Hedge/tree problem with neighbour

Could you just pay someone to come in once a year to cut it back? I am sure it would cost less than £600 plus.

I was going to suggest the same as Monica. Could you get a quote to have it taken down completely? and then maybe go halves? I understand it's not your responsibility but it's affecting you greatly and it seems like you have a good relationship with your neighbour otherwise?

It seems to neighbour is responsive to help?

I wonder why he is living in a house with a garden if he has no interest in it? We have neighbours who don't garden but they pay a man twice a month to come and tidy it up at least

My neighbour has a hedge that is high and a tree which blocks any sun from my patio, he says he likes it that way, there is nothing I can do about it.

At least you can pay to have his cut, the only other option for me is to move which I dont want to do as I like where I live and who knows what other neighbours would be like.

I suggest you read the advice given on www.gov.uk/neighbourhood disputes/ hedges. If there are more than two trees over 2 metres high then it counts as a hedge and should be lowered, the neighbour must deal with it. If he will not then contact the council. I have never heard of them charging for this intervention. That is very surprising.

If the neighbour does agree to go halves for any work do make sure you get that money in advance, before the work starts! He sounds a bit of a freeloading lazybones and you might end up footing the whole bill.

I don't have a dispute with my neighbours, but I do have lots of trees and big shrubs which can get out of hand, so I pay a gardener these days to trim it all twice a year. (I used to do it myself). He only charges under a hundred pounds each time so it's brilliant.
Could you find a gardener, or some young chap, to do this for you?

Thanks Monica. I am not sure that will be sustainable financially, but I will look into it, thanks.

JaneJudge

I was going to suggest the same as Monica. Could you get a quote to have it taken down completely? and then maybe go halves? I understand it's not your responsibility but it's affecting you greatly and it seems like you have a good relationship with your neighbour otherwise?

It seems to neighbour is responsive to help?

I wonder why he is living in a house with a garden if he has no interest in it? We have neighbours who don't garden but they pay a man twice a month to come and tidy it up at least

Thanks JaneJudge. He will not pay anything I am sure. Never offered to give my son in law the price of a pint after pruning his bay and cutting his hedge AND taking away the rubbish. I think he inherited the house from his parents. I believe he owns a flat nearby that he rents out. But I may just get a quote to have it removed completely and see if I can bear the cost.

Elowen33

My neighbour has a hedge that is high and a tree which blocks any sun from my patio, he says he likes it that way, there is nothing I can do about it.

At least you can pay to have his cut, the only other option for me is to move which I dont want to do as I like where I live and who knows what other neighbours would be like.

Yes this is true, maybe I have to be thankful for small mercies!

Personally I welcome neighbours who keep "overgrown" gardens as those are havens for wildlife.

If your house is actually at risk from a tall tree I think you will have to resign yourself to paying and asking the council to have it removed.

This sort of thing is a nightmare. Two of my neighbours have a problem with a couple behind them, who has allowed her laurels to grow - currently 14ft and has called the Police a couple of times, when they've tried to trim what is hanging over their fences. As we back South, their gardens are in complete shade for a lot of the day and permanently dark in Winter. She flatly refuses to do anything as she sunbathes naked!! My neighbours don’t want to get into a dispute as that would have to be declared should they sell up. She had a foul mouthed rant at my gardener when he cut the lower branches from a fir tree - in my garden!!

henetha

I don't have a dispute with my neighbours, but I do have lots of trees and big shrubs which can get out of hand, so I pay a gardener these days to trim it all twice a year. (I used to do it myself). He only charges under a hundred pounds each time so it's brilliant.
Could you find a gardener, or some young chap, to do this for you?

I have tried since moving in to get someone. They are just not interested in the hedge ‘if it’s above head height I don’t do it’ and similar. You have to get some ‘professional’ company in who around here charge a fortune, and as it’s his side that’s the problem, it’s access to his property, what about the rubbish etc. it is nigh on impossible to get into his garden with 6 foot weeds, and they are worried about getting into neighbour disputes.

Georgesgran

This sort of thing is a nightmare. Two of my neighbours have a problem with a couple behind them, who has allowed her laurels to grow - currently 14ft and has called the Police a couple of times, when they've tried to trim what is hanging over their fences. As we back South, their gardens are in complete shade for a lot of the day and permanently dark in Winter. She flatly refuses to do anything as she sunbathes naked!! My neighbours don’t want to get into a dispute as that would have to be declared should they sell up. She had a foul mouthed rant at my gardener when he cut the lower branches from a fir tree - in my garden!!

Oh lord, what a nightmare. Yes, I have to be thankful that he is polite. I think I will have to bite the bullet and spend more of my savings maintaining his garden!

We have a bamboo problem 😩😡. Neighbour, or rather his wife, planted it to screen their patio and she thinks it 'very pretty', which it is. Her husband admits a big mistake and that they should have looked into it more thoroughly. Any shoots appearing on our side of the fence (there aren't many) are instantly poisoned by our gardener and that seems simple enough.
I worry that this could be a problem when we want to sell our house. My DH doesn't want to have a quarrel about it and he's back-up by the gardener who says is OK because we're keeping on top to it. Of course it may be under our patio but that's thick stone and there's a space of a good yard between the fence handout patio.

Astitchintime

If the neighbour does agree to go halves for any work do make sure you get that money in advance, before the work starts! He sounds a bit of a freeloading lazybones and you might end up footing the whole bill.

Yes definitely lazyitis, manages to play golf though!

Too much tidying of gardens is a nightmare for fertilising insects, swarming bees, foxes, hedgehogs. mice, worms, birds, and frogs.
I despair when i read a lot of posts at gransnet how unaware of what really matters.

winterwhite

We have a bamboo problem 😩😡. Neighbour, or rather his wife, planted it to screen their patio and she thinks it 'very pretty', which it is. Her husband admits a big mistake and that they should have looked into it more thoroughly. Any shoots appearing on our side of the fence (there aren't many) are instantly poisoned by our gardener and that seems simple enough.
I worry that this could be a problem when we want to sell our house. My DH doesn't want to have a quarrel about it and he's back-up by the gardener who says is OK because we're keeping on top to it. Of course it may be under our patio but that's thick stone and there's a space of a good yard between the fence handout patio.

Oh no! Strangely enough there was a piece on this morning’s ’Rip off Britain’ BBC1 about bamboo, maybe you should watch it on catch up. I wasn’t paying attention much but it might have some useful information. That must be very worrying for you. Hope it gets sorted. X

Gin

I suggest you read the advice given on www.gov.uk/neighbourhood disputes/ hedges. If there are more than two trees over 2 metres high then it counts as a hedge and should be lowered, the neighbour must deal with it. If he will not then contact the council. I have never heard of them charging for this intervention. That is very surprising.

Hi, yes I have read that, and it does say on there that you may have to pay a fee to your council. I have just checked my council website again, and the updated fee is actually £788!

I wonder if perhaps your SiL could have a word with him? Some men will ignore a simple request from a woman but will listen to a man!

Caleo

Too much tidying of gardens is a nightmare for fertilising insects, swarming bees, foxes, hedgehogs. mice, worms, birds, and frogs.
I despair when i read a lot of posts at gransnet how unaware of what really matters.

I think your comments are quite inappropriate in the context of the situation the OP has described.

Dontcallmelove

I wonder if perhaps your SiL could have a word with him? Some men will ignore a simple request from a woman but will listen to a man!

Mmm, I would be a bit worried about seeming to bully or harass him, but I get your point.

Letthefunbegin

Dontcallmelove

I wonder if perhaps your SiL could have a word with him? Some men will ignore a simple request from a woman but will listen to a man!

Mmm, I would be a bit worried about seeming to bully or harass him, but I get your point.

I see the point on this - but some of us (errr....that would be me then....) would lose our temper bigtime at not being listened to because of being a woman - but then they listened to a man.

That would be cue for outrage on my part - so I guess the temperament that would be prepared to be treated as a "lesser being" would be necessary in order to take that route. Though I'm fully aware there are a noticeable number of men that discriminate against a woman like that - ie by not taking them seriously and treating them as a "person" and not a "woman" iyswim.

Monica, The suburban environment really matters .

Some contexts on Gransnet need expanded POVs