Boundary Bushes and how to deal with the neighbours

leylandii hedges are the work of the devil, if you want privacy put in a fence, they do not grow huge, I've seen on some in a botanical garden 250 feet tall, and mine would be that tall, we have one, and over the years it has taken me so long to prune it and keep it a reasonable height. Some I've taken out, where there was already a fence and another lot where they were totally unnecessary. Last year I actually took 3 out as I wanted to put something nice in [intending to take out the lot eventually] and my neighbours were upset, so upset that he offered to keep it cut down to a reasonable height. Well, I guess I'm within my rights to ignore him, but taking down a few took ages and was difficult to dispose of so we agreed, and I've just cut back my side and planted in front of it. IF you have space for one, leylandii clippings burn very quickly, it's the resin in them, that's the best way to get rid of them [it's ok, it's a very very long back garden and no one minds a bonfire]. If for whatever reason he doesn't cut it in future, I'll have to rethink obviously, but if he is happy to take on the work, seeing as it's him who wants it, then fair enough.
Odd how some people like something so ugly

over hanging branches can be cut back.They should be offered back to the owner and if they decline you should dispose of them. You should not (as our neighbours did) cut them down and throw them back over the fence. That is considered the same as fly tipping.Part of the hedge at the front of our house is on our property and the other is across the dividing line so is in next doors garden. That is the way the developers of the property had planted it, We are only cutting our side as we regard it on our boundary, He should have asked you and as he didnt I would say that the bill is entirely his.

What are you shielding that needs such a tall boundary? He cannot make you pay (I personally could not afford £100). If possible cut your shrubs to a reasonable height and ask if next time he does something like that can he let you know as you before he spends your money!

depends if the bushes are on your side or is ? £100 is rather a lot.tell him you will take them to the dump the ones you cut .he can do what he likes with the rest on his side.

If the law hasn't changed, I believe he can offer the cuttings back to you but you do not have to take them or pay for him to cut them. Hope it still applies. I had an awful lot of trouble with a neighbour over that, so I looked into it. Hope it goes well for you.

I had s tree surgeon in to trim back some branches and overhanging shrubbery. He had to physically climb up to do it.
He only charged me £100 for the whole lot, and he took away all the rubbish as well.

Tell him you haven't got any money. Then it's his problem

1. He decided to cut the hedge to suit himself and without discussion or agreement as to when or how.

2. He's entitled to do that, but cannot make you a party to a contract with someone disposing of the clippings. If it's £100 or £1.50 or £1,000 - no matter, his problem and he's definitely not being cheeky he's taking the proverbial and trying it on.

3.. The clippings are your property and he should have discussed this with you before cutting, in case you wanted to have the clippings to dispose of yourself.

4. The easiest way to dispose of clippings belonging to a neighbour is obviously to speak about it and hand them back over a boundary fence. Not possible perhaps because of the height of the hedge, but they remain your property so prior discussion was needed with you.

5. As it is your hedge, which he has trimmed on his own side before, if he suddenly has a problem with it, it's likely to be because he wants every available bit of space to park a caravan etc.,

6. A "normal" 2 metre hedge in a suburban garden can easily be turned into a much higher boundary hedge if it's properly maintained and does not affect neighbours' right of light or cause damage to their property. A hedge does not have to be an enormous height if it is clearly preventing light to a neighbouring property and complaints can be made to the local Council.

7. Cutting back of branches and leaves etc., which protrude from your hedging into a neighbouring property is perfectly acceptable for a neighbour to do at any time - except in the nesting season for birds. If you or your contractor normally cut the hedge, you can offer to have the neighbouring side cut at the same time - with you covering the cost of that as it's your hedge. Normally neighbours agree as to who will have the responsibility for the other side or agree an access time for a contractor to do the work.

8. Becoming involved in any kind of legal dispute will have to be revealed if either of the parties sell their homes. Not only is it a bad idea to row with neighbours, it's an even worse idea to threaten legal action since this may affect any future sale of either property.

The major problem with hedging such as Leylandii is that too often the little trees are planted and then left. For everyone who plants and cares for such hedging, cutting and pruning regularly to enable a green and frothy hedge to frame their garden, there are vast numbers of people who just plant them, like many other trees, and ignore them until there is no longer a hedge, just a row of extremely tall and ugly trees, which are usually brown and bare at the bottom. Affording no privacy; they grow too wide - take up huge areas of suburban gardens and are spiky and unattractive and mostly dead looking.

You owe him no money because you cannot be forced to pay for a (probably fictitious) bill for work which did not have your prior knowledge or agreement. You can offer to have your contractor cut his side of the hedge next time, or simply announce that it's your intention to replace the trees with fencing. He would have known this before engaging in any work if he had just had the courtesy to speak to you about the work beforehand. (Don't forget to smile!)

We have the problem of a neighbour who likes trees and bushes and complains if we dare to touch the very high hedge at the back of our property (which was there before we bought the house). I'd love to reduce it in height, but she complains whenever we cut it, usually saying we have cut "into" her side of the hedge. We don't know who the hedge "belongs" to. The same lady once demanded (on my doorstep) that I keep our gardener "Off her Property" in future. In fact, he had not been on her property at all - a neighbour she employs had trimmed a part of the big high hedge (on her side) between our gardens! I never received an apology! She has now planted a Laurel hedge at the boundary of the front part of the garden, which is already higher than the fence, and this grows through the fencing into our flower border all the time, as well as having lots of weeds in the base! We have front, side and rear gardens, which are lovely. Our house is now up for sale, and I wont be sorry when we move, despite loving the house we live in.

If there is no rule that obligates you otherwise, you have every right not to be taken advantage of....If your neighbor is cheeky enough to demand a hefty sum from you (amount set forth by him, no less) then it's OK for you stick up for yourself and to be assertive. When he asks again, let him know politely, that this kind of arrangement may work for him, but it doesn't work for you because he never gave you a heads up.

If he still has the nerve to insist, let him know in no uncertain terms that surprising you with a such a hefty bill without warning' is anything but 'neighborly' You could have reached a compromise with him, but since he blindsided you, he can now see the whole thing through on his own. Yes, he may get upset, but no more than you are with him. Fair is fair!

Its you’re hedges and you should be maintaining on both sides, not making comments about him.
I think you should dispose of it not him

This is on the RHS site :- What do I do with the prunings?
Once branches are cut off they should be offered back to the tree owner. If the owner doesn’t want them then you will be responsible for disposing of the prunings; you can’t simply throw them over the boundary into your neighbour’s garden!

Pay for nothing AFTER the event, extremely inconsiderate of him not to approach you beforehand about any potential contribution toward HIS costs... would you do that to him ?!