Boundary Bushes and how to deal with the neighbours

Are the bushes planted in your land?

Betty65, he's trying it on. It's up to him whether to trim back his side. Surely he can dispose of the clippings? It's not up to you.

Still, 16 feet is rather tall, so, to be neighbourly, I'd offer a compromise. Perhaps you could offer to send (and pay for) the tree surgeon to do 'his side' too next time?

If you decide to arrange the removal of trimmings this time, make your own arrangements for collection/disposal - as £100 sounds too much.

Thanks - yes they are on our side. He knocked on our door at 10.00 today and by 11.30;a truck had come and removed them. He did not tell us he was cutting them

Tricky - I am the one who was recently shouted at by the neighbour because I cut his tree back on my side. I got rid of the rubbish although he complained some had fallen on his side and I had gone too far. He can now see sky through his tree!! Apparently I should have asked first. Unfortunately it is very near my house and if the roots get in the drains or foundations he is liable.

I have mixed feelings about neighbours' plants/trees. I know (thoroughly) all the legal obligations and rights, including the High Hedges Act.

I do believe we have a right to grow anything (within reason) on our land - yet I really resent all the work and time involved in cutting back next door's high hedge on my side. When I move, I'll avoid any hedges like the plague!

We have always cut the hedge on our side which runs between our houses, though it belongs to the neighbour, and we have always got rid of the cuttings from our side. He does nothing to his side and it’s taking over his garden and making the hedge very overbalanced.
I think that if you cut down something overhanging belonging to your neighbour you are entitled to present the cuttings to them but £100 is a cheeky ask.

I thought I was allowed to cut back any overhanging foliage from a neighbours tree or bush but could give the waste back to them? I would not do that but I think that law covers the produce that might be on the branches.

I have a problem with three conifers ( in poor condition, covered in ivy) and a high laurel hedge belonging to a neighbour on my back boundary. They seriously affect what I can grow as that area gets little light and the soil is very dry. I wish the neighbour would get rid of the trees and plant more laurel bushes but keep the hedge lower, anything above fence height is too much in my opinion! I'd offer to pay half but it's a rented property so never going to get done.

Sixteen feet is too high in my opinion unless the gardens are very long. Why would you want a hedge that tall?

I believe the neighbour has the right to cut down overhanging foliage on his property, but that he should give it you.
Can you dispose of it for less than £100? I would think so.

Your neighbour is within his rights to cut , when cutting is forbidden) If it is more than 2 metres tall he can complain to the council, who could make YOU cut it down to that height. The neighbour should offer the cuttings to you for disposal, but you are within YOUR rights to decline to take them (however that won't lead to good relations with the neighbour!)

If you can't take them to the tip yourself, get a quote from someone who has the appropriate licence and will take it somewhere suitable. If it is less than £100, accept it and tell your neighbour that you have dealt with it yourself. If it is more, take the neighbour up on his offer.

Next time you get your own side trimmed (or perhaps every couple of times) ask the neighbour to allow access to his side to trim that as well, at your expense. It will probably add less to the bill you would be paying anyway than paying separately to have the debris from his side disposed of.

What is it that happens when you press post message? Half a sentence was lost. Should be "Your neighbour is within his rights to cut what overhangs his garden (except if birds are nesting in it, when cutting is forbidden) "

Not everyone seems aware of this restriction, and in spring and summer many nests with eggs or nestlings come crashing down, destroying families of chicks. Cutting of branches and close trimming of hedges should be done out of the nesting season.

When we have our hedges cut we do his side at the same time. We have since found out that he wanted to cut the bushes so he can park his caravan next to them. This is particularly poetic as the deeds for houses in our close don’t allow us to store caravans on our property. I was quite angry this morning but am beginning to see the funny side of it. Double poetic as we are getting prices to have the bushes taken down and replaced with fencing. Had he talked to us in the first place he could have saved himself time and money.

I think what he should have done is offer you the cuttings. He is allowed to cut overhanging branches, but they are your property and should be offered back. You could then have arranged disposal on your terms. As he hasn't done that, you would be within your rights to get a quote for removal of that amount of greenery and offer to pay him that instead. I would add that you suggest in the future you ask him to let you dispose of your trees' cuttings.

Neighbourly disputes are so stressful, it is best to try and keep goodwill as far as you can, but don't be bullied!

it is not good to have 16 foot tall bushes so close to the fence that they overhang your neighbours property. Hardly anyone seems to make allowances for growing space. It would drive me bonkers and I would go a lot further than just asking for £100

In England if you cut a neighbour's hedge you should return the clippings to the hedge owner. In Scotland by law you are not obliged to return the clippings. Ih he chose to get rid of them himself hard luck on him.

We bought a property with an extensive leylandii hedge. We take responsibility for cutting both sides once a year. If our neighbours offered to do it we would celebrate.? Even if they did dump the cuttings in our drive.

They have their house on the market and we are wondering if we can ignore the other side after they move. Although it’s about 8ft high they have acres of land so the height isn’t a problem.

Our neighbour planted a row of lleylandii next to our fence. We have had to buy cutters with long handles to try and keep it back as our garden is quite small. We are unable to grow anything much in our border because of the roots.

He has an enormous garden and tried to get planning permission to have several houses built on it. The access road would be directly behind our hedge leaving nobody to keep it trimmed. The houses would be very close to our garden. Fortunately the application was rejected.

No more Mr Nice Guy now. We used to dispose of the cuttings. They can now get rammed into gaps so that he has to pick them up.

These people are very selfish.

When I was house hunting I went to see a beautiful new build bungalow, I was a cash buyer and the first viewer and was ready to buy. Then I stood on tip toe and looked down the dividing fence about 1m from the side of the bungalow, yes I could see the wavy tops of a new row of lleylandii. The house sold that same day. I have driven past there since and they are now 12" above the fence, year one after planting

Leylandi — what is the point of these things as hedges and in small suburban gardens? They cause so many unnecessary disputes, grow to rifuculous heights in quick time, block light and leach moisture from the soil. They are unattractive in every way
Do I have a neighbour who planted them along outer garden fence, a neighbour who refused to cut them back. Yep

I would have been shocked that he asked. He should have mentioned it before hand, even though it was overhanging his property.

We have one neighbour's tree that overhangs our carport, causing moss to grow. We check with her, but she has never minded the fact that we cut back our side. Certainly wouldn't expect her to pay for the waste.

If you know someone with a van or trailer ask them If they'd take it away. Even If you paid them petrol money it certainly wouldn't be £100.

Tell him to take a running jump. He not only chose to cut back the trees but did so during the nesting season so broke the law. If he doesn't like the height of your trees he should contact the local council who will look into the matter and make a decision. We have very high trees behind our flat which belong to a neighbouring garden but what we lose in light is more than made up for by the abundance of wildlife.

Hetty 58 is incorrect, legally he has to give you back the branches he has cut. Ask for them back and then you can dispose of them, you can take them to the dump yourself for free then.

I think you are incredibly selfish! We have neighbours like you, our once sunny cottage is now so dark I need the lights on during the day! Cut them down to 8feet!

It has always been my understanding that, if it overhangs my property I can cut it back to the boundary line and I'm supposed to offer the "trimmings" to the "owner". However, I have never been in the situation like the OP with such a high hedge.

I will hasten to add that the ve only ever trimmed back the odd Rose bush stem or clematis, never interfered with anything during nesting season either.

The neighbour is a bit cheeky though, effectively spending your money without consulting you first. Personally, I wouldn't pay up and see where it leads.