To tell my neighbour he's a fucking knobhead

About 10 yrs ago, I had similar problems with builders burning stuff behind some houses that were being updated... it was obvious from the noxious smoke and the smell that they were burning plastic, quick call to the council soon softened their cough. I would also suggest you check your local byelaws to check what they say about lighting bonfires, it was pretty strict where I used to live, but is non-existant where I live now.

And yes, he sounds like a total knobby dick!

Lighting a fire that big was completely unreasonable of him.
But, I also think you are being unreasonable too. Hedges are an absolute nuisance. Our neighbours have one and we really resent having to waste hours of our own time cutting it back when it’s not ours. Our neighbour expects us to cut it back, but also had a go at us as they thought we had cut it back too much.

Ahh, nice to see someone use the word reasonable rather than lawful.

For those talking about the fires etc, my guess is someone who is willing to start a dangerous fire near to his own building and the neighbours trees might be willing to do other things. Making it a policy to call the fire brigade is fine for such situations but actually trimming the trees and keeping the peace might just solve the issue without things escalating.

This. Yes he’s a knob but they’re your trees.

I have a neighbour like you and I have to dispose of all YOUR tree cuttings that hang over my side.

Be reasonable. They’re YOUR trees. If they died, no more trouble for the neighbour.

Just do your bit.

I have two neighbours, lovely conscientious neighbours who always ask how I feel about their encroaching trees and come round and cut and take away and then the dickheads who let their laurel pretty much push the fence down with new branches and world never dream of asking to cut them and take the branches away of which there are many and require a full afternoon of my time plus another afternoon cutting up and taking up all the room in the compost local council bin THAT I PAY FOR.

There are times I’m tempted to pour litres of round up over the fence on it.

FFS, just be a good neighbour. Cut the damned trees. YOUR trees.

Totally with you on this, OP. I agree with pps - call the Firies out each time because it's a genuine danger.

There are bonfires and then there are 'bonfires'. A small pile of autumn leaves once a year might be one thing, closely supervised, but I've seen some shockingly dangerous garden fires in my time. Our neighbours in our previous house dumped their entire old kitchen and plastic three-suite on their patio one summer and then chucked petrol on it on the August Bank Holiday weekend. It burned for hours and hours, and ash fell on all the neighbours' gardens. The fire was about 12 feet from our house too. There are some stupid people around.

You don't have to cut the hedge on his side. You cut your side, that's it.

And he sounds dangerous and vile so have nothing to do with him. No, don't start trying to rattle his cage. He really doesn't need it rattling. Just pretend he doesn't exist, but call the fire brigade if he has a crazed bonfire again.

Wow thats cutting. Tell me you cant read someones post without telling me you cant read someones post. I did say regardless of the law

Do you know trees dont just get overgrown overnight? Dont give me 'they cant do it in the snow' excuse.

I think i made it pretty clear in my post. Whilst the OP may not be obliged by law to look after both sides of her hedge/trees its pretty shitty to do that to a neighbour imo. That makes her as bad as the knobhead setting fire to stuff......is that ok with you?

A good neighbour considers how their own trees impact neighbours and works to look after them.

OP sounds horrible?! Are you mad? Why should OP be nice and kind and do a job for someone effin and jeffin about it, at a time when they wouldn't be able to anyway?

I can tell you're exactly the type of doormat that lets people like him walk all over you, or frets about the most inane crap. It's not rude or illegal to say no to someone, especially when they've behaved like OP's neighbour.

Tell me you don’t understand boundaries without telling me you don’t understand boundaries.

Log his behaviour with the police. Keep a comprehensive diary of what he does. Ask him to stop harassing you and then log each subsequent interaction with the police. Call 999 for every fire and environmental health if he’s burning materials that produce dangerous gases.

Basically it's an unfortunate combination of you imposing a massive hedge on him that he has no choice but to maintain and him being a massive arse hole. Personally I'd be more worried about his mum, assuming she's still in the house? Maybe you could have a chat with her?

How is OP also horrible? They’ve explained why they’re not cutting the neighbour’s side and it sounds reasonable to me.
Even if it were OP’s responsibility to cut both sides, would you expect them to go when it was snowing and with lots of obstructions in front of the hedge/fence? They’ve already said they would if it were cleared up!

Has he got planning permission to build anything in the garden? Check your local district planning portal regularly!

it’s your hedge so in my opinion you should trim it.

Classy

Lots of misinformation on this thread.

Here's a good article on hedge law. I love that this country is so petty that we have hedge laws 🤣

https://www.blbsolicitors.co.uk/blog/hedge-law-uk/

Anyway, the gist is, that OP should be ensuring that the hedge does not damage property but there's no obligation for her to cut neighbour's side.

Also, there is a law about maximum hedge height, but other factors need to be included for it to be considered an issue, mainly, light reduction.

If the son is in his 40s she’s at least likely to be in her 60s maybe 70s.

personally I think it’s dickish not to offer to keep it trimmed at her side too. It may be on her side but it’s your bloody hedge and it’s impacting her and causing her stress, energy and expense.

she wouldn’t have any of this if you didn’t have the hedge.

Ive lived next to 15 foot conifers, my paths were always green the foliage blocked my light and grass wouldn’t grow near them.

Do the right thing, sounds like the son is bullying you because you’re causing his mum stress.

Edited to add, we all know what the legal position is, but some people don’t have any moral understanding.

I was also wondering what has happened with his mum, he seems to have taken over the property?

I'd be very wary of him as he seems to turn to setting fires and threats of fire rather too readily for my liking. I'd be more inclined to trim the hedge that I've chosen to have (what species is it?) to keep the peace, if the ground on the neighbour's side was even and safe to put ladders on. Otherwise it's a Nope...

The law relating to fences not being in excess of two metres applies only to fences, not hedges.

Op maintains her hedge. There is no obligation to maintain the hedge on her neighbours side or on her own side for that matter. The neighbour can cut back any growth that protrudes over the boundary. He is supposed to give back the branches and greenery he has cut.

If the neighbour is unhappy he should approach the council and make a complaint under the Anti social Behaviour Act 2003 part 8. The council will only be concerned with the height and whether it is excessive in relation to the surrounding properties and stops views or light.

TBH you all sound horrible. He is indeed a knobhead for being aggressive and lighting fires. Your attitude towards the hedge on his side not being your problem marks you out as similar in my book. The odd trim for his mum was fine, but its not fine now. Its your hedge. Regrdless of the law etc its your hedge and he obviously is sick of it. IMO you have a responsibility to see it from his POV an maintain it to his satisfaction or at least make the effort. ITS YOUR HEDGE.

Just happy its similar minded people getting each others backs up

Is his mum dead or did he move in with her?

How deep is the hedge? If it's yours why are you not cutting it all at once.
We have an 8ft hedge on our boundary that's about 3-4 ft deep. Dh cuts its monthly and just does it all from our side with extendable electric shearers. We want the hedge to look nice so wouldn't want half of it cut and the other half higher.