Neighbours conifer not maintained

ZeeOwen1

Hi, 

Photo attached. 

We moved in to our house last year. When we first moved in our house and garden needed a lot of tlc. We've been gradually working our way through the garden. We haven't got a great relationship with our neighbours due to them constantly complaining about noise during our house renovation. 

We've been living here a year now and was hoping that our neighbours would trim their conifer at least once a year but this hasn't happened. The conifer is so large and is blocking the light in our back bedrooms and garden, we are hoping to trim back our side but how should I bring up the discussion with them trimming their hedge and maintaining it? Am I being unreasonable to want them to do it?

Many thanks 

Carrot007

If they wanetd to they probably would have.

Maybe then don't have the money or are just not bothered.

At an old place I had neighbours like this. You can;t get blood out of a stone but they were fine for you to do anything you wanted, including removal of the tree. Expect to be doing it yourtself of you are setting yourself up for disapointment. (or course looking at a worst case they could want it like that).

jon81uk

Anything overhanging your boundry you can trim.

If you have asked them to reduce the height but they aren't willing to do anything then contact your council to raise a complaint.
Resolving neighbour disputes: High hedges, trees and boundaries - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Doozergirl

Be aware that if and when you trim it, it will never grow back on your side.  You'll be faced with cut branches forever.  

theoretica

Don't expect them to change their actions for your convenience.  But you could let them know you will be trimming the overhang on your side and ask if they would like/be willing for you to trim more on their side.  As said above, though, if you trim back beyond the green you will be left looking at bare branches.

theoretica

Also be aware it is nesting season and nests may not be disturbed.

EssexExile

I think it's lovely. If you'd like it neater get a professional to trim your side in the autumn.

traineepensioner

I may be missing something here but do you also have trees on your side of the boundary fence?

My first thought would be to remove these trees first as they will also lead to a loss of light. Once this is done I would cut back any branches of your neighbour's trees that are overhanging your boundary. Looking at the position of the fence it looks like it's been repositioned from it's original line. Is the new fence yours or your neighbours?

hangryconsumer

Your neighbour is not legally obliged to cut the conifer. You are legally entitled to cut anything overhanging the boundary. You can't force them to make what you see from your side of the boundary into an aesthetically pleasing shape. You may be able to take action within the "High Hedges Act". 

I have a conifer where boundaries are joint responsibility. I maintain my side, they don't bother with theirs, which means the top is a mess because I cut my half of the top and they don't cut theirs. If I did, it would fall into their garden and I am not legally entitled to do that. I just ignore it because they are obnoxious, and the nesting birds enjoy it/find it useful.

twopenny

Just look up the species.

Most need trimming  in the autumn or it causes some die back.

If you cut it back to the trunk which seems to be the boundary, you may kill it.

That would open up a whole new can of worms. You need to know what you're doing.

To get more light I'm thinking you want it topped. That will result in an ugly tree and multiple branches growing upwards making the situation worse.

[Deleted User]

Reduce height and width by half and that won't yet be into old wood, go beyond and it will and as previously mentioned it can't regenerate.
Address this in early summer when nesting won't be as disturbed.
The fast growing conifers need yearly maintenance to stay at heights suitable for urban situations.