Page 3 | Neighbour’s tree is basically living rent-free in our garden — now she’s offered us a leaf blower 🙃

Buddhabuns · 2025-05-07T08:32:06+00:00

Our neighbour’s enormous tree hangs over almost the entire width of our garden. It blocks sunlight, drops catkins and leaves everywhere, and last autumn we filled four garden bins (which we pay for) clearing up her mess. We’ve asked — nicely — twice. She trimmed a few bottom twigs, probably with nail scissors, and called it done. No difference. Now the roots are pushing up our fence, and the leaves are back in full force. Her solution? She offered to buy us a leaf blower. We already have one. We just didn’t realise we’d signed up for unpaid groundskeeping for her passive-aggressive tree. Every other neighbour manages their trees. She clearly thinks if she waits long enough, we’ll give up or vanish under the leaf pile. AIBU to think she’s completely taking the mick — and that the leaf blower offer was basically an insult?

AlpacaMittens · 08/05/2025 12:46

@Buddhabuns

"And just to be clear — I’m not some tree-hating villain. A couple of years ago, we cut down our pear tree after our other neighbour let us know pears are toxic to their dog. We really liked that tree, but we weren’t about to be responsible for harming someone’s pet. So down it came — because we’re that kind of neighbour. The considerate ones"

With respect that is absolutely crazy. You completely removed a tree in your garden because pears are toxic to dogs?! How would the neighbour's dog eat the pears?! Does the dog have access to your garden? Couldn't you just trim any branches that overhang?

Again kindly this wasn't a reasonable request from your neighbour, and your response wasn't considerate - it was bonkers. Can you imagine everyone asking their neighbours to completely remove absolutely generic non niche trees because they're supposedly toxic to their pets?! So weird and unreasonable 🤣🤣🤣

Could it be that this situation informed what you're thinking to be a "considerate" response to a neighbour's complaint, and if you're being honest all that you would deem acceptable in your case with your neighbour's tree would be for them to completely remove it?

I'm just wondering...

Dumbdog · 08/05/2025 12:39

Not the point, but pears aren’t toxic to dogs. Sad for your tree!

We had an issue with a neighbour’s tree that littered our garden every autumn, blocked so much light and ruined the garden room (which in fairness was built far too close to the fence by previous owners).

In the end I got some tree surgeon quotes for pollarding and offered to split the cost, and the neighbour decided they would take the whole thing down instead.

If they hadn’t been accommodating, I was going to use the damage to my property as the ‘stick’.

If your fence is being damaged by their tree, it is their responsibility and you can take them to court for damages. Of course you don’t want to do this, but it is worth knowing in case it’s helpful in negotiations.

Practically, I would get a good tree surgeon round and have the tree chopped back to your boundary, including the roots.

In theory, this could kill the tree, if done badly, so use a good company. If the tree does inadvertently die, they could sue you for damages but honestly, who would bother? And unlikely damages from loss of tree would exceed damage to your fence.

Sharptonguedwoman · 08/05/2025 12:25

Buddhabuns · 08/05/2025 11:39

Many thanks for the comments. Honestly, I love nature — especially in London. Our garden’s basically a David Attenborough episode: squirrels doing fence parkour, cats dropping by like they own the place, foxes occasionally checking in on us, birds in full song from sunrise, and my two bunnies living their best lives with twice-daily garden zoomies.

And just to be clear — I’m not some tree-hating villain. A couple of years ago, we cut down our pear tree after our other neighbour let us know pears are toxic to their dog. We really liked that tree, but we weren’t about to be responsible for harming someone’s pet. So down it came — because we’re that kind of neighbour. The considerate ones.

I don’t even mind leaves — they’re part of gardening. I’ll happily do a seasonal sweep. But when it becomes a full-time job from a tree that isn’t even mine, it starts to feel like I’m running a community woodland clean-up service. I’d honestly be mortified if I looked out and saw my neighbours constantly having to clean up after one of my trees.

And this all really kicked off because I asked the neighbour — very politely — if she could trim the branches that are now overhanging nearly the entire width of our garden. Her solution? She cut a few lower branches, and then patronisingly offered to buy us a leaf blower. Because apparently, we just don’t have the right tools to manage her tree. That was the moment I realised we weren’t dealing with any kind of shared-responsibility energy here.

So yes — I’ll probably get a tree surgeon to take a look. Sensibly, professionally, and not with a chainsaw and a vengeance. It’s a garden, not the Amazon. I’m just trying to keep it that way.

Can I ask why your pear tree was relevant to your neighbour's dog? Did the tree overhang?

Sharptonguedwoman · 08/05/2025 12:23

softlyfallsthesnow · 08/05/2025 11:55

No doubt the overgrown leylandii 'hedge' was responsible for overshadowing a fair portion of land, preventing anything else growing.They can be a menace.
I guess the birds found somewhere else to nest, having wings. Do you not have a suitable habitat for them yourself? Every tree does not have a clutch of nesting birds.
We'll agree to disagree about the impact of cats. 40 to 70 million birds lost per year, as a recent study estimates,in the UK alone. They'd probably be wiser to stay out of gardens.

Show quote history

Ok
Trees were a shielding hedge (they gave privacy to the courtyard my and neighbours houses are in) owned by my neighbour and taken down as they were pushing a third neighbour's wall over. No overshadowing to anyone. Normally I dislike Leylandii for all the obvious reasons however these gave shelter to a large number of birds. as soon as the trees were taken down the birds disappeared-no habitat.

Sadly I cannot have mature trees in my garden as it is both very small and rented. I try very hard to provide thickets and bushes and I do have a hedge in my back garden that gives some habitat. Little is over 6ft high so while it creates some shelter it's not as good as a tree.

While the effect of domestic cats is appalling, habitat loss is equally difficult. There's lots of research about the effect of cats, they are killers, no doubt. Harder to assess the impact of nowhere to put your wings at night.

softlyfallsthesnow · 08/05/2025 11:55

Sharptonguedwoman · 08/05/2025 09:50

Loss of wildlife is certainly from cats/slug pellets etc but loss of environment is incredibly important, if not more so. My neigbour had a large rather overgrown Leylandii hedge about 4 m long and at least a metre thick. When it was removed the birds just vanished. Nowhere to hide or nest.

Show quote history

No doubt the overgrown leylandii 'hedge' was responsible for overshadowing a fair portion of land, preventing anything else growing.They can be a menace.
I guess the birds found somewhere else to nest, having wings. Do you not have a suitable habitat for them yourself? Every tree does not have a clutch of nesting birds.
We'll agree to disagree about the impact of cats. 40 to 70 million birds lost per year, as a recent study estimates,in the UK alone. They'd probably be wiser to stay out of gardens.

Original poster

Buddhabuns · 08/05/2025 11:39

Many thanks for the comments. Honestly, I love nature — especially in London. Our garden’s basically a David Attenborough episode: squirrels doing fence parkour, cats dropping by like they own the place, foxes occasionally checking in on us, birds in full song from sunrise, and my two bunnies living their best lives with twice-daily garden zoomies.

And just to be clear — I’m not some tree-hating villain. A couple of years ago, we cut down our pear tree after our other neighbour let us know pears are toxic to their dog. We really liked that tree, but we weren’t about to be responsible for harming someone’s pet. So down it came — because we’re that kind of neighbour. The considerate ones.

I don’t even mind leaves — they’re part of gardening. I’ll happily do a seasonal sweep. But when it becomes a full-time job from a tree that isn’t even mine, it starts to feel like I’m running a community woodland clean-up service. I’d honestly be mortified if I looked out and saw my neighbours constantly having to clean up after one of my trees.

And this all really kicked off because I asked the neighbour — very politely — if she could trim the branches that are now overhanging nearly the entire width of our garden. Her solution? She cut a few lower branches, and then patronisingly offered to buy us a leaf blower. Because apparently, we just don’t have the right tools to manage her tree. That was the moment I realised we weren’t dealing with any kind of shared-responsibility energy here.

So yes — I’ll probably get a tree surgeon to take a look. Sensibly, professionally, and not with a chainsaw and a vengeance. It’s a garden, not the Amazon. I’m just trying to keep it that way.

OP posts:

silentpool · 08/05/2025 10:33

I had a similar situation. They didn't want to pay so I hired an arborist, who cut it back to the fence line.

Panda89 · 08/05/2025 10:24

We have a tree with a TPO in our back garden, it needs trimming this winter as we noticed a few branches poking over neighbours fence.
I must say the process is rubbish, we have to print off a massive paper form from the council which has an 8 week turnaround their side just to get permission to get the tree trimmed.

godmum56 · 08/05/2025 10:08

NeedthatFridayfeeling · 07/05/2025 14:57

I'd cut them back OP.
I think the tree owner has responsibility to manage it and make sure neighbours are ok, but she isn't doing that, appreciate it's a pain but i'd do it to enjoy my garden. Maybe consult a tree surgeon first. Though that won't fix the fence issue.
I say that as someone who has a row of sycamore's at the end of my garden, we cut them every winter when the leaves have gone and every 3 years have tree surgeons come and do a more drastic cut, at that time we ask the neighbours behind us if there are any bits affecting their light etc that they'd like us to address. They also have my number for other times of the year if they notice any bits growing over their side (there is a stream between us and them so we need to manage cutting it back as they can't reach and are in their 70's)
We see it as they are our trees so it's up to us to manage them and not upset people.
Before anyone maybe has a go at me for the drastic cuts, sycamore's grow fast and these are large well established tree's, there before the houses were built around them and would not get planted on an estate like ours if they hadn't already been there. We'd not remove them as they support wildlife and we do like having that wall of greenery, but we can't let them grow massive.

This absolutely even when the trees have protection orders on them. The TPO man who visits me has agreed that trees can and do outgrow their space in gardens and can even put house foundations and drains at risk. If planning permission was given to put houses there then there is an assumption that the trees can't just be allowed to grow on regardless.

Sharptonguedwoman · 08/05/2025 09:50

softlyfallsthesnow · 08/05/2025 09:27

I think you'll find that cats are responsible for any drastic reduction in birds in this country, but shock horror if anyone suggests that. Tree reduction not so much.
The point of the OP's post is the lack of understanding that her neighbour has on the impact of a large, growing tree on anyone else.
Trees can cause a lot of damage, as my neighbour found out when a 100ft street lime crashed through their roof in a storm last autumn. By sheer good fortune, no one was hurt. Another had to be hastily felled before it did the same. Our council has a policy of not maintaining their trees unless they pose a danger. That didn't work too well. The same council that boasts about the number of trees they own btw.
As I said earlier, trees need proper managing but many people won't pay to have that done.

Show quote history

Loss of wildlife is certainly from cats/slug pellets etc but loss of environment is incredibly important, if not more so. My neigbour had a large rather overgrown Leylandii hedge about 4 m long and at least a metre thick. When it was removed the birds just vanished. Nowhere to hide or nest.

caringcarer · 08/05/2025 09:47

My DS has a neighbours tree overhanging the bottom of his garden. He likes to watch the squirrels so doesn't mind it, but if it was close to his patio doors I don't think he would be so keen.

GoldDuster · 08/05/2025 09:44

When you bought the house with the enormous tree planted right on your fenceline what was your plan to manage it if your neighbour didn't, as it inevitably continued to grow both in branhces and roots, and how did you envisage dealing with the annual shed of leaves and catkins?

Do that. You can engage with the council if you feel it's contravening laws and would like it removed, otherwise a reputable tree surgeon will help you manage the tree, you'll need them round annually depending on the species. Beyond that you have to suck it up and learn a lesson I think.

CantStopMoving · 08/05/2025 09:44

LameBorzoi · 08/05/2025 09:33

I think it's a bit ridiculous when people get worked up over a few leaves.

In our garden it isn’t a few leaves. It is massive, overbearing branches that squish the other trees and bushes we have. There is so much pollen as well. It is good tree management to have trees pruned every few years. I wouldn’t want to tree to go- completely opposite actually as it is the privacy shield between us and the house behind

CantStopMoving · 08/05/2025 09:42

Buddhabuns · 08/05/2025 09:06

Thank you. Honestly, if there were more neighbours like you, we’d all be living the garden dream! You actually sound like the gold standard of tree ownership—thoughtful, responsible, and not trying to casually offload an entire forest on your neighbours.

We’ve tried the nice route (twice), but our tree drama is more “welcome to the jungle.” It’s now reaching across nearly the full width of our garden, shedding catkins like confetti. We love wildlife—I’ve named the squirrels and the regular moody cats that wander through—but this is getting a bit much.

Really appreciate your reply — it’s so reassuring to know some people still understand what neighbourly actually means!

I think the tree is a type of sycamore! It's lovely but huge!
We also live on a tree-lined street with similar massive sycamore trees, and the council comes around every other year to prune them, so it's pretty obvious that they need to be maintained and not neglected.

Show quote history

You are absolutely within your rights to get tree surgeons around to prune your side. We do it, our neighbours do it also. We live in London with small gardens so lots of trees overhang others. I honestly didn’t even think twice about getting them around.

Cadenza12 · 08/05/2025 09:34

You can cut branches that overhang your boundary. They belong to your neighbour so you should let her have them back.

LameBorzoi · 08/05/2025 09:33

I think it's a bit ridiculous when people get worked up over a few leaves.

softlyfallsthesnow · 08/05/2025 09:27

Sharptonguedwoman · 08/05/2025 09:14

What is it with people who can't rake up a few leaves, once a year. Modern gardens seem incredibly sterile. Birds and other wildlife need the trees. No trees, drastic reduction of birds.

I think you'll find that cats are responsible for any drastic reduction in birds in this country, but shock horror if anyone suggests that. Tree reduction not so much.
The point of the OP's post is the lack of understanding that her neighbour has on the impact of a large, growing tree on anyone else.
Trees can cause a lot of damage, as my neighbour found out when a 100ft street lime crashed through their roof in a storm last autumn. By sheer good fortune, no one was hurt. Another had to be hastily felled before it did the same. Our council has a policy of not maintaining their trees unless they pose a danger. That didn't work too well. The same council that boasts about the number of trees they own btw.
As I said earlier, trees need proper managing but many people won't pay to have that done.

Sharptonguedwoman · 08/05/2025 09:14

What is it with people who can't rake up a few leaves, once a year. Modern gardens seem incredibly sterile. Birds and other wildlife need the trees. No trees, drastic reduction of birds.

Original poster

Buddhabuns · 08/05/2025 09:06

NeedthatFridayfeeling · 07/05/2025 14:57

I'd cut them back OP.
I think the tree owner has responsibility to manage it and make sure neighbours are ok, but she isn't doing that, appreciate it's a pain but i'd do it to enjoy my garden. Maybe consult a tree surgeon first. Though that won't fix the fence issue.
I say that as someone who has a row of sycamore's at the end of my garden, we cut them every winter when the leaves have gone and every 3 years have tree surgeons come and do a more drastic cut, at that time we ask the neighbours behind us if there are any bits affecting their light etc that they'd like us to address. They also have my number for other times of the year if they notice any bits growing over their side (there is a stream between us and them so we need to manage cutting it back as they can't reach and are in their 70's)
We see it as they are our trees so it's up to us to manage them and not upset people.
Before anyone maybe has a go at me for the drastic cuts, sycamore's grow fast and these are large well established tree's, there before the houses were built around them and would not get planted on an estate like ours if they hadn't already been there. We'd not remove them as they support wildlife and we do like having that wall of greenery, but we can't let them grow massive.

Thank you. Honestly, if there were more neighbours like you, we’d all be living the garden dream! You actually sound like the gold standard of tree ownership—thoughtful, responsible, and not trying to casually offload an entire forest on your neighbours.

We’ve tried the nice route (twice), but our tree drama is more “welcome to the jungle.” It’s now reaching across nearly the full width of our garden, shedding catkins like confetti. We love wildlife—I’ve named the squirrels and the regular moody cats that wander through—but this is getting a bit much.

Really appreciate your reply — it’s so reassuring to know some people still understand what neighbourly actually means!

I think the tree is a type of sycamore! It's lovely but huge!
We also live on a tree-lined street with similar massive sycamore trees, and the council comes around every other year to prune them, so it's pretty obvious that they need to be maintained and not neglected.

OP posts:

AlpacaMittens · 07/05/2025 19:39

Amba1998 · 07/05/2025 09:41

You’re supposed to trim the branches and give them back to her over the fence

if the roots are causing damage and it’s interfering with your right to light you need to take legal advice

There is no automatic right to light re: trees.

AlpacaMittens · 07/05/2025 19:38

It's a tree. Trees have leaves. Deciduous trees drop leaves. If it's causing damage it's of course a different story. If it's unsafe, it's also absolutely a different story. But complaining mainly about leaves, I'm sorry, you are being very unreasonable.

Poor birds are going extinct, nowhere to nest, nowhere to feed. Literally in the midst of a climate emergency. I'm sorry but it's a garden. Buckets of of leaves in the garden waste bin - oh the horror. Turn them to leaf mould. Leave them in the ground for insects to hibernate in.

As an aside -

Did it occur to you that this tree. could be her absolute pride and joy? She could literally have bought her house solely because of the big beautiful tree. She might be loving looking at it. She won't butcher it so you don't get leaves in your (gasp) garden.

Perhaps tell her that you'd appreciate it if she trimmed it more than she did last time, and let her know you'd be trimming anything that overhangs? What did she say about the damaged fence?

Quicksilver15 · 07/05/2025 19:31

@godmum56 I’m sure those London planes have also all outgrown their place in the street, but can you imagine the uproar 😂. These are also not the types of trees that would ever be planted in highway areas now, yet they persist. I agree some probably do outgrow their spaces, but I feel like that’s very much the minority! And anyway where are all these new wilder trees being planted to offset the huge number of lost garden trees and the wider globe!

BlueMum16 · 07/05/2025 19:14

Gloriia · 07/05/2025 11:35

This.

We had similar and got all the overhanging bits removed by a tree surgeon then sent neighbours the bill.

Show quote history

My neighbours asked I do this too with my tree that over hangs their drive way by about 3 foot

Tree surgeon literally cut vertically upwards. Looks awful from their side. From my side it looks fine.

Everyone happy.

I can't do anything about where the leaves drop though.

JohnofWessex · 07/05/2025 19:07

AFAIK in European nations there are more 'prescriptive' rules about trees and how close they can be planted to a boundary, 'high hedges' etc

Walkden · 07/05/2025 19:03

"OFFER them back. Lots of people think they can just chuck them over, but that's actually classed as fly-tipping."

It's only an offence if it's on council land. Dumping the cuttings back on private land is a civil matter...