AIBU to resent being asked to pay for neighbours cutting back our tree?

I don’t understand all the votes for YABU, OP tried to keep the tree maintained and wasn’t allowed access. It’s probably now become a bigger job.

Yes I would also find the letting agent and ask to speak to the owner about the “advice” they are giving out….

Are you being deliberately ridiculous?

First post nails it. He pays. He disposes of waste (unless you want it)

Brambles do sneak up on you though.

I agree trees and bushes (including brambles) are wonderful things.

Even more so when they are planted in appropriate positions where they can grow to their natural size.

I'm confused. My neighbours let their trees overhang to my side. I cut and throw back. Done this for years. Is this not ok?

Trees aren’t a menace that sneak up on you while they’re sleeping. They’re perfectly ordinary (and on the whole very good!) things to have growing in a garden.

In that case you’d have a tree hanging into your garden, and a legal bill.

There’s no requirement for a neighbour to keep their tree as you would like it. If you don’t want it growing into your garden, you cut it back. You can’t legally force the neighbour to do your gardening for you, even if the plant you’re gardening grows from their side.

Not true.

If you own a tree on your land and parts of it overhang someone else's land, it is not your responsibility if a branch falls off onto the neighbour's land and smashes their fence and greenhouse( would be covered by insurance anyway), as long as the damage could not have been predicted i e.the tree was healthy.

If a branch fell off and injured your neighbour it is not your responsibility if it was unforeseen. It's different if for example the tree was dead and you hadn't had it cut down, because then it would be likely to do damage from falling branches or the tree itself

Likewise if the neighbours cut back the overhanging branches of your tree, which they are entitled to do, but they don't use a professional and your tree becomes unbalanced and falls over, the neighbours are liable for the damage caused.

It's whoever the fence belongs to on their insurance unless it has been badly maintained.

We had a beautiful mature tree in our previous garden - from before the house was built. Trunk about 5' in diameter, leaning slightly away from us and with a tree preservation order on. So we did take legal advice before we moved in to check whose liability.

We used to go 50/50 with our neighbour as they liked it trimming more often than we could really afford to. This kept everyone happy.

Beautiful tree, but the garden was only about 10' square!

Fair enough. my comments don't help the OP and her current problem, but people really should think more about what they plant and how big and/or invasive it will be.

Further practical and actionable advice for the OP there. You are the gift that keeps on giving.

Get them to do it themselves if it bothers them that much. You don’t have to pay

Well in that case, the houses maybe should not have been built so close to the existing trees.

You are liable for everything on your land, and any damage it does.

Thanks for the blessing, but I do get it.

My neighbour planted pyracantha an inch from the preexisting wire mesh fence and deliberately wove it through the fence as it grew.

If it overhangs the neighbour's garden it's the neighbour's problem all the time, upright or not.

So many people on here stating the incorrect legal position.

If you own a tree and its branches overhang someone else's garden, it is not your legal responsibility to have or pay for those branches to be removed. If the neighbour wants to remove them they can cut back to the boundary, but have to offer you the branches. The cost of this is borne by the neighbour, you do not have to pay a penny.

The OP offered free tree trimming to them and they refused.

It doesn't matter what's in the tenancy agreement if the tenant refuses access.

This.
Working together is the least costly method of resolving this dispute. If the previous tenants hadn’t been so arsey the LL wouldn’t find himself in this position now would he?!
He needs to get it written into the tenancy agreement that you’re given access rights to maintain the tree on that side to ensure it is safe, tidy, and aesthetically presentable……surely no one wants to look at a hacked at, untidy, unkempt tree.

This is my whole understanding of it, whatever extends into your property is your problem and no one else’s.

I would suck it up this time.
I would ask the landlord to put into his lease a statement about you bring allowed to access the garden on x or y dates to manage the tree.
I have a plant and grass free garden (not everyone's choice I know!) but still have to get a brown bin every year because of the neighbours trees. It winds me up even tho I know the law.

I have been dealing with the fucking invasive plants and trees of the neighbours for years, it has costed me, at times over £500 to prune back invasive roses that are climbing on to my trees. They take care of their side but dont do anything on my side. My wall is being ruined by ivy they decided to let go wild. They have never offered to pay and the only time 2 branches went on to their side, their son came and had a go at us for throwing branches on to their elderly parents’ garden.

The parents are retired, but not infirm, quite active actually, they are not poor either, they both are lawyers and this is just a holiday home for them. So… I would say that if my neighbours don’t get a shit about the mess their trees and plants do to my wall and garden, you have nothing to worry about (law wise) or work to do.

Let them do the work of cutting it and if they throw it on your side… I’m sure there should be somewhere to report them to.

Your going to have to such this up
many rentals gave it in the contract where the tenant has to maintain the garden

maintaining trees us subjective
my guess is the tenant liked over hanging tree so wanted it leaving
now LL wants it cutting back
personally I’d do it then your in control otherwise you’ll get some random hacking branches off potentially destabilising the tree and even killing it