Someone has cut my hedge

[MeltingSugs]

I got home yesterday to find that half of my hedge has been cut

For context, the garden has needed a tremendous amount of work here. I do not proclaim to be a super gardener, but the hedge has improved a lot since we've been here with the right pruning - I am always out in the garden. This year, I have been letting the top of it grow up to even out the height ready for cutting in the autumn. To get home and find (half) of the top of it has been cut right back, and wonky, has made me quite cross.

Neighbour on the opposite side has no idea what's happened, neighbour on the side with the hedge is (so far) ignoring my text.

So as not to drip feed, the hedge is entirely on my land, it is not 'on the boundary' and therefore on my neighbour's land. The half that has been cut actually protrudes into my garden as it grew wonky, meaning my neighbour has some of my front garden. Prizes for guessing how long it's going to stay like that now!

Providing it is the neighbour, how do I be firm but fair in discussing this with them? I want to make it very clear that they are not to do anything on my property ever, but I don't want to fall out. This neighbour has told me that they felt out with the people who lived in our house before us. I think the friendship is definitely dented now though

Well if she wanted to sell she has done herself no favours as she will need to let the new buyers know there was a dispute with the neighbours.

I am glad they are talking to her regarding theft as even when the hedge was cut, taking the clippings can be seen as theft. I think she needs go be taught a lesson to stop from doing anything further.

Any update op?

If you want a cheap solution to mark the boundary then stock fencing works well. It is see through but at least that won’t impinge the growth of the hedge.

Thinking back to my ancient law study knowledge so this is entirely not legal advicd, you could also possibly raise a civil dispute with her and random neighbour for damages as they have trespassed on your land (a tort) and caused you financial loss by damaging your property and in turn the value of your land. You could maybe look at the cost of how much it would cost to install mature privet hedges back to the height it was for the full length and pursue that, and also discuss with your surveyor friend to see how much they estimate your land to have devalued because of your neighbours hacking your poor hedge to death!

Stock fencing is a good call, I had to google it but may we'll opt for something like that, thank you.

No real update. Got my crime reference number. House insurance have replied so I've sent them photos and title registers/plans.

Here are a couple of snippets from her letter to us. The sentence before the first photo was 'I have spoken to my solicitors in branch...'

CAB told me no deeds will ever say who owns the hedge, and it's whoever's side the main trunks are on.

Ooh I could do with some advice actually! She has some of my loft space, and so the 'fire wall' is in the wrong place. Someone has told me that's a health and safety issue. And it's made of MDF or similar which is another issue...how do I go about solving that issue?!

@Raindancer411 I don't think she's that bothered about selling. She's lived there 15 years and I think this is the third time she's tried to sell.

Earlier this year she had serious work done to the party wall and didn't bother to get an agreement done before hand. She's lucky that it didn't cause any problems. Someone had removed a chimney stack from her place and put no support in. She lived there for years knowing and earlier this year did the work to put a support in. Like I say we are lucky it seemed to go OK because she didn't get an agreement. I am worried a dodgy builder did it to be honest.

@PolPotNoodle Thanks, worth thinking about! House insurance haven't told me to jog on which I'm pleased about...

You are all going to want to see what I sent her in the first place now 🤣

You're teasing us now OP!

Oh dear! She sounds difficult.

So she says it’s not your hedge and anyway when you put up your fence you trespassed on her property to do it?

Where is the boundary then? I’m confused!

She's a lunatic! Take her to the cleaners!

Eek! She sounds crackers!

Be careful you don't end up in a boundary dispute. Is the line of the boundary clear? The best way to show its location is with reference to fixed structures on the plan, e g. as a continuation of the party wall between semi detached houses and in relation to something opposite at the road end. Sounds as though she thinks the hedge is jointly owned rather than entirely on your land.

Get copies of the title plans for both houses printed out to prove your point..

Pursue her for theft - you have evidence.

Just on her letter, if you had permission to be on her land you wouldn't be trespassing. If she's had legal advice, I'm a monkey's uncle.

And yes - I want to see what you sent her!

Sounds like she feels that as she's lived there longer than you she can try to frighten you in to backing down. Who cares that she babysat there 30 years ago and the lady living there at the time was called Elaine?!

I wonder if she's going to be ridiculous enough to try and claim adverse possession...

Put up an electric fence🙂

She has some of my loft space

How??

@SoupDragon we live in Victorian cottages. When they were built the lofts ran from one cottage through the rest as one big space. Whilst firewalls have been put up now, I have no access to my side of the chimney stack. We haven't measured it, but someone told me that if one of us had a fire, we are more at risk of it spreading quickly because it can go up the other side if it's not in line with the party wall? And regardless it's made from cheap MDF or something anyway! Will have to get DH to go and look again.

@RandomMess I wonder that too! The law changed in 2002 or 2003 and it's very hard to successfully claim adverse possession of registered land now I think. I hope

How many photos can I do per day? Not sure whether to post more of her letter or mine haha

Have just re read the last couple of pages of hers. I am a bit worried about her I feel as though she has probably gotten herself in a bit of a state over this, but equally, I don't feel like we can just back down over it. I am guilty of sacrificing myself for others without realising it and I try hard not to fret about other people too much but it is tough. I remember asking DH why he loved me once and he came out with 'you're just so nice. You're really, really nice' 🙄

There was a really informative thread on here once about adverse possession. If I remember rightly it needs her to have occupied the land as if she owned it for something like 10 or 12 years, with no objection from you and - I think this will be the important bit for you - with no one else acting like they owned it.

So if you've ever gone round the other side of your hedge, on your land, she's snookered.

Urgh she's started playing incredibly loud music with her stereo up against the party wall. What. A. Surprise...

Oh dear. Not really sure what you do now... Do you know if the police have spoken to her already or is this in response to your note?