more to get a small hedge tidied up than it did to purchase the trimmer!

I would be tempted to explain this to neighbour over the back and say that going forward you are happy for them to cut and dispose of anything overhanging their garden as they are entitled too. I would not be paying any money for them to get this done.

Unfortunately I can't see any long term solution to leaves in the garden from the tree, (apart from removing the tree and planting evergreens) its what they do. Even if you removed it they would still get leaves from other trees when the wind blows. I know this as I have no trees in my garden, the neighbour doesn't either yet we still have to tidy up leaves in the autumn.