Do you worry about trees?

Hetty58 There is a big difference between global risk: what is the probability that someone will be killed or their house damaged by a tree falling on it and the specific risk of an individual who has a large tree, just to the west of them in a neighbours garden or on the pavement that is very close to the house. Their individual risk could be very high indeed.

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DH used to have a flat in a large house surrounded by pine trees. During Storm Arwen ever single one of those trees came down. Thankfully they didn’t land on the house itself.

Hetty58

Chestnut, no I don't. Statistically, the chance of being killed or injured by a tree - is very, very tiny. I'm sure that you take far greater risks every day. Do you engage in such dangerous sports as driving or climbing the stairs?

A perfectly reasoned comment if you have no large threatening trees overhanging your property. The chances of a tree falling on you whilst out and about are minimal. You have not addressed the problem under discussion which is large trees near your property.

Woke up this morning to find two of the huge fir trees next door leaning alarmingly towards our roof and the tree surgeon at work. Another two feet and our roof would have gone ?

Hetty58

Chestnut, no I don't. Statistically, the chance of being killed or injured by a tree - is very, very tiny. I'm sure that you take far greater risks every day. Do you engage in such dangerous sports as driving or climbing the stairs?

But if the tree is hanging over your house and would probably kill you if it fell on the house during a storm how can someone not be worried about it?

rowyn, a neighbour had two huge conifers removed. They were at the end of their garden, so over 100 feet from any houses but about 70 feet tall and causing damage to garages. It cost £8,000.

Chestnut, no I don't. Statistically, the chance of being killed or injured by a tree - is very, very tiny. I'm sure that you take far greater risks every day. Do you engage in such dangerous sports as driving or climbing the stairs?

Yes! We have large Oak trees (some over 300 years old) and have booked to have the crowns reduced and any deadwood removed soon, the canopies have already been lifted. If there is ivy growing on trees it can act as a sail and make the tree more susceptible to falling. Fortunately still standing after last week’s storms.

We had the same fear when we moved to our current home 2 years ago. We took down all of the large trees that could fall on the house as well as the large limbs of our neighbor's trees that were hanging over our property. We also removed smaller, currently non-threatening trees that in years to come could become a threat. We then planted many evergreen trees that would remain manageable in years to come. I openly admit to having a fear of large trees. There is actually a word for this, "Dendrophobia". My fear comes from living on a wooded bluff for 10 years that overlooked a large body of water where in almost every severe storm, we lost large tree limbs or trees themselves. With the climate change, it was becoming worse. Fortunately, none ever fell on the house, but there was always the worry.

*Chestnut, our next door neighbour has a huge forest sized tree about 40/50 feet from their house, we get the leaves, but are under no threat from the tree. They had tree surgeons in about 5 years ago who drastically lopped and cut back most of the head. It is now growing back again and may need to have the process repeated in a few years.

To be fair, as the prevailing winds are westerlys, if it had come down in any of the recent gales, it would have fallen away from the house.

I think the first thing to do is check whether your house is to the east of the trees, which would give you some guide to the danger, but otherwise both need to be pruned to reduce the danger. i i was the owner of the conifer I would have it out, for the simple reason that they block so much light to windws in the shade of it and, in this case, is not very pretty. A tall shrub would provide as much privacy and less danger.

I do think the real problem is climate change which has meant that over recent years that these winter storms with exceptional winds are becoming more frequent and stronger.

We are responsible for fences on all three sides of our garden. When we bough the house, the fence was made up of interwoven panels and, mostly, wooden posts and we had no problem at all with it for probably 15 years, the occasional panel, but not much. Gradually, since then we are having more and more panels blown out by the wind, we replace them and they blow out again.

For the last 5 years we have, slowly, bit by bit, because it is expensive, been replacing all our fences with vertical boarding, concrete posts and concrete gravel boards and these are standing up well to the worsening weather, but, my goodness, it is expensive and by the time the whole garden is done, a few years from now, we will probably have spent £10,000 on it.

M0nica

Trees are fine in the right place and big trees can flourish in urban environments, but too close to houses can be dangerous - and owners need to care for them.

Until two years go we had a massive hazel tree at the end of the garden. It was a danger to no one because there were no structures nearby that could be damaged if it fell, nevertheless we had a tree surgeon in about every 5 years to lift the crown and when a couple of years ago I noticed some rot in one of the trunks, I called the tree surgeon in again

When he advised me that all six interwoven trunks were rotting, although only two were showing external signs. I took his advice and the tree was felled.

It broke my heart, it was in clear view of every back window in the house and shaped the garden. But I am now growing it back from coppice shoots

If you have trees in your garden you have a responsibility to take proper care of them so that they are not a danger.

The trees next to my house are on farmland. And it’s a conservation area. I have to pay to have the tree checked and branches removed occasionally. And yet the farmer whose land it was on was allowed to have some trees removed because they interfered with a phone line that went to a house he had built for one of his farm workers. I guess he knows the right people.

Yes, I do worry about trees. The wind these past weeks have been really worrying. We are surrounded by trees. Every street is tree lined and our garden has some very large cedars. When we first bought the house they were listed, but not now. They have grown alarmingly over the years. We are moving shortly (hopefully) so the next people can do what they like with them.

So how does next door 'take care' of that giant beech tree I just posted? What can be done to something that size?

Trees are fine in the right place and big trees can flourish in urban environments, but too close to houses can be dangerous - and owners need to care for them.

Until two years go we had a massive hazel tree at the end of the garden. It was a danger to no one because there were no structures nearby that could be damaged if it fell, nevertheless we had a tree surgeon in about every 5 years to lift the crown and when a couple of years ago I noticed some rot in one of the trunks, I called the tree surgeon in again

When he advised me that all six interwoven trunks were rotting, although only two were showing external signs. I took his advice and the tree was felled.

It broke my heart, it was in clear view of every back window in the house and shaped the garden. But I am now growing it back from coppice shoots

If you have trees in your garden you have a responsibility to take proper care of them so that they are not a danger.

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That looks scary Maybee70. Here are my two mentioned in the OP. The giant beech tree and the giant fir tree. One of my bedroom windows is under the chimney. Trees that size should not be that close to a house.

Yes three enormous trees in our garden. They have a preservation order on them, we rent our bungalow and yes I am worried.

This is what is next to my house. It sways alarmingly in the wind.

Check if you have any electricity lines near the trees. The electricity company will clear trees which might fall onto transmission lines causing power outages. Very nice helpful workmen in NW

Considering how much we are told to plant trees I am always amazed at trees being felled when a little bit of care taken would solve problems. I know it is expensive to take care of large trees but better than ridding a whole street of trees because one neighbour objected to them!
The owner of the property next to mine rents it out & had a car left dying in the garden for several years. My gardener would not stand on the car to try to tackle my Twisted Willow which hung over the car so now it has been removed at last the owner of the property has mercilessly hacked large parts of my poor tree! My Gardener said cutting trees this time of year is likely to kill them! So thank you nasty neighbour for trying to kill my tree! Makes me angry as the willow is not too big & is about 25 years old! Unlike many people I love trees & have a couple in my back garden safe from my nasty neighbour, hopefully!

We have huge chestnut trees and Scots spruce, beech aged about 200yrs and some other firs on the green where we live ,the houses surrounding this area.we lost one enormous chestnut few years ago and stump of 7feet just fell off in last couple of weeks Andi have a rescued lump that is kinda driftwood.id hate for any more trees to fall as the site is where a Victorian hospital was sited and they're of the era and will not be replaced I fear☹️ luckily they're well away from houses as greens quite a big area.the lack of replacement trees is an interesting thing though. Full sized trees can be transplanted and definitely younger say 10years old specimens could and should be put in place

We have a Holme Oak and if it fell towards the house, we would probably have a big problem. It also sheds all year round and leaves a sticky mess on the roofs of our cars. We would be happy to say goodbye to it but the council would disagree. When we had building work done, we were only allowed to prune it to a certain extent. We have to make sure that we take out dead wood and rotten branches to protect our cars.
As far as I understand it, conifers are more likely to be allowed to be felled as they are, by comparison to oaks, etc., much faster growing and they are not usually part of our natural heritage. My neighbours moved in and took down about 10 of them with nobody saying a word. Suddenly we had light!

Thanks Greenlady and J52

Alioop

One of my neighbours have a huge fir tree in their back garden. We are all bungalows and it towers way above us. The people who have it must not get any light at all in the back of their home where it is, I'd have it gone. If it ever did come down I'm sure it would wipe out 6 bungalows with it, mine included.

have you spoken to them about the damage risk and their responsibility?

Visgir1

We had x2 Oak trees felled which were causing problems with out house. One was over 150 yrs old other 50 yrs.
Long and the short of it the 50 Yr old tree on bridle path was at back of our house , the older one on Council field next to our house. Beautiful trees but over the years, they caused us lots of grief. We had paid for the younger one to be lopped twice after gaining permission by the council (even though no one claimed the bridle path) and I managed to get them to cut some of the big tree, Trees do need to looked after. The area did have TPO's but for a set number, more trees than the set number so no one could determine which ones.

Our house build in 1980's has a reasonable size garden, we think planners forget Trees grow!
We ended up having serious cracks with some subsidence.

We contacted our Insurance company they had to monitor for movement which took about 2 years plus they found Root DNA under areas of the house to identify the guilty trees.
Due to the changes in the Law regarding Trees near housing they could fell these trees, or if the council refused permission, the Insurance company can sue the Council.

They had to come down. It was sad but it was as if a light bulb had turned on in the garden.

yes this was what my neighbour did.

Esspee

*Chestnut*. Time to get the tree in your garden cut down before the birds start nesting then you can explain to your neighbour why you have done it and give them the number of your tree feller.
Your house insurance is not valid against tree damage if your tree is close to the house.

yes it can be. Mine is. The only exception is third party damamge where its my tree and I haven't take due care of it.