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

I’d do as hellen said especially Re the birds.
If you can afford it send a solicitor’s letter repeating what you said as well. That will no doubt scare the shit out of them.

it wont be a pcso who sees the op - it would be a police officer. neighbourhood teams have police officers in them as well as pcsos.

no need to consult a solicitor - would be extra cost for no benefit

just ring 101 and let a police officer deal - you can tell them what you would be happy with as an outcome and they will strive to get that for you.

id be criming this, then going to see the suspect - getting them in to interview and showing them the cctv.
then can be dealt with in a number of ways - the best outcome for you op is the hedge is made to look decent so id be asking for that .
once police are involved its amazing how cooperative people become.

Good on you op for going to speak to them! 👌🏻

@meltingsugs Ah, fair enough, I understand now why you'd want to just start again - and I'm not disputing that you're totally entitled to be annoyed and upset. I don't really get the extent of the outrage shown (not just by you but the thread in general) personally but I can see I'm the odd one out here! Hope you get it sorted.

anyway - pm me if you need advice. im a pc recently moved from response to neighbourhoods ( im not a pcso - they are civvies and dont have the same police powers as a pc)

Shocking behaviour op! I would definitely be taking this further.

Gardener here!

Absolutely not ok that they've done that. That's soo cheeky. And they've made a wonky old mess of it.

If it's privet it's really hardy and will grow back quickly. I think it could be straightened out fairly easily so that it looks better for now. You'll get the height back soon enough, so I think what they've actually done to the hedge isn't so big a problem.

But the cheek of it! They should certainly be offering to get someone to tidy it up properly for you. I can't imagine what they were thinking.

They could pay for new mature hedging and the planting of it....

££££££

I’d report it to the police especially in the light of them disturbing/ damaging? the birds’ nest!

Poor birds. Utter twats.

I'd be inclined to ring 101 op, youve got cctv proof. And randomer sounds like she doesn't give a shit, has previous, and will probably do it again to someone else given half a chance.

They could both do with being made to realise what they've done is a crime.

Not only have they committed criminal damage, they have admitted killing the baby birds, I'd ask the Police to enforce the law on that.

"Fines
Penalties that can be imposed for criminal offences in respect of a single bird, nest or egg contrary to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an unlimited fine, up to six months imprisonment or both

Read more at www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/wildlife-and-the-law/wildlife-and-countryside-act/#M4LZt2rieXorF2Kw.99"

I'd be inclined to mark the boundry somehow, even if it's a small hard-to-remove fence. Otherwise you may well lose that bit of land when the neighbour sells.

you would need evidence that they have harmed the wildlife - not speculation. so you would need photos of the nesting birds, photos of the dead birds after - that kind of thing.
imo that offence would be hard to prove.

the damage woudnt though. they are on cctv shown doing it.

Tbh if nothing else I’d be reporting it in case someone reports you for disturbing the birds nests.

If she's going to be selling I'd get a clear boundary made so new owners are under no illusion as to what's theirs and what's yours. We had a really good fencer who replaced a fence behind dense, mature shrubs without damaging them. Under the circumstances I'd be telling the neighbour and the hedge hacker that I expect the cost to be split 3 ways.

I'd be far more concerned that the other neighbour has the CCTV trained onto my property, which they are not actually entitled to do, then I would be fast about someone taking the shares to a hedge

• the SHEARS to a hedge.

I’d put the ugliest fence I could find immediately behind it on the boundary. With the worse side facing her.

Apologies as haven't got time to rtft but in this situation we were advised by police that it could be criminal damage (rather than a civil case) - we were advised to report it and to write a letter to the neighbors telling them that we had been advised that it could be taken as criminal damage and we were writing on the advice of the police who would consider action in the future as the neighbours had now had been informed of the legal situation. I doubt the police actually cared very much but it hasn't happened again. Sorry I can't been more comprehensive but wasn't actually involved in the letter writing or dialogue with police.

Ooh you know what - the last thing she needs if she's trying to sell is a neighbour dispute logged...

THAT would make it very tricky as she'd have to disclose it. (I would also make a point of looking slightly deranged whenever potential new owners were being shown around. Maybe plant some scary scarecrows in the space left in the hole. But then that might just be me...)

Log it with 101. It is criminal. The poor birds.

Log with 101. CFs need to be told!

Why on earth would they cut your hedge let alone leave it wonky! They had absolutely no right. Whatever they have ruined their relationship with you. I'm d demand they pay for a professional to tidy it up or you'll be on to your solicitor who on earth do they think they are!!!

Shall we all club together to create a hedge fund 😂

Considering she said she’s looking to sell it definitely use this as an opportunity to sort the boundary so she/new owner doesn’t try to claim your land as they’re own!