Neighbour complaining about tree

Davesnave

Living_proof wrote: »

I have often thought of asking them would they consider cutting it down completely, but if not, can I cut all the growth which hangs over my side of the fence, including the main trunk?

Viewing this from the principle of dealing with things that transgress into your air space, be they branches, trunks or boiler flues, the answer has to be yes. However, if it was a boiler flue, you probably wouldn't go to sawing it off as a first step, would you?


So it would be best to speak with your neighbour, explain the problem and see what they say first, perhaps having a fall-back position in mind; for example, offering to pay part of the cost to have it removed, or offering to remove it yourself, depending on your capability.

Living_proof

It's the potential damage to my greenhouse which is the issue and a boiler flue wouldn't concern me in the least. I am just about to retire and my main hobby is horticulture and I put a lot of work into growing cuttings and seeds, tomatoes, etc. It would break my heart to lose everything due to broken branches or the entire tree falling into the garden. I will ask a tree surgeon for their advice and a quote and then approach the people who live in the house with the tree, They may even rent it so that may be a complication.

Davesnave

The boiler flue might bother you if it was blowing hot gas across the path to your greenhouse or even faced your bedroom window, but perhaps you haven't heard an oil fired boiler at full throttle!

But let's be realistic here; the tree is a relatively small birch and it encroaches, so you have solutions available, even if the neighbour/their landlord isn't helpful. It could easily be a tree inside their boundary and much taller, which would still threaten your greenhouse and you'd have no options at all. When branches come off, it's usually in wind, and in those circumstances they don't fall directly below where they were growing either.

As an owner of many trees, if I had one like that, I'd probably go up a medium extending ladder, tie a rope to the top half, have someone put that under pressure away from the greenhouse and cut through the stem slowly with a handsaw. It will eventually split in a controlled way. I do this often with small trees overhanging the road, where I don't want them falling that way and creating a hazard. It's a two person job, but it takes no more than a few minutes. I've learned to do it that way through experience, because taking down even a 20' tree in one go from the base can be unpredictable. ... and hell hath no fury like a Mum or Dad on a school run!


Speak with the neighbour/landlord first, then you'll know where you're heading.

Primrose

Ash trees grow quite quickly so the neighbours have my sympathy. Few people can live in isolation of their neighbours these days so compromise would be my advice.

Why not agree to go halves on having the tree pruned back evenly on all sides to 50% of its height. The neighbours must be losing a lot of light/sunlight from their garden, increasingly over the years as the tree has grown which will be especially noticeable during autumn/winter when the sun rises late and is very low in the sky.

We had a similar problem with a neighbour's massive conifer nearby (three times the height of the house) which blocked sunlight from several nearby gardens, especially in winter. Three of us contributed to the cost of having it felled and completely removed and believe me, the improvement to the light in our gardens has been unbelievably blissful.

I think your parents need to compromise. One day they may need help of some kind from these neighbours so there,s no point in being difficult, especially if it's an issue which is affecting them in a negative way.