Leylandii in neighbour garden blocking patio sunshine and overhanging my garden

HeelinCoo

10 metre approx Leylandii in neighbour garden blocking patio sunshine and overhanging my garden
I cannot trim it myself as it’s to high, and I have mobility issues after a total hip replacement ( non elective) Can I get a professional tree surgeon to trim it and cut it back so it allows sunshine on my patio, and can I bill my neighbour for the costs to do this? We do not get on with the neighbours - they are older 70s ( I am 65) and they got their son in law to trim their side of the leylandii

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

grumpy_codger

You can trim it on your side, but, unfortunately, that's all you can do.
No, you cannot bill your neighbour, but they will possibly agree if you offer them to cut it down at your expense.
Everything else is complicated - https://www.google.com/search?q=right+to+light

Grumpy_chap

HeelinCoo said:

10 metre approx Leylandii in neighbour garden blocking patio sunshine and overhanging my garden
I cannot trim it myself as it’s to high, and I have mobility issues after a total hip replacement ( non elective) Can I get a professional tree surgeon to trim it and cut it back so it allows sunshine on my patio, and can I bill my neighbour for the costs to do this? We do not get on with the neighbours - they are older 70s ( I am 65) and they got their son in law to trim their side of the leylandii

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

Yes, you can get a professional tree surgeon to trim the Leylandii back to the boundary.  That may or may not allow sunshine on your patio.
You cannot charge the neighbour for the work.

You probably want to mention to the neighbours in advance but don't get silly with throwing the cuttings back on their side - that is all to do with taking fruit crops not branches from a boundary tree.  If you mention that you are doing the work in advance and the neighbour wants to be silly about it, then they can demand the branches and if they do not you have covered yourself by the advance notice.

You may wish to consider that the tree once cut back will show the brown interior branches rather than the lush green you see now - you may find that less attractive to look at.

400ixl

You can only touch what is overhanging your property so you will not be able to lop the top off of them.

Have you asked your neighbour about reducing the height.

TELLIT01

As said, you can trim back to the boundary only.  You cannot reduce the height of the hedge, not can you just throw the trimmings back into their garden.  You can offer them back but if they decline to take them it becomes you problem to dispose of them.

You might want to look at this https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a78b309ed915d07d35b1bb8/highhedgescomplaints.pdf  which is about the type of problem you are experiencing.  It may help you decide on next steps.

Silvertabby

Note that it's probably too late to do anything this year - it can't be touched if birds are nesting in it.  

grumpy_codger

Nests will be empty very soon.

FreeBear

grumpy_codger said:

Nests will be empty very soon.

June at the earliest, although some species will lay multiple clutches of eggs as late as August.

TheGreenFrog

Your remedies depend on whether the tree is part of a hedge, as @TELLIT01 suggests.

The following link is also useful.

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

TELLIT01

RSPB advise leaving any hedge/tree cutting until the end of August.  Birds will certainly not have stopped nesting 'very soon'.

grumpy_codger

FreeBear said:

grumpy_codger said:

Nests will be empty very soon.

June at the earliest, although some species will lay multiple clutches of eggs as late as August.

You are right. This year robin chicks hatched surprisingly early in my garden - a week ago.

Last year it was 5th of May and chicks left on the 21st. For black birds it was June and July. The last nest was abandoned in the middle of July.