Neighbour butchered our tree

xxmrksxx

Start the story off, we moved into our property three months ago and being doing work to it none stop.

We have been working on the garden last month and cut it back a lot to see what we have and there is two 25/30 ft confers that are big and overhang to neighbours garden. The plan was to trim them down by about five feet and right back, however to keep them as they offer a little privacy and make garden look nice.

I have spoken to our neighbours a month back how I'm just waiting for an uncle (ex gardener with all the tools) to come round and trim it back and offered to do there side at time as well and they said please as blocks some light in there's.

We arrive home today and find they have butchered half the tree and left it looking a joke, with no choice but to now cut down... We had no notice or anything.

My first question is this legal, of so what options do I have? This has pretty much poisoned the relationship as they already had one drunken party incident which resulted in the husband arrested (not invoked at all just woke us up that morning with shouting and screams)

Pictures hopefully attached of garden in October (before we brought and cut back) and this evening when we got in.

Thanks in advance


It won't let me post pics at present due to being newbie.. Will post if people advice how to

xxmrksxx

bryanb

If they only cut what overhangs their land it is within the law provided they offered you the cuttings back. (Haven't looked at picture)

WestonDave

To post pictures you'll need to host them somewhere on line and then put the link here - if it won't let you post a valid link put an extra space in it so its fooled and then put it on as text and someone will probably repost it as a link.

In terms of the tree, it depends what exactly they've done which is probably best waiting for the pictures!

ukjoel

I know I shouldnt but that picture really made me laugh.
It reminds me of the time I gave one of the kids a haircut to save the fiver I should have given to the barber.

Looks like he only cut down what was overhanging his side so as long as he chucked it back on your side of the fence I would have thought he hasnt broken any laws.

Apart from on topiary fashion.

Funky_Bold_Ribena

That's brill. Sorry.

To be honest, I'd cut that down anyway.

pleasedelete

It looks far to big to be that close to the house- doesn't look as if it has been well cared for. If you took 5 foot off it it it would also have been misshapen. Evil trees are conifers. it must take your light as well. Why have you savaged the rest of the garden?

WestonDave

Legal I'm afraid - they've just cut back what is overhanging their land. To be fair to them its a very anti social place to plant a big tree like that (I realise it was your predecessors) and expect the neighbours to not only lose the light on a big chunk of their garden but also suffer the water starvation in that area as those trees suck every last drop out of the ground.

I agree though its going to have to go completely now. If you want some privacy along that side (due to their antics) I understand bamboo grows tall quickly without the overhang problems!

pleasedelete

WestonDave wrote: »

Legal I'm afraid - they've just cut back what is overhanging their land. To be fair to them its a very anti social place to plant a big tree like that (I realise it was your predecessors) and expect the neighbours to not only lose the light on a big chunk of their garden but also suffer the water starvation in that area as those trees suck every last drop out of the ground.

I agree though its going to have to go completely now. If you want some privacy along that side (due to their antics) I understand bamboo grows tall quickly without the overhang problems!

My neighbours had bamboo. Sort of rustled and tinkled in the wind. Made me want the loo all the time (like running water effect)

pleasedelete

Unless you live in a conservation area and the tree is listed or preserved. You can't cut those down. I would need planning permission to remove a tree like that as trunk is larger than size requirements.

NBOATER

That used to be a lovely garden!

My daughters neighbour cut down a big leylandi and it landed on another neighbours green house.

May be legal to it the tree but shame they didn't make a better job f it.