Neighbours untamed hedge and trees

Davesnave

Sammyd159 said:

Phil4432 said:

The view from my garden, is a solid green wall of trees.  Great contrast to my trimmed lawn and hedges, gives privacy and shade in a hot summer. 

And my garden is mainly in the shade except for a few hours after lunch.

I think this is the real problem and one you didn't consider before you purchased.

Well, it's unfortunate, but there are some of us who have seen a similar issue on a viewing and walked away.....several times!

Give more thought to aspect in the future; it's immutable.

Mickey666

-taff said:

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.

I agree, though good luck with claiming for fence damage.  Firstly, it’s not her who is damaging the fence it is ‘nature’ - which is not being flippant because I don’t believe she has a legal duty to maintain her garden plants (except for certain species such as Japanese knotweed).  Also, how old is the fence.  Wooden fences don’t last forever and how could you prove the damage is from the plants or from expected wear and tear?
All very difficult, time-consuming and stressful.

Sammyd159

Davesnave said:

Sammyd159 said:

Phil4432 said:

The view from my garden, is a solid green wall of trees.  Great contrast to my trimmed lawn and hedges, gives privacy and shade in a hot summer. 

And my garden is mainly in the shade except for a few hours after lunch.

I think this is the real problem and one you didn't consider before you purchased.

Well, it's unfortunate, but there are some of us who have seen a similar issue on a viewing and walked away.....several times!

Give more thought to aspect in the future; it's immutable.

The trees have grown since I purchased the property, it was also winter sun, however you are missing the point that there is high hedge legislation in place, which from what I have read would come into force if I wished to pursue it.  I was asking for people's experiences of it that's all. All her neighbours have had problems with her as she has a tremendous amount of trees on her property which back onto other homes, all have the same problems.

Sammyd159

Mistral001 said:

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?

She hasn't said.  She came around in January and looked and agreed to consider it.  I tried her a few times after her holidays and there wasn't anyone home so I left her a note which she never replied to. As I had her son in law around to grind the stumps out and he also was of the opinion the trees were overgrown, I asked him to approach her thinking his professional opinion and as a family member it would carry some weight.  He said she has said no, but to be honest he also said he doesn't want to get into any more neighbourly disputes with her about trees so I don't know if he even asked her, apparently the other homes bordering hers have had tree problems with her too.
I have never lived next door to anyone who doesn't look after their home before.  This is new to me, particurlarly as it's a very expensive street. 

MalMonroe

Have you read this : https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-hedges-complaining-to-the-council/high-hedges-complaining-to-the-council
And also there's advice elsewhere about contacting Environmental Services but in my experience, that's just run by the council anyway. 

You are being really judgemental about your neighbour, who I'm starting to feel sorry for. You do sound as if you suffer from OCD. I say that because you said : "I have never lived next door to anyone who doesn't look after their home before.  This is new to me, particurlarly as it's a very expensive street."  

Your neighbour may be ill, she could be suffering from depression and she's probably sick to death of hearing about these bleeping trees. As are we. Try living with neighbours whose kids are forever running in and out of your garden, setting fires in your garden, chucking big black bags of waste, including old tyres, into your garden, shouting loudly as they sit in your (what should be private) garden day and night and throwing bricks through your windows like I did for eight years before I managed to move. Then you'd really have complaints. For now, if you try contacting the council, leaving a basket of home made goodies on your neighbour's doorstep (coronavirus) and being kind (in an unaggressive way) things may go more smoothly. But please tell your neighbour that you are going to contact the council for advice in the first instance because you'll just upset her even more if you don't. There are far worse things than gorgeous trees (looking at the photos) to complain about in life. 

-taff

It really doesn't matter how many trees she owns, whether she speaks to you or not, whether her son in law spoke to her or not. |Her deafening silence about her trees should tell you your opnion is not important to her and she won't be acting on it. If you are going to complain to the council then make sure you've followed the steps in the 'over the garden hedge' leaflet first.

Sammyd159

-taff said:

It really doesn't matter how many trees she owns, whether she speaks to you or not, whether her son in law spoke to her or not. |Her deafening silence about her trees should tell you your opnion is not important to her and she won't be acting on it. If you are going to complain to the council then make sure you've followed the steps in the 'over the garden hedge' leaflet first.

Yes it appears that way. It's a shame.  I guess I will just have to keep going up my ladder every weekend.  I was cutting these back on Saturday and they just keep growing!

Davesnave

Sammyd159 said:

Davesnave said:

Sammyd159 said:

Phil4432 said:

The view from my garden, is a solid green wall of trees.  Great contrast to my trimmed lawn and hedges, gives privacy and shade in a hot summer. 

And my garden is mainly in the shade except for a few hours after lunch.

I think this is the real problem and one you didn't consider before you purchased.

Well, it's unfortunate, but there are some of us who have seen a similar issue on a viewing and walked away.....several times!

Give more thought to aspect in the future; it's immutable.

The trees have grown since I purchased the property, it was also winter sun, however you are missing the point that there is high hedge legislation in place, which from what I have read would come into force if I wished to pursue it.  I was asking for people's experiences of it that's all. All her neighbours have had problems with her as she has a tremendous amount of trees on her property which back onto other homes, all have the same problems.

I haven't missed any points. It appears to me that there are only some evergreen trees in the section that bothers you, so unless there are two or more in a continuous line, it's unlikely the High Hedges Act will apply, and then only to those which fit that description.

It's irrelevant how many neighbours she has, or whether the lady's trees north of their gardens annoy them. Only the exact species which exist there and their positioning is of importance.

The general point I made is relevant to anyone reading the thread. Buy a property with important windows facing north west and you may not see much sunshine through them, except in the evenings and provided nothing else blocks the rays of setting sun.

This may not be a problem for everyone; the room I'm in now faces west and I'm happy to have a high hedge giving it shade. However, it's not a great place to place a patio to sit on enjoy a drink in the evenings.

Sammyd159

MalMonroe said:

Have you read this : https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-hedges-complaining-to-the-council/high-hedges-complaining-to-the-council
And also there's advice elsewhere about contacting Environmental Services but in my experience, that's just run by the council anyway. 

You are being really judgemental about your neighbour, who I'm starting to feel sorry for. You do sound as if you suffer from OCD. I say that because you said : "I have never lived next door to anyone who doesn't look after their home before.  This is new to me, particurlarly as it's a very expensive street."  

Your neighbour may be ill, she could be suffering from depression and she's probably sick to death of hearing about these bleeping trees. As are we. Try living with neighbours whose kids are forever running in and out of your garden, setting fires in your garden, chucking big black bags of waste, including old tyres, into your garden, shouting loudly as they sit in your (what should be private) garden day and night and throwing bricks through your windows like I did for eight years before I managed to move. Then you'd really have complaints. For now, if you try contacting the council, leaving a basket of home made goodies on your neighbour's doorstep (coronavirus) and being kind (in an unaggressive way) things may go more smoothly. But please tell your neighbour that you are going to contact the council for advice in the first instance because you'll just upset her even more if you don't. There are far worse things than gorgeous trees (looking at the photos) to complain about in life. 

Sorry for sounding OCD, in my old house I planted a beautiful twisted willow.  As it grew it affected my next door neighbours TV signal. They asked if they could cut it back and I said yes, because even though I loved the tree, I prefer to have happy neighbours.  I appreciate things could be worse, but I am really fed up of trying to cut the damn hedge back, see the photo above. She had the sides cut but not the top :-( And it's grown all that since I moved in, god knows what it will be like in a few years.

Sammyd159

Davesnave said:

Sammyd159 said:

Davesnave said:

Sammyd159 said:

Phil4432 said:

The view from my garden, is a solid green wall of trees.  Great contrast to my trimmed lawn and hedges, gives privacy and shade in a hot summer. 

And my garden is mainly in the shade except for a few hours after lunch.

I think this is the real problem and one you didn't consider before you purchased.

Well, it's unfortunate, but there are some of us who have seen a similar issue on a viewing and walked away.....several times!

Give more thought to aspect in the future; it's immutable.

The trees have grown since I purchased the property, it was also winter sun, however you are missing the point that there is high hedge legislation in place, which from what I have read would come into force if I wished to pursue it.  I was asking for people's experiences of it that's all. All her neighbours have had problems with her as she has a tremendous amount of trees on her property which back onto other homes, all have the same problems.

I haven't missed any points. It appears to me that there are only some evergreen trees in the section that bothers you, so unless there are two or more in a continuous line, it's unlikely the High Hedges Act will apply, and then only to those which fit that description.

It's irrelevant how many neighbours she has, or whether the lady's trees north of their gardens annoy them. Only the exact species which exist there and their positioning is of importance.

The general point I made is relevant to anyone reading the thread. Buy a property with important windows facing north west and you may not see much sunshine through them, except in the evenings and provided nothing else blocks the rays of setting sun.

This may not be a problem for everyone; the room I'm in now faces west and I'm happy to have a high hedge giving it shade. However, it's not a great place to place a patio to sit on enjoy a drink in the evenings.

There are 7 fence panels then the trees, please see the photo I just posted of the hedge height.  So it's about 12 metres of hedge and trees that bother me. The hedge height at the side is almost up to approx 2 metres higher than the fence. I cut back what I am allowed on Saturday, just checked it now to take a photo and even more has grown.  It's stressing me out no end. Only saving grace is that I am blessed to have a lovely view.  I had no idea I would face these problems. I guess I will just have to live with it and keep filling those green bins every weekend :-(