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What is reasonable? neighbour/tree etc

53 replies

Biscuitsneeded · 07/08/2021 14:00

We have a small evergreen tree at the bottom of our garden in one corner. One side of it has branches that currently overhang the neighbour's garden above a one-storey garden studio. She says that although it's evergreen it drops bits in her guttering, and she would like to get someone to cut it right back on her side, but obviously it's our tree so she needs to ask us first. It's going to look pretty weird shaved on one side and not the other - it really isn't a huge tree so it will look very lopsided. For that reason I asked if maybe whoever cuts it back could do our side too to even it up so it looks better. However, we haven't discussed who pays for this.
The history is that she is a strange woman. She doesn't speak at all to my DP, and didn't speak to me for years and only started when I put a note through her door at the start of the pandemic offering to get anything she needed if she was shielding - I did the same for other elderly neighbours, and she is more like 70 than 90 and in good health as far as I know but I was trying to be neighbourly. On the rare occasion my children have accidentally kicked a ball into her garden she won't throw it back, but nor will she let them come and get it - she says children are super-spreaders so only I can go and get them.
I don't want to fall out with her because unless any of us move (and we don't plan to) we are stuck with each other. What is reasonable to suggest re. the pruning of this tree? Pay half each?

OP posts:
PumpkinKlNG · 07/08/2021 14:02

Yeh I think you would have to pay for your side

DinosaurDiana · 07/08/2021 14:04

As far as I’m aware she doesn’t need your permission to trim it back to your border, but it’s polite to do so.
So she pays for her side and you yours.

Slub · 07/08/2021 14:05

Yep go halves

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YorkieTheRabbit · 07/08/2021 14:06

To be honest I’d just pay for it all doing. If she pays for her side, whoever does it will purely follow her instructions and I wouldn’t want to get involved with agreeing to split the bill then having any arguments over it when it needs paying.

NoParticularPattern · 07/08/2021 14:07

She doesn’t need your permission to get your tree cut back to the boundary so she’s being generous in even mentioning it. I would expect her to pay for the stuff she wants doing and you to pay for the bits you want doing. For the avoidance of a “well the bits overhanging were much less than the bits you’ve had taken off so I’m not paying half as it’s not fair” situation I would get your own person to do your side.

Bluntness100 · 07/08/2021 14:07

She is legally permitted to cut back anything over hanging her garden and doesn’t need to ask your permission. She does need to offer you the cuttings,

It’s cheeky as fuck though to ask her to pay to cut your tree your side. I’m struggling to believe you’d actually think that was ok if that’s what your actually insinuating.

It’s like saying as she’s got a cleaner could they clean your house too and she pays.

YorkieTheRabbit · 07/08/2021 14:08

Also if it’s overhanging into her garden she has the right to get it cut right back to the boundary fence/wall

GrrRightBackAtYou · 07/08/2021 14:13

but obviously it's our tree so she needs to ask us first

She doesn’t need to ask you, she was being polite. You need to pay if you want your side doing, as your tree is causing her bother I think it would be neighbourly for you to pay the whole lot really, but I accept not everyone would agree.

Your neighbour can cut any branches that are overhanging into their garden as long as they only remove the bits on their side of the boundary.
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/problems-where-you-live/if-you-disagree-with-your-neighbour-about-a-tree-or-hedge/

Saucery · 07/08/2021 14:15

She doesn’t sound ‘strange’, just someone who would prefer to keep themselves to themselves. By asking you to fetch stray balls from her garden perhaps she is trying to cut down on the number of times the balls end up in her garden in the first place (inconveniencing the adults in a household might make them more inclined to tell their dc not to kick it so far that it goes next door?).
I’d get the whole tree pruned by someone I’d chosen tbh, so I knew it had been done correctly and looked evenly done. And of course, I’d pay for it.

Biscuitsneeded · 07/08/2021 14:18

No I'm not suggesting she pays for my side! But as she is (as I type) going ahead with cutting back her side it's going to look pretty odd. And it doesn't really need cutting back on our side, except that it may now look odd. Her guy is offering t do our side for £120. That's £120 I really don't have, and DP is away. I just feel a bit bullied into this.

OP posts:
PumpkinKlNG · 07/08/2021 14:20

It does sound like you want her to pay

Saucery · 07/08/2021 14:21

I’d wait a bit, it will look a bit lopsided for now but won’t come to any harm. You’re under no obligation to accept the quote from the man she has employed to cut her side. I can see how it would be annoying, but she does have the right to get it cut.

Biscuitsneeded · 07/08/2021 14:21

And believe me, she is strange! I know all the neighbours and we are a nice community. She doesn't acknowledge anyone and is convinced we are all in cahoots against her (we're not).

OP posts:
Biscuitsneeded · 07/08/2021 14:24

My last 2 sentences ask - what is reasonable? pay half each? So I'm not thinking she should just pay for it all. I'm just feeling a bit bulldozed into paying for something at no notice because she has gone ahead and done her side. I suppose I could just leave our side for now and get our own person another day, but since the guy's here now maybe I should just do it. Does £120 to prune a small tree sound reasonable?

OP posts:
Saucery · 07/08/2021 14:25

@Biscuitsneeded

And believe me, she is strange! I know all the neighbours and we are a nice community. She doesn't acknowledge anyone and is convinced we are all in cahoots against her (we're not).
Ah ok, from the detail in your OP I couldn’t really see how she was strange, just seemed a bit reserved, like some of our neighbours. There’s one woman who we joke about (DH and I) because we cannot for the life of us work out what we have done to piss her off! Grin. She’s a tree-lopping pita too, come to think of it……
Bluntness100 · 07/08/2021 14:26

Yes that’s a good price

Your post is confused, you say you want it done, you say you don’t expect her to pay and then you say you can’t afford it. Which does make it sound like you want her to pay.

Anyways, if you don’t have the money jist leave it. It’s only you who wants it done, she’s not asking you to cut yout side.

Saucery · 07/08/2021 14:27

If I didn’t have £120 and hadn’t planned to have my side of a tree pruned, plus didn’t know ‘her’ tree person through recommendation then I wouldn’t be handing it over either.

Biscuitsneeded · 07/08/2021 14:29

OK if that's a good price that's good to know. Maybe I'll ask the guy to leave his details and come back another day though as I really don't have the money at the moment.

OP posts:
Mischance · 07/08/2021 14:30

I would wait and see how it looks and then decide. I had the same thing done on one boundary because the tree was shedding leaves directly into my gutters. I talked with neighbour about it and she came round and saw what was happening.

Bluntness100 · 07/08/2021 14:31

Yes there’s no need to do it now, she’s not asking you to. Just leave it lopsided.

WhoNeedsaManOfTheWorld · 07/08/2021 14:31

Yabu with this. How she has been in the past isn't relevant to the tree
I have cut my neighbours tree branches that hang over into my garden. All she is obliged to do is offer you the cuttings

campion · 07/08/2021 14:31

Does £120 to prune a small tree sound reasonable?

Definitely not if it's just one side.Are you in Mayfair?!

I'd get some quotes,preferably on recommendation, and for the whole tree. If it's small then it shouldn't be much of a job.

30degreesandmeltinghere · 07/08/2021 14:33

Imo do not agree to anything that costs you... She can get her side cut. You won't see it anyway lopsided or not...

Panickingpavlova · 07/08/2021 14:34

Sorry op but it's not her issue at all about your odd looking tree

It's probably odd to her that she has to manage and worry about your tree over hanging on her land.

It's an intrusion into her property, what it looks like etc is not her problems and less her business.

Will you offer to pay her for the this intrusion of your tree onto her land?

MoonlightWanderer · 07/08/2021 14:35

If it’s a small tree, you could always try yourself. I don’t really understand the bullied comment, as everyone has said she’s entitled to get the tree pruned. It isn’t really anything to do with you.

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