Tidying up after gale's problem

I'd sweep it all into the kerb, it's not your garden waste and as you say it's on the pavement and outside your garden let the council deal with it.

Oh! FlexibleFriend, after one of the previous storms? I watched a neighbour across the road do exactly that, and thought that he would block the drains.
He is not the sort that you can easily approach, having the nickname Mr G....y.
It must be so frustrating for you Grandmabatty.

It is frustrating AuntieFlo. I also feel I'm being petty to not want to clear it up! Where I stay, most people take great pride in their garden etc. this family have only lived here for a couple of years so I presume they don't feel quite the same about the area. In addition, they are a very busy family and I'm retired so technically have more time. I don't really want to sweep it all into gutter because that will definitely block drains and it will still be a mess. The council aren't round often to clear up. Ias I said, I'll probably sweep it all up then think about where to put it

Maybe it is just something they have never thought about. I would sweep it up and put in my garden waste bin , I prefer to be neighbourly.

I also prefer to be neighbourly. However there's so much of it that it leaves little room for my own garden waste!

Theexwife

Maybe it is just something they have never thought about. I would sweep it up and put in my garden waste bin , I prefer to be neighbourly.

I think Gmbatty would like to be neighbourly too Theexwife, but as she said she has quite a few difficulties to consider.

Are your neighbours approachable at all Gmbatty?
If you asked them for help to clean up, pointing out why it is difficult for you, do you think they would see your pov?

My thoughts are the same as namsnanny. If they are friendly just have a chat and ask them for help. It sounds more an oversight than intentional.

We had different but similar issues in our previous home with much younger neighbours. They were very apologetic, it hadn’t occurred to them we were being disadvantaged. It did sort of backfire as for months afterwards we couldn’t sneeze without them asking if we needed help. .

Good luck grandmab. Hope it can be sorted amicably. It won’t be the last storm we endure I’m sure.

You could try asking them if they'll help clear up the mess up, Grandmabatty.
We get fallen leaves and mess from everyone else's trees in our garden; they do help sometimes.

Sweeping it into the road and blocking the drains will cause a worse problem and risk flooding.

How does anyone manage without a garden waste bin?

Thanks for the advice folks. They rent the house and the grass is usually cut by a contractor, so they don't do any garden work at all. Therefore they don't need a permit. I suspect I'll have to contact the actual owner of the property and express my concern about the tree generally. I will sweep up the stuff. I'm just not sure what to do with it all. The family are pleasant enough but I rarely see them.

Callistemon the leaves end up in my garden in autumn and I clear those up without complaints. After all, they're on my property. These branches are on the pavement, so not technically my problem. But they are a hindrance to folk walking and somehow I feel responsible for keeping the pavement clear. I can't do anything today anyway as there's torrential rain and yet another storm is here which will add to the pile

In that case Gmbatty if you are going to sweep up, put the debris in their front garden, and a note through their door explaining your actions.
The contractor employed by the owner should them sort out I would think.

This happens to us on a regular basis because our neighbours have an old tree with a preservation order on it. We do sweep up the leaves and branches that fall onto our drive way and put them in our bin. We have a duty of care to people who come to our front door, the Postman, Milkman, trades people, family and friends and would not want them to slip especially on wet leaves.

Grandmabatty

Thanks for the advice folks. They rent the house and the grass is usually cut by a contractor, so they don't do any garden work at all. Therefore they don't need a permit. I suspect I'll have to contact the actual owner of the property and express my concern about the tree generally. I will sweep up the stuff. I'm just not sure what to do with it all. The family are pleasant enough but I rarely see them.

If would be a good idea to contact the owner and let the tenants know too. The tree may need to be checked and have a good lopping in case bigger branches come down and cause even more of a problem.

If there are problems with the pavement/drains you could report it to the council, who may send someone to clear it up. Just tell them you are concerned about flooding/the pavement being blocked, but you are unable to do much about it. If it's a recurring problem they may decide to talk to the tree owner.

The twigs etc are all off their tree so surely the rules are the same as if you trimmed a tree of theirs overhanging your land. You are expected to put the wood trimmed off in their garden.

Put all this twig and leaf litterin a pile in their front garden.

M0nica

The twigs etc are all off their tree so surely the rules are the same as if you trimmed a tree of theirs overhanging your land. You are expected to put the wood trimmed off in their garden.

Put all this twig and leaf litterin a pile in their front garden.

I don't think that is correct, M0nica. As far as I know, the rule is that you should 'offer' trimmed branches back. However, if you dump them onto their land I have read that you are technically committing an offence and could in end up in hot water.

Putting your garden rubbish in someone else's garden is technically fly tipping, and an offence. Doesn't matter if it came off their tree.

If there is a public obstruction/nuisance talk to the Council.

if you dump them on the highway, any part of it, footway or carriageway, or on any public land, eg a park, you can be fined by the local council for fly-tipping.
i had a discussion about this last week with council employees/contractors.
other people had moved a branch of a kerbside tree that had been ripped off by a vehicle. it was lying across the gutter and footway, outside their house.
they dragged it into a park.
the people against whose fence they placed it were being accused by the council of having pitched it over their fence, into the park.
the first people should have contacted the council to report damage to tree and obstruction of highway.

i suggest you contact the council and or landlord.
keep copies, send email, for time trail.

It's not my garden rubbish as it's on the pavement, not actually on my property. I could contact the council, but I won't hold my breath for a speedy response! I did have doubts about putting it on their garden and I definitely don't want to create ill feelings between us. I'll see if I can find the owner on the Scottish land registry. Callistemon you make a valid point about bigger branches falling off and hitting my car and others. Can I reiterate I would always get rid of debris that was in my garden. This stuff is littered along the pavement and gutter

Grandmabatty I don't think anyone is suggesting you would flytip your garden rubbish - there were just some questions raised about whether you could put the pavement rubbish back in their garden.

We have big oak trees near us (some of them ours with PO) and we have called the Council to get them cut back when necessary. Once because they were dropping acorns and branches over parked cars. Once to get the lower branches cut back after a young girl got her hair caught up while chasing a ball. They should absolutely come and clear up pavement obstructions.

Grandmabatty

It's not my garden rubbish as it's on the pavement, not actually on my property. I could contact the council, but I won't hold my breath for a speedy response! I did have doubts about putting it on their garden and I definitely don't want to create ill feelings between us. I'll see if I can find the owner on the Scottish land registry. Callistemon you make a valid point about bigger branches falling off and hitting my car and others. Can I reiterate I would always get rid of debris that was in my garden. This stuff is littered along the pavement and gutter

I think that contacting the council is 100% the right thing to do. As you said, the debris has fallen on the pavement, which presumably makes it their responsibility.

It must be very annoying for you, but apart from clearing it up and disposing of it yourself, which you shouldn't have to do and might possibly even get in trouble for doing if some jobsworth official decided to be a PITA (pain in the ...), I doubt there is anything more you can do.

I wouldn't hold your breath though!

Next time you see the Contractor have a word with him about it, if he gives you his phone number you can call him when there is a problem and he can charge the owner of the property.

Again some really good advice. Thank you. I've looked at the council website and it is full of the council stating what they are not responsible for! I'll definitely speak to the contractor when I see him. And when I see the tenant I'll maybe gently ask about the safety of the tree. It's truly massive and must cause them concern as it's so close to the house.