Neighbours untamed hedge and trees

Sammyd159

Phil4432 said:

The health of the trees are fine, unless there's a honey fungus or something equivalent that could spread to your garden.  Unless you are standing right where the picture is taken, the view is not affected and you can still see the other way.  I actually enjoy overhanging branches over rivers; gives a natural, river like feel.

Perhaps she wont care if you ask to cut those overhanging branches, but if you start telling her what to do with her trees in her own garden, it could develop into an unnecessary situation.  People can have trees in their garden.  Sure, you can enter into a dispute over a few feet of branch hanging over the canal, outside of her house.  You could get her to cut that hedge to around 6 feet, which will give you a view of her garden, but not much else.  There's nothing you can do about the height of those trees though.  Then you've lost value on your house and live next to someone you don't get along with.  For what?

Neighbor disputes are nasty.  I'd really just let this one go.

I take on board what you are saying, but it's not her garden on the other side of the trees, it's a dense mass of trees on the canal bank and corner of her drive.  It wouldn't harm anyone to just tidy them up.  The overhanging branches nearly caused an accident. If it was her garden I think it would matter more to her to have them tidy, but it's out of sight out of mind. 

Mickey666

Sammyd159 said:

Mickey666 said:

Sammyd159 said:

. . . . I am trying to avoid any disputes to be honest.  I think I will try and approach her again. 

Not you’re not.  If you were you would simply leave her alone.  You’re trying to persuade her to do something she doesn’t want to do and are probably causing her some distress.  Asking once is fair enough but not accepting the answer is not fair on her.

She initially said she would when I first approached her. I am only going off what her son in law said, I don't even know for a fact he has asked her.  There is legislation in place for hedges otherwise I would not be asking if anyone has any experience of using it. I am not trying to cause her distress.  What about my distress at my damaged fence? She has a legal responsibility to keep her boundary in good shape and I am entitled to ask her for money for the fence, which in this instance I am not doing. I have busted a gut all summer trying to tame her trees and hedges, I am up a ladder every weekend with a constant pile of garden waste. I am entitled to have a stress free life too :-)

Up a ladder every weekend?  No wonder your neighbour doesn’t want to take on all that work  
If you want to hear from people with similar experiences it would probably be worthwhile moving this discussion to the gardenlaw.co.uk forum than post on a money saving website.  There are some real experts there.

Sammyd159

Mickey666 said:

Sammyd159 said:

Mickey666 said:

Sammyd159 said:

. . . . I am trying to avoid any disputes to be honest.  I think I will try and approach her again. 

Not you’re not.  If you were you would simply leave her alone.  You’re trying to persuade her to do something she doesn’t want to do and are probably causing her some distress.  Asking once is fair enough but not accepting the answer is not fair on her.

She initially said she would when I first approached her. I am only going off what her son in law said, I don't even know for a fact he has asked her.  There is legislation in place for hedges otherwise I would not be asking if anyone has any experience of using it. I am not trying to cause her distress.  What about my distress at my damaged fence? She has a legal responsibility to keep her boundary in good shape and I am entitled to ask her for money for the fence, which in this instance I am not doing. I have busted a gut all summer trying to tame her trees and hedges, I am up a ladder every weekend with a constant pile of garden waste. I am entitled to have a stress free life too :-)

Up a ladder every weekend?  No wonder your neighbour doesn’t want to take on all that work  
If you want to hear from people with similar experiences it would probably be worthwhile moving this discussion to the gardenlaw.co.uk forum than post on a money saving website.  There are some real experts there.

It's a flipping nightmare I tell you!  I have two garden waste bins and they are constantly full. I'm gutted I have this problem,  she actually has 4 large poplars which are crazy tall, but I would never dream of asking her to remove those (although my neighbour thinks it's only a matter of time before one blows over in a storm).
I'll check out that garden law page. Thank you x

Mistral001

I would give your neighbour time to cut back the trees rather than escalating the problem.  I would give them at least a year or maybe even two years in fact from the time you made the request. 

Sammyd159

Mistral001 said:

I would give your neighbour time to cut back the trees rather than escalating the problem.  I would give them at least a year or maybe even two years in fact from the time you made the request. 

I asked her in January if we could cut them back, she said leave it with her until back off her holidays in Feb but never heard back from her. Should I wait until winter and ask again do you think?

Mistral001

Sammyd159 said:

Mistral001 said:

I would give your neighbour time to cut back the trees rather than escalating the problem.  I would give them at least a year or maybe even two years in fact from the time you made the request. 

I asked her in January if we could cut them back, she said leave it with her until back off her holidays in Feb but never heard back from her. Should I wait until winter and ask again do you think?

If you asked her in February, then legally she had only about a  month in which to cut back the trees because of the bird nesting season.  So she probably is not being so tardy as you think. 

Sammyd159

Mistral001 said:

Sammyd159 said:

Mistral001 said:

I would give your neighbour time to cut back the trees rather than escalating the problem.  I would give them at least a year or maybe even two years in fact from the time you made the request. 

I asked her in January if we could cut them back, she said leave it with her until back off her holidays in Feb but never heard back from her. Should I wait until winter and ask again do you think?

If you asked her in February, then legally she had only about a  month in which to cut back the trees because of the bird nesting season.  So she probably is not being so tardy as you think. 

I asked her in January as I had a tree feller coming to remove trees in my garden.  I am aware of bird nesting season, however, the tree feller we use checks for nests during season and obviously doesn't cut them back if there are nests.  I am not asking her to cut them back, I am asking for permission for us to cut them back, at our expense. I would be looking to carry out most of the work post September anyway as it will be easier for the ones on the canal bank when they have lost their leaves.

Sammyd159

Mistral001 said:

Sammyd159 said:

Mistral001 said:

I would give your neighbour time to cut back the trees rather than escalating the problem.  I would give them at least a year or maybe even two years in fact from the time you made the request. 

I asked her in January if we could cut them back, she said leave it with her until back off her holidays in Feb but never heard back from her. Should I wait until winter and ask again do you think?

If you asked her in February, then legally she had only about a  month in which to cut back the trees because of the bird nesting season.  So she probably is not being so tardy as you think. 

The reason I asked her when I did, was because I hoped she would agree to it so I could have the tree feller do them at the same time as mine.  

-taff

I think you should let this go. If she wanted them cut she would have asked you.

You are one who wants her to cut her trees down.

You are the one who wants her to cut her trees down over the river. If anyone does have an accident I've no doubt her garden will be the subject of an insurance investigation if they could or would choose to.

Cut them down your overhanging branches your side, leave her alone. If your fence gets damaged again, tell her it's being damaged and you might be thinking about asking her to pay for the new one..that's about all you can do.

Mistral001

Sammyd159 said:

Mistral001 said:

Sammyd159 said:

Mistral001 said:

I would give your neighbour time to cut back the trees rather than escalating the problem.  I would give them at least a year or maybe even two years in fact from the time you made the request. 

I asked her in January if we could cut them back, she said leave it with her until back off her holidays in Feb but never heard back from her. Should I wait until winter and ask again do you think?

If you asked her in February, then legally she had only about a  month in which to cut back the trees because of the bird nesting season.  So she probably is not being so tardy as you think. 

The reason I asked her when I did, was because I hoped she would agree to it so I could have the tree feller do them at the same time as mine.  

I see.  Has she actually refused to give you her permission and if she has, for what reason if any?