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

Did they really cut your hedge into the shape of a dick?! Is it just me who thinks it looks like they're trying to do that?! I'd text them and ask them if next time they can trim it into the shape of a swan or something.

OP is the blacked out bit their house? Have they cut it so they can nose over the hedge from their windows? My mate has a neighbour who cuts a dip in the top of his hedge so he can see into her patio doors from his front room. She bought net curtains in the end. Bloody creepy.

Oh so gutted it’s your neighbour! I was gonna ask where about in the uk you are as someone trimmed just a patch of our hedge down about 2 weeks ago!! No neighbour to do it so we are still stumped!

I’ve had the same battle with my neighbour. I actually came home from work early one day to find her stood in my garden (after having scaled a fence with ladders to do so) and trimming my hedge.

It terrified my cat who normally lounges under the protection of the branches and he didn’t return home for a few days afterwards. Plus we had birds nesting in the hedge that she disturbed.

I took photos of her in the garden and told her I’d be calling the police if I ever caught her doing it again. She was very rude but hasn’t touched it since.

Is the bit cut back from the wall, cut so as they can see to get out the drive?

Nb I know that this doesn't make it ok...

My neighbour and her son keep cutting the shrubs in our garden! We have a boundary fence (ours) and then a border of shrubs which almost form a hedge. She is a nosey cow and always out in the garden peering at us as soon as we set foot outside, so have been trying to increase the height of hte hedge from around 4'to 5.5' ish. The number of times I have caught her dopey son using his hedge trimmer by leaning over the boundary into our garden is unbelievable. One time they then threw all the trimmings down the back of the hedge. We didn't notice until one of them started to die, and we realised this mound of rubbish was rotting the base of it. We have even caught her spraying the hedge with weed killer - she just won't take no for an answer.

Why is one part of the hedge left in a penile projection shape? Why was it like before they started on it? I would be furious if anyone did this to our hedges.

Looks like they’ve cut it down so they can see into your garden, if the backed out part is a house.

Blimey OP. I could see the photos right from the start.

I've just seen the pics. Was it someone's bizarre idea of topiary?!

have read of this ........

www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/criminal-damage

not say you definitely can get them charged. But you could quote a few bits to them. if you also have CCTV as evidence well maybe a chat to the police? I know the police are busy, but they might give you some advice or have 'friendly word'

Either way the least you could do is put the fear of shit up them, as that is not a little trim of a bit of over hanging hedge.

@MeltingSugs Oh my, now that I can see the photos, - that must be just about the worst trimmed bush I've seen! Someone definitely needs to improve their Topiary Skills (well, of course for those only authorised, or entitled, to be trimming it)

I also have to say (& it is clearly my dirty mind but.....) I think this also qualifies for my first ever Dick Pic!!!!

I'm so sorry Op, what your not so nice neighbour has done is literally butchered it. What was she, or the person she allowed to wield the hedge cutters, thinking??? Cheeky Mare!

Wow - having seen the photos and read your updates OP, in your shoes I would be going ballistic. Cheeky fuckers. As you have them on CCTV you can advise them you have footage of them committing criminal damage and will be taking it further unless they 1. explain what the hell they thought they were doing and apologise; and 2. promise to never do this or anything like this again.

Who the hell does something like that?

Did they come on to your land to do it? Police - trespass. You have the cctv

Trespass is a civil matter. The police won't be interested. Cutting the OP's hedge without her permission or invitation is criminal damage.

I was going to post and say YABU.. I wish someone would cut my hedge for me but then I saw the damage..

I'd be fuming!! I am trying to improve the shape of my hedge at home which obviously means growing it out. This person has not even given you the chance to explain/discuss your plans before butchering your hedge.. your property. Oooooh my blood would boil.

Shocking!
Also a bit bizarre to only do half. Come back and let us know why op when you do find out..

Can't wait to hear what the CCTV shows!

My neighbour did this once and I was royally fucked off. He cut a massive chunk out of our laurel to allow more light through into his flowerbed

I bollocked him, he never did it again, eventually he moved house and the hedge grew back.

Nice neighbour has just left. CCTV shows them on my land doing it.

Blacked out house belongs to neither of them, I liked the hedge being higher so it couldn't peer over so much though.

Hedge has a couple of random different shrubs in that previous owners planted and their hedge trimmer didn't make it through the tall bit which is why it looks like a penis in the hedge.

I am about to knock on doors and go nuclear.

Good luck OP.

We have a CF neighbour who thinks it's okay to store something on our land which they have a right of access over. Er no. If it's not gone tomorrow, we'll be asking them to shift it.

Nothing like a thread with a bit of live running action included

It looks like a middle finger up to me!
I would see a solicitor...

We have a massive hedge along one bit of our boundary that’s definitely ours but grows like stink and encroaches onto our neighbours driveway. We’ve told him we’re perfectly happy for him to trim it, it makes no difference to us at all. Because our neighbours are nice and normal and can probably be trusted not to cut it down. Your neighbours are batshit.

Thank you @applepineapple I can see those pictures.

It’s diabolical sabotage and I agree about making the boundary even higher.

I’d probably be vindictive and place adverts everywhere for free hedge cutting service using their phone number with the instruction to please call between 6.00am and 7.00am.