cutting back neighbours hedge

cyclonebri1

A family member has recently bought a block of farm land to the rear of their home.
Access is provided by the old farm track that runs between the next door neighbours house and the next house down the road, ie, if they live at 1 the track runs between 2 and 3. This is also a public footpath.
The track is around 30mtr long and runs the length of no3's boundary.
The problem is that the access route has only rarely been used by farm traffic in recent years as the farm fell into disuse.
The hedge in question we presume does belong to No3. It is beech and extends 4ft from the trunks in the hedge into the track.
A farmer has been engaged to clean all the hedgerows up and get the grass back into shape but he insists the hedge is trimmed hard back to enable him to get his kit in to do the job. He will also be renting most of the land.

The problem is I just know she will try to be awkward, her sister lives at No2 and she's not the easiest person to get on with. The last baler trailer that did the grass knocked out a section of her fence as the hedge was balking him.

We have been to see her a couple of times out of courtesy to explain before it gets cut but can never catch her in.
I called at her sisters and explained fully and asked her to inform No3 that it would be cut shortly.

Next day a note was shoved through the door saying to see her before cutting the hedge, evening a time when we could catch her in, in 3 days time.

We are disregarding that and will try again tonight as the farmers arrival is imminent.

Any advice on correct action would be appreciated?, we are trying to do this the correct way, but we have to get on with it.

I know the bit about we have to offer the trimmings back, but considering there will be about 2 ft 6 to 3 feet to be cut I don't somehow thing she will want it back.

It's going to look very thread bare as they have it hard cut on the inside but........

PS, it's the side of the track where the footpath runs that is overgrown.

squeekswhenwalking

If it's on your land I'd cut it and tell her to wind her neck in if she starts.

cyclonebri1

squeekswhenwalking wrote: »

If it's on your land I'd cut it and tell her to wind her neck in if she starts.

Well that's what will likely happen, just trying to ensure I don't give her any grounds for complaint, which she will when she sees what the hedge looks like.

She will be told the hedge will be cut next weekend, the plan is to cut it on Monday, before she gets chance to argue.

This assumes I don't get any contrary advice.

I personally go out of my way to promote good neighbourly relations, but these pair think they rule the street.

I_have_spoken

Dozy mare will probably call the bizzies once the cutting starts, so be ready with documents to show ownership etc.

DRP

Stick a note through her door, so she knows what's planned.

tberry6686

who owns the track ?

Hedgehog99

"It's going to look very thread bare as they have it hard cut on the inside but........ "

You mean it's cut hard on their side, but left all bushy on your side?
Double standards!

I understood that a neighbour can cut back their neighbour's hedge/trees to the boundary.

DTDfanBoy

Hedgehog99 wrote: »

You mean it's cut hard on their side, but left all bushy on your side?
Double standards!

Perhaps you should reread the OP, how is cutting the hedge on the owners side going to improve access

Davesnave

Cutting hedges is normal at this time of year and it does mean some loss of privacy if it is done on both sides simultaneously.

I have an elm hedge 50metres long between my garden and a vehicular right of way. Every year I have to pay to get it cut on the lane side, so this lady is getting a bargain if she's having hers done for nothing.

If I didn't have the one on the public road done at the end of August, the council would just come along, do it and hand me the bill.

Assuming farm traffic has a right to pass, the hedge must be maintained to ensure that it can, so if it's overgrown, it's her responsibility. You are doing her a favour.

cyclonebri1

I knew you'd be along with a comment of two Dave, cheers.

This is exactly what we will tell her, we are doing her a favour.

And to answer others, yes it is double standards or rather cut it hard to retain max garden then let it overgrow 4ft the other side to max out privacy, you can't have it both ways.

And yes my DH does now own the lane, the land and the responsibility for the footpath.

It's a beech hedge Dave, as you well know these are perfectly good at 12" thick, this one is 5 feet. And as you know farm hedges can only be cut at certain times of the year, he can't do those without cutting this first.
The only other info she will get is that we won't touch the height, that I know would be illegal.

Put a note through the door?, no, don't want the excuse that she hasn't seen it, the dog must have eat it. Plus her standards may be to push notes through letter boxes, mine aren't, I prefer to deal with people as it's like on here. It's very easy to misconstrue the written word

Would the coppers come out to a civil issue like this?, I very much doubt it, but this is the reason I said we will tell her weekend, then do it during the week when she is at work.

Thanks for the help guys

cyclonebri1

DTDfanBoy wrote: »

Perhaps you should reread the OP, how is cutting the hedge on the owners side going to improve access

He doesn't mean it like that chap, detailed in my post above and a shinning example of the written word failing as I said .