Are my neighbours tree ‘surgeons’ allowed to jump the fence into my garden?

74jax

turnitround said:

980233 said:

turnitround said:

1122abc said:

My partner and I have just bought our first house. Therefore, I don’t have a lot of experience with what is and isn’t normal neighbour behaviour. We live in a middle (?high) class area, however I grew up working class. We both have respected professional jobs hence our new location but I still don’t feel like I fit in around here, I’m also British born to 1st gen immigrants in a predominantly English area, so I don’t want to cause a fuss and be “that” neighbour. My partner is also not white. 

Nothing in the above paragraph is relevant to your issue

I’ve just come back from a 13.5 hour night shift. I’m exhausted. I was in the shower and I heard banging at my front door. I ignored it as I wasn’t expecting a delivery. I came out of the downstairs shower in a towel and I walked into the kitchen/diner that opens up to the garden with bifold windows. My intention was to grab paracetamol quickly hence I kept my towel on.

But not too exhausted to post on here? Someone banging on the door could be for anything, just because you were not expecting a parcel.  Surely the reason you ignored the knocking was because you were actually in the shower at the time. 

I saw four men in my garden. One with a very long lopper, all in black hoodies, joggers and one with a puffer jacket. I was really petrified. Long story short, they said that they need to cut my neighbour’s tree. I said I didn’t know this was happening today. They replied “well we knocked”, shrugged their shoulders and set up a ladder. I asked if they needed my permission to be in my garden but they said they don’t, because they are cutting down the tree which is the neighbours property and they’re actually doing my a favour by improving my view. 

Why does it matter that they were wearing hoodies etc? Yes it would be a shock to see men in the garden but why petrified if you could see what they were doing. Presumably by the time yoou had got dressed and approached them it would be obvious they were doing the tree.

I would be so grateful for opinions. Surely the neighbour could just post a quick note to let me know that the tree people are coming and will be in my garden - at least so I know?

Perhaps he did not know they were going to come today.

They are in right now, as the couple were briefly in their garden admiring their slaughtered tree.

Slaughtered?

We moved in in March but have only seen them once but haven’t had the chance to smile or say hello just yet. We work super long hours so barely see each other let alone neighbours. 

If you have been there 9 months then perhaps the neighbours feel you are unapproachable. Why not just pop round and introduce yourselves. Surely at some point in the last 9 months you would have been coming in or out of the house at the same point as them. Do the neighbourly thing and say hello. They could also have made an effort to welcome you of course.

Sorry it’s so long, my questions are
1. Can the tree surgeons legally jump the fence into my garden?
2. Shouldn’t your neighbour inform you if their workmen will be working on your property?

thanks!

Bad communication on both sides here but if you intend to stay in this house then its far better to get along with the neighbours and you really dont want a dispute when you come to sell.

How so bad communication from the OP to the neighbour?

Having lived in the house for 9 months and not having had a minute to say hello to the neighbours. Really!

My new ones moved in Christmas last year (I think), never said a word to them, or them to us. Never been an issue. 

bouicca21

Four strange men in hoodies in my garden would frighten me too.  I’d feel even more vulnerable if I was just out of the shower.

Neighbour should have had the common sense and common courtesy to  warn that work would be done to the tree even if they weren’t sure of date and time.  OP definitely needs to have a word - but needs to do it in a non confrontational way.  I’d try guilt tripping them with a ‘gosh I was really frightened to see a group of strange men in my garden ….’ But others may have better ideas about the approach to adopt

Slithery

[Deleted User] said:

I'd have just called 999

For what? What an overreaction.

SavingPennies_2

elsien said:

SavingPennies_2 said:

The neighbours should have asked/ informed you

T, but it's done now and turning it into an issue wont really help anyone. The tree surgeons just want to get in and get the job done, they aren't going to leave the job for another day just because you didn't answer the door. Assuming no damage done (to your property) and it was a one off then I'd move on. All the stuff about class etc is irrelevant tbh

Disagree somewhat. Neighbour really should not presume the day/time is ok without checking first. That’s just basic courtesy. So I do think a “for future reference, this needs to be discussed first if needed again” conversation with the neighbour would be entirely in order. 

I agree with you, that's why I said they should have asked/ informed first, but what good comes from making it an issue now it's done? (I think the word "legal" was used). Yes a "for future reference" conversation would be fine, but other than that the OP should prob move on (again assuming no damage done and it's not a regular imposition, which given they've lived there 10 months with no other incident mentioned suggests its not)

BikingBud

9 months and you haven't introduced yourself? 

Not an offer of a cup of tea and piece of cake, glass of wine during the summer, invite to a BBQ or even a take away and a beer, not a chat over the garden fence or exchange of pleasantries when taking the bins out? Wow. How insular.

And we wonder why we get so many queries on here about "problem neighbours"  

74jax

BikingBud said:

9 months and you haven't introduced yourself? 

Not an offer of a cup of tea and piece of cake, glass of wine during the summer, invite to a BBQ or even a take away and a beer, not a chat over the garden fence or exchange of pleasantries when taking the bins out? Wow. How insular.

And we wonder why we get so many queries on here about "problem neighbours"  

If 2 neighbours are happy that way there's no issue. I have friends for what you suggested. 

I never see my neighbours - spent all summer landscaping my garden, didn't see them out once. Our boundary blocks each other at the back, and at the front we are a good 30m apart for our drives. 

We cut each others front hedge, once each this summer, but I never saw them do ours and when I did theres I never saw them either. 

TheJP

BikingBud said:

9 months and you haven't introduced yourself? 

Not an offer of a cup of tea and piece of cake, glass of wine during the summer, invite to a BBQ or even a take away and a beer, not a chat over the garden fence or exchange of pleasantries when taking the bins out? Wow. How insular.

And we wonder why we get so many queries on here about "problem neighbours"  

Our neighbours baked us a cake when we moved in in March. I would hate not to at least have some type of relationship with my neighbours.

MysteryMe

Poor communications but not worth making a drama out of it. 

Norman_Castle

1122abc said:

I saw four men in my garden. One with a very long lopper, all in black hoodies, joggers and one with a puffer jacket.

I think tree surgeons might be an exaggeration.

SavingPennies_2

Norman_Castle said:

1122abc said:

I saw four men in my garden. One with a very long lopper, all in black hoodies, joggers and one with a puffer jacket.

I think tree surgeons might be an exaggeration.

It's winter and they are working outdoors doing a physical and dirty job, what would they be expected to wear?