neighbour cut down hedge!!!!

sylvia9121

Hello all,
I dont know if i am posting on the right thread but i need some advice!

I have been tenderly growing an evergreen bush / hedge for 4 years now. I have just noticed today that there was a massive gap (about 3 foot) where on closer inspection i noticed that the main branch had been hacked clean off. I knocked at the neighbours door (who we dont speak to as she is very noisy and selfish) and asked her why she cut it down, she replied that it was over her fence. So i asked her why she felt the need to hack a main branch off (she had to lean 6" into our garden to do this) and why didnt she just trim it, she just said that it was in her garden, anyway she then turned around and said that when she gets an electric hedge trimmer she will do the rest! :mad:
I am so angry I cant explain. I said to her that if she does anything like that again I will go to the council (she is a council tennant) but on relection I am going to go to the council tomorrow as what she has done is criminal!!!!
I know its only a hedge some of you might say, but I am just so upset (we were trying to grow something so the kids couldnt keep nosing in our garden. and now she has basically cut a quater clean off!
I know the council wont do anything so has anyone got any other suggestions we cant move as we have no money to move at the moment. (although we would love to)
thanks a lot and sorry for the essay
Sylvia

divadee

could you not put a fence up?

it would stop the kids being nosey and she wouldnt be able to cut it down.

sylvia9121

i would put the biggest fence i could fine but the fence is hers so that is why we started growing plants

silvercar

She is allowed to cut anything that is on her side of the boundary. If she has strayed onto your side then that is trespass and damage to your property. If she had any money you could sue her for the cost of reinstatement.

sylvia9121

i wouldnt mind her trimming her side, the problem was she has actually leant over about 6" and cut a branch that was about 2" thick!! actually not cut hack sawed

silvercar

nothing to stop you putting a fence on your side of her fence.

sylvia9121

could i charge her lol.. to be honest it would be the best bit of money spent. I am just so angry about it. Just out of interest is there a limit on how high you can have the fence?
I still want to inform someone about this though who would be the best people?

maninthestreet

Report it to the police as possible case of criminal damage.

divadee

i was just about to suggest what silvercar recommended as long as the fence is in your boundary then you can put a fence up on your side.

i think the maximum in a lot of areas is 6 foot, but it would be best to check with your local council planning department.



if she is a council tenant then i would think you could complain to the council, you could complain to the police for criminal damage and tresspass, but i dont know if they would do much to be honest.

real1314

Technically it is criminal damage, you can involve the police.
They might try to get out of it, but it's just the same as her leaning over your fence and sawing through a bird table support.

I would suggest you go back round, tell her that you will be informing the police and she how she responds to that.

MyUserNamesTaken

sylvia9121 wrote: »

i would put the biggest fence i could fine but the fence is hers so that is why we started growing plants

There's nothing to stop you putting up a fence on your side of the boundary. It's perfectly legal. If I were you, that's what I'd do. Stick a fence up, but make damn certain it's on your side.

What you've got to ask yourself is this: do you really want to go to war with this neighbour? Reporting her to the police/council will probably result in a feud. You'll also have to inform potential buyers should you come to sell your property, as you will have had problems with the neighbour resulting in you reporting her to the police. Go with the fence option and have done with it.