High hedge law

thelawnet

The boundary hedge, owned by the neighbour is 10 feet plus tall Leylandii.

As I understand it it shouldn't be more than 2 metres. It blocks a lot of light into our garden.

So basically we just go and ask them to cut it down at their expense?

seemasfriend

No legal expert but you might want to consider a slightly less confrontational approach? You haven't given any background about the current relationship with your neighbours. Do you talk?

Even if it is legally their responsibility, couldn't you offer to help - sweeping up etc rather than telling them it's their responsibility and it will have to be at their expense. At least, don't mention cost unless they do. Better to stay on good terms than descend into a boundary dispute.

thelawnet

Sweeping up? Not sure good that will do, needs a tree surgeon in really.

We just ignore neighbours, no problems with them though.

House is rented.

Davesnave

thelawnet wrote: »

So basically we just go and ask them to cut it down at their expense?

That's the first stage. A Land Registry search will reveal the owner & their address if the tenants or the LL's agent are unable to help/unhelpful.

However, many LL's are notorious for only doing minimum maintenance, so something like a leylandii hedge may not show on their radar, even after a polite request. I would say the odds are against anything happening.

You might be expected to make further requests, and for these to be ignored, before your council will wish to become involved. Even then, they may suggest mediation, or similar.

As I understand it, invoking the powers of the High Hedges Act via the council will involve putting some serious money up front.

Bearing all this in mind, offering to go 50:50 on the cost of a tree surgeon might still be the cheaper, faster option....but might not be offered in the first instance.;) Bargaining chip.

Leylandii will never regrow from brown wood, but if lopped when relatively small at 10' the results won't be catastrophic. Western Red Cedar (often confused with leylands) will re-grow and recover from heavy lopping. Don't expect anyone to know which they are though!

thelawnet

Sorry I meant that we rent. Next door are OOs.

Norman_Castle

http://www.boundary-problems.co.uk/boundary-problems/hedges.html#High%20hedges

Davesnave

thelawnet wrote: »

Sorry I meant that we rent. Next door are OOs.

That's better.:)

At least you are not dealing with an absentee landlord, possibly 100 miles away.

wellused

I made an enquiry to the local council about a neighbours hedge and received a form which required me to pay a fee to the council for them to asses the situation, it said that if they deemed the hedge to be blocking our light that they could issue an order and we would get the fee back however the hedge being over 2 metres high wouldn't necessarily constitute them finding in our favour. We declined to get the council involved and the neighbours eventually had the hedge trimmed themselves.

Jnelhams

It sometimes works, pointing out that a tree over 2m less than 10m from the property could affect the possibility of the Building Insurance covering any subsidence claims or storm damage.