Neighbours tree blocking light

wksd

I know we have minimal rights here so just wondering if you know what we can do/ best ways to proceed.

We recently bought a semi-detached house. The house we are attached to are two separately owned and rented flats (house conversion). The upstairs flat we have spoken to on a few occasions and they are a very nice couple. The downstairs is occupied by an 85 year old man who has lived there over 40 years and has Protected  status. The flat was sold 4 years ago quite cheaply which I assume is due to the tenant. Flats on this road normally sell for £250k+. Our house was £500k. The sale in 2016 was for £160k.
The man has the garden as part of his tenancy. In that garden are two sycamores which currently stand at around 13m. They are not looked after at all. We viewed the house in winter and we are quite naive, so didn't think about the trees. Now spring is here they are in full bloom and they fully block all sunlight entering our garden. The bank holiday was gloriously sunny and our garden remained entirely in the shade (we are east facing too). 

We sent a note to the man asking about us paying to crown the trees or just reduce slightly dependent on his views. He then began verbally abusing us. It became such a torrent of abuse I had to call the police as he began threatening me. 
I bought the land registry and spoke to the landlord who was far more reasonable, but is concerned given the protected status of the tenant.
The tenant has verbally abused the upstairs neighbours for other things also.

Is there anything we can do? I just want some sunshine!

Soot2006

Unfortunately nothing you can do other than become friendly with the man and then sweet-talk him into letting you take the trees down a bit next winter, Perhaps offer replacement with more suitable trees?

wksd

Soot2006 said:

Unfortunately nothing you can do other than become friendly with the man and then sweet-talk him into letting you take the trees down a bit next winter, Perhaps offer replacement with more suitable trees?

Had a feeling that might the answer. 

The council does have procedure for this, but it is part of the High Hedges legislation. My assumption here is that this would not count?

TELLIT01

Single trees aren't covered by High Hedges legislation as far as I know.  We are potentially on the way to having a similar problem.  Our neighbour is allowing a self seeded sycamore (try saying that after a few beers) to grow.  It's now about 15 feet high and is casting a shadow over our patio which used to have full sun throughout the afternoon and evening.  I'll have to catch him when he's in a good mood to discuss controlling the height.  He can be a funny so and so.  Some days really chatty and on others totally ignore you.

Mistral001

You can cut off any overhanging branches quite legally, but you have to offer any cut off branches to your neighbour as they own them.

unforeseen

wksd said:

Soot2006 said:

Unfortunately nothing you can do other than become friendly with the man and then sweet-talk him into letting you take the trees down a bit next winter, Perhaps offer replacement with more suitable trees?

Had a feeling that might the answer. 

The council does have procedure for this, but it is part of the High Hedges legislation. My assumption here is that this would not count?

High Hedge law only covers evergreen and semi-evergreen trees. Sycamores are deciduous

Davesnave

I expect that being a protected tenant the old chap has received grief in the past for his callous act of de-valuing the property, so he'll be on the defensive.

Then, a new neighbour arrives, who, instead of getting to know him, sends a passive-aggressive note about his tree.......

wksd

Davesnave said:

I expect that being a protected tenant the old chap has received grief in the past for his callous act of de-valuing the property, so he'll be on the defensive.

Then, a new neighbour arrives, who, instead of getting to know him, sends a passive-aggressive note about his tree.......

Hi Dave,

This is completely incorrect. Nothing about it was passive aggressive, the note simply asked how he would feel about us cutting the tree at all, we understand if not.
He has verbally abused the tenants above him and the police have been round for this, so I do think it's his personality.
You also don't tend to threaten killing someone's future child when discussing the trimming of a tree.

wksd

Davesnave said:

I expect that being a protected tenant the old chap has received grief in the past for his callous act of de-valuing the property, so he'll be on the defensive.

Then, a new neighbour arrives, who, instead of getting to know him, sends a passive-aggressive note about his tree.......

Oh you also have no idea if we got to know him (which we did - as much as we can in lockdown) because it is irrelevant to the legality of my question.

You're obviously having a bad day and feel the need to give your 20p to strangers. I suggest you find a new hobby.

TELLIT01

As has been said, you have the right to cut back any branches which overhang your property, but that's really about the limit of it.  I think the landlord is wary of his tenant and hiding behind his protected tenancy status to avoid confrontation.  Protected tenancy protects his right to stay in the property.  The landlord could cut back or remove the tree completely if they so wished, assuming there is on TPO which would be extremely unlikely for a sycamore in a garden.

GDB2222

The neighbour may always have been prone to unreasonable bursts of anger, but he's 85, so possibly this is the cause:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/frontotemporal-dementia/