neighbours tree is starting to block the view of the valley from my house

Mojisola

Rufus20 wrote: »

http://www.which.co.uk/documents/pdf/boundary-disputes-153984.pdf

You can go to the council if the trees are over 2m tall and they will get cut back but you will have to pay a fee! See link!

"There's no legal requirement to maintain your hedges."

"My neighbour's hedge is tall and overhangs my garden. Can I insist they trim it?
Generally, no."

Although the part on High Hedges mentions 2m, it's extremely unlikely that a neighbour would be forced to keep a hedge at 2m.
"It (the authority) may decide that nothing needs to be done, even if it (the hedge) is 10m high."

As it costs several hundreds of pounds (councils vary in their fees) to bring a case under the HH legislation, it's a financial risk for the complainant.

You're lucky your neighbour didn't take advice on their own rights.

System

antenna wrote: »

Copper nails or copper sulphate work for all situations,and can be impossible to detect.

Copper nails is a myth unless the nail weighs about 10lbs and is shaped like an axe head

skyeblue

PollySouthend wrote: »

Hi.

I bought a house mainly because of the amazing view it has down the valley.

The person in the house below me has two big trees that have grown 4ft over the 12ft high hedge that borders our property in the last two years.

It wasn't a major problem when I moved in but now they are starting to block the lovley view.

I asked him nicely if he could trim them, offered to pay for it to be done but he just said he likes them and hes been here longer.

Really upset as the best thing about the house is the view and each year it will be taken away from me a bit. The house is over 80 years old and also worried this will loose me money on the house.

Do I have any right to this view? I assume the council will just laugh at me?

Any help would be good

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I have gone back to the original post to try to put things in perspective.
You say this has happened in the last 2 years - how long have you lived in the house?

It would appear that the neighbour is not the aggressive devil incarnate he has been made out to be - he likes trees! We don't know under what circumstances the trees were planted - it may be to mark a special event, and as such he would not want them spoiled in any way.

The trees are now 16ft. We have since learned that they are 4 ft from the hedge - is it the trunks that are 4ft, or the tips of the widest branches?

And we have learned that they are 10 metres (OP changing from imperial to metric to confuse matters) from a garage. If they were to fall uphill, the hedge would stop them hitting anything, but if it didn't they still wouldn't hit anything.

I really do not think anyone should buy a house just on the basis of a view, especially if you REALLY think the best thing about the house is the view.

My answer to the original question is no, you do not have a right to a view - a solicitor would be your best recourse, but you would be in and out before you have time to sit down, his answer would be immediate and negative.

gwapenut

OP, I understand your frustration, but think you should let it lie.

Is it really worth trying to enforce something or force his hand through petty arguments, for something that arguably should not be enforced?

The net result is that you probably won't get a view because you are trying to reach so far beyond your rights, however you WILL get a lovely neighbour dispute that you have to declare to subsequent purchasers of your house.

EveG

I have the same problem. Bought my property 8 years ago, the small birch in my neighbours garden now towers and results in no sunlight in my garden so now no flowers grow - I have a lot of ferns!
From an eco perspective trees are great for birds but not so wildlife friendly. The countless flowers I originally had encouraged birds, bees etc but now I have nothing but insects and ferns in a rather dark, mossy environment. Trees are not always the best option for every ecological environment and an intelligent authority would recognise this. It should be a case by case basis, much like planning permission... You should need planning permission to plant a tree in a residential garden.

maxwanadoo

Polly, buy his property and then you can do what you need to do and then sell it again.

lostinrates

EveG wrote: »

I have the same problem. Bought my property 8 years ago, the small birch in my neighbours garden now towers and results in no sunlight in my garden so now no flowers grow - I have a lot of ferns!
From an eco perspective trees are great for birds but not so wildlife friendly. The countless flowers I originally had encouraged birds, bees etc but now I have nothing but insects and ferns in a rather dark, mossy environment. Trees are not always the best option for every ecological environment and an intelligent authority would recognise this. It should be a case by case basis, much like planning permission... You should need planning permission to plant a tree in a residential garden.

Can I suggest you do some research on plants? There is an excellent nursey with a website called plants for shade. I haven't bought from them but used to live near them and the reputation was good, and the website is a great resource in plant selection.

I have. Areas of north facing garden and garden in deep shade that are the first we've tackled in our house. I am going to plant some ferns ( for eating) but we have plenty of other things in the shade of lime trees and horse chestnut a couple of hundred years old, and farm buildings and our house.

As I left the house this morning I saw several bees on our woodruff, for example. But we have plenty more.

essexfan_2

Sorry....were you looking for advice or sarcastic comments. Difficult to tell from the replies on here !

Davesnave

EveG wrote: »

From an eco perspective trees are great for birds but not so wildlife friendly.

I'm sorry, but that's hogwash.

Maybe what you mean is that trees don't apparently benefit the wildlife and plants you'd like to see in your garden. I say 'apparently;' because habitat relationships are very complex.

Oak trees, for example, benefit approximately 400 species.

daizydale

I have just had a problem with a tree growing outside my mothers.

"The tree outside my house blocks


the light in my garden, do I have a


right to light?"


The answer was:


No, only if


you can prove


that you have the right


to ancient light, e.g, you


can prove that you have


had the uninterrupted


use of that light for a


period greater than 20


years; do you have any


right to light. This


however, only applies to the windows of your property
Hope this helps