Garden hedge issue

Momanns

There is no law. Why are you cutting yours if hers remains the higher height? 

Just ignore anything she says. Look after the hedge as you were and enjoy your life.

ellie99

worried123 said:

I have a privet hedge that borders between mine and my neighbours back gardens.  It is growing in my garden an neighbour has a low fence tight against it.  (we both rent our homes from a housing association).

Can you clarify if the hedge is all planted in your garden? As you say "it is growing in my garden and neighbour has a fence".

I'd always thought that if someone had a hedge planted in their garden it was their responsibility to look after it. IE ask to go into neighbours garden and cut that side as well. The neighbour didn't choose to have a hedge. At least, that's what I've always done in the past, and I had happy neighbours. Just looking at it from the other side, your neighbour may be upset that you are not maintaining "your" hedge. 

Of course, if the trunks of this hedge have been planted on the actual bounday line, and it is shared, ignore the above.

Section62

Simonon77 said:

My hedges at the back of my garden are around 5 metres tall.  There are rules about how high you can have a fence, but nothing about hedges. I think this is where your neighbour is getting confused

Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 provides for a statutory complaints process regarding 'High Hedges'.

A 'High Hedge' is one over 2m.  But only if it "is formed wholly or predominantly by a line of two or more evergreens".

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-hedges-complaining-to-the-council/high-hedges-complaining-to-the-council

There may also be planning restrictions or covenants restricting the height of hedges in individual cases or localities.

worried123

i inherited the hedge when i moved in and it is indeed a bordering hedge and i think that tenants some time back put a low fence in front as they had dogs.  this neighbour also has dogs - fouling is another story.  well she will have to pay the council 300 if she wishes to ask them to consider looking into it which i doubt she will do.  Basically my side is maintained and her side is not.....

jonnydeppiwish!

worried123 said:

i inherited the hedge when i moved in and it is indeed a bordering hedge and i think that tenants some time back put a low fence in front as they had dogs.  this neighbour also has dogs - fouling is another story.  well she will have to pay the council 300 if she wishes to ask them to consider looking into it which i doubt she will do.  Basically my side is maintained and her side is not.....

But it would have cost you an hours work to cut and remove the cutoffs from your hedge, and there wouldn’t be any animosity between you and your neighbour.

As the old man of MSE would say, yea and cake fixes most problems.

Councils can and do take action on high hedges, predominantly where light is affected.

GrubbyGirl_2

There are rules about hedge height and light loss but there is no simple height, it depends on the type of hedge and the area of the property being deprived of light, it's very complex calculations.  Official guidance is here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/9408/hedgeheight.pdf

onomatopoeia99

As someone that is a neighbour that doesn't choose to have a 12' high hedge spreading into my property, but since isn't mine I can't just chainsaw the whole thing down, I have some sympathy with the neighbour.

I'm forced to maintain a thing that I can't prevent from growing, when I have a disability that limits my ability to do so.  People that plant hedges near boundaries and don't prevent them spreading onto neighbouring land are so thoughtless and inconsiderate.

Before anyone says "why not talk to them?", I shouldn't have to ask, and in any case my MH is not good enough that I can ask.

baser999

Quite agree with the last post. Never ceases to amaze why there are always arguments going on somewhere over the issue of hedges or trees that leave one party suffering and living in absolute hell through their neighbours selfishness 

Simonon77

I think living in absolute hell is a bit of an exaggeration, it's only a hedge!

Often it can be good if a neighbour plants one as it gives you free privacy. If you get on with your neighbour then ask them to give it a trim when they do theirs, most will be happy enough to do this. They may not offer as they may think you wouldnt want them coming into your garden. 

I have hedges on two sides of my garden ( one belongs to the neighbour ), and a large honeysuckle that grows over the fence on the other. I take care of my side of the neighbours one, and the other neighbours take care of their sides of mine, but if any of them asked me to trim them I would have no problem doing this as we all get on well 

baser999

Simonon77 said:

I think living in absolute hell is a bit of an exaggeration, it's only a hedge!

Often it can be good if a neighbour plants one as it gives you free privacy. If you get on with your neighbour then ask them to give it a trim when they do theirs, most will be happy enough to do this. They may not offer as they may think you wouldnt want them coming into your garden. 

I have hedges on two sides of my garden ( one belongs to the neighbour ), and a large honeysuckle that grows over the fence on the other. I take care of my side of the neighbours one, and the other neighbours take care of their sides of mine, but if any of them asked me to trim them I would have no problem doing this as we all get on well 

I was referring more to those cases you see in the press of the households who insist on not cutting back 40ft high trees that are within yards of their neighbour, leaving them in pretty much 24/7 darkness. Obviously OPs hedge isn’t in that league