[katiekate]

Hi,

My neighbours have just moved in. In their garden in HUGE pine type thing. It's far taller than the massive 4 storey house and very dense. It's against the boundary wall of our garden and blocks out all the light- seriously the entire garden is in darkness and we can't grow anything due to no light or nutrients. Also if it came down in a wind it would destroy entire houses!

What can people suggest is a good way of going about this? Is there any law or act which has anything to say? I want to be a good neighbour but it's a whopper!

Thanks!!!!

[Ice]

It's a private house and the trees have been there a very long time.  I'm guessing you own your house and therefore chose to live with the tree next door when you bought it.

You need to introduce yourself and ask them if they have any plans to remove/lower them in a polite way.  Apart from that I don't think you have any rights.

[Aunt Sally]

You can remove any growth which over hangs over your property as long as you give it back to the neighbour.  I don't think there's much else you can do.

[rachelr]

the usual way is diplomacy.
The next some form of intermediary
The third use your public liability insurance on you buildings and get a survey done. If you can prove it is an issue then they are liable for any damage once you have proved there is an issue then there insurance will insist on them taking it down. However, this can be quite a traumatic way of dealing with this.

In short there are no laws about height etc of trees. I have to say that most people will want to keep their neighbours happy and may come to some form of compromise. My neighbour agreed to go halves on a 8 ft fence if we took down our trees.

[Goosegirl]

As they have just moved in, I would introduce yourselves if you haven't done so already and establish a relationship so you get to know them and what they are like, leave it a wee while then be very diplomatic in bringing up the tree problem. Maybe they don't want it either but be tactful and open.

[billathome65]

I agree with what has been said it is private land and it is on your neighbours side so you can do very little with respect to removing it.

You can cut overhanging branches but the best way to go about this is to ask them if they would be OK if you had the tree lowered to allow light into your garden explain you want to be able to use your garden and are happy to share some of the stuff you grow if they support good neighbouring if they don't want it removing.

The thing with conifers / pines is that the roots spread out and can undermine the foundations of the house so you can bring that into it.

Hope you can sort it out.

We have neighbours who are so inconsiderate they have bushes and trees that they allow to get out of hand however they will have the bush trimmed on their side.  All I do is cut anything back that over hangs which the neighbours hate but because I am not in their garden they have no recourse. I don't suggest you address your situation this way however there is no love lost with our neighbours  Bill

[katiekate]

Thanks for all your suggestions! It's a very tricky subject and I really don't wan to upset anybody!! The tree is so big that there isn't any overhanging branches I could reach without a massive cherry picker!! I'll bide my time until I get to know them more!

[Aunt Sally]

I presume the previous owner of the house refused to do anything about the tree so you are hoping the new owners might be more agreeable to taking it down.  It will be a very expensive job.

[Jamie Butterworth]

This looks fairly similiar to your case, if not a bit extreme:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1306040/Couple-fined-2-500-breaching-conifer-Asbo-refusing-cut-19ft-hedge.html

[Lardman]

This looks fairly similiar to your case, if not a bit extreme:

The high hedge act doesn't cover single trees, Jamie.

[evie2]

I'm one of those annoying neighbours with huge conifers which we inherited when we got the house.  We've agreed with our neighbour, with the help of a friend of theirs who wants the wood for fuel, to cut them down, problem is apart from nesting birds we have bats roosting in them so we're in a difficult situation believe me, we want them down just as much as our neighbour 


Any suggestions?

[Jamie Butterworth]

This looks fairly similiar to your case, if not a bit extreme:

The high hedge act doesn't cover single trees, Jamie.

Oops, sorry

[joyfull]

does this help with the bat situation Evie2?

http://www.bats.org.uk/publications_download.php/249/batstrees.pdf

[evie2]

Oh yes, thanks Joyfull

[katiekate]

Apparently a hedge is two or more trees in a row, it doesn't mention how big the space between the row needs to be.. In our case there about 6-8ft between the two conifers (sounds a lot, but they are both bigger than 4 story houses!).

There was no one living their when I moved in so I couldn't ask. I'm renting which makes me feel that I don't have the same rights than if I owned the house.. suck it and see I think..