Next door's bloody tree

[Notmycircusnotmyotter]

What can I do about the tree next door that blocks the sun in my garden for most of the day? I wouldn't expect it to be chopped down but it needs properly paring back. I spoke with my neighbour and she says it's expensive so if I want it done I have to pay.

what's reasonable? Are there precedents?

thanks

We were in this situation, neighbours tree had grown massively, literally 2/3 across our garden, blocking the sun from our patio. Birds poo everywhere. Grass wouldnt grow. It really was a pain. Spoke to neighbours, they wanted the tree removed as it was giving them problems too. We agreed to pay half the cost, as they couldn’t afford the full amount. It was money well spent, especially as the tree surgeon, found the tree to be diseased, our garden has improved no end since the tree was felled. Speak to neighbours and see what can be done OP. We are lucky to have lovely neighbours, who are reasonable but it was always a concern that if they moved a new neighbour might not be as understanding. Unless you have been in the situation it really horrible to have a garden without sun.

OP I've read your posts but not all the responses to you. So here goes .
What sort of tree is it?
How big is it?
Is it up against your fence /boundary or is it set back so that it just makes your garden shady?
You can't trim hedges or trees during the nesting season so you will have to wait. Also if there is a TPO you can't just go chopping at it anyway.
If there are branches over your garden you can trim those, but you need to offer them back to the neighbour, and you can't trim them beyond your boundary.

But why should she? I deliberately bought a house with a sunny south facing garden as I love sunshine. In the 6 years I have lived here, my neighbours have changed and the tree right on my boundary has shot up. Due to the aspect most of the branches overhang my garden rather than theirs and my patio is now in shade rather than sun. Luckily they are reasonable people and have agreed to get the tree reduced. I offered to contribute to the cost. When I moved in, the tree was half the size.

Why though? You’re being deliberately obstructive and inconsiderate.

There is no legal right to sunlight in your garden. If you’d been there years and your neighbour then planted a tree which grew to such an extent that it blocked light into your property through your windows - NOT your garden - then you may have a case - but wanting your neighbour to pay because you don’t get your required amount of sunlight is nonsense. Why on earth should they? As other have said - you bought the house with the tree in situ - you should’ve thought about it before. If I were your neighbour -I’d tell you to sod off, quite frankly. Your attitude is unreasonable and entitled. If you feel that strongly about it - put your hand in your pocket and pay for it yourself, or suck it up.

It's not necessarily fair that you pay, but if you want it done then it's probably the only way to get it done. She has no legal obligation to do it.

The neighbour should be responsible and go 50/50. She has an unsuitable and over large tree.

The law says she doesn't have to.

The neighbour is being incredibly reasonable. It would be nice to know what type of tree it is. Crown reduction work is specialist work. I have seen so many cowboy surgeons that have butchered trees. Trees want to do what they naturally do. If you hack the top off, they will be back at the same height in a short period of time but look worse and become more unstable. Some crown reductions will need future work.

For terraced housing, trees at the end of the garden can provide privacy from being overlooked. I sympathise that a large tree can cast shade. I have a neighbour with a towering sycamore that is now nearly spanning the entire width of my garden. Luckily I am on the sunny side of that tree. It's slowly squeezing out the planting in my garden, competing against my own plants and trees. It's a nuisance for me. It was however there before I moved in, and does provide a home for an abundance of wildlife. If I could actually get high enough to cut overhanging limbs, I still wouldn't bother because the proportions of the tree would be totally screwed and the tree would be deformed without careful limb work. The neighbour with that tree turned around to me and complained that I had too many trees. I removed three of them to let in light into her garden. I was then met with: but now I have less privacy. I have never asked her to remove her tree. Basically there is no pleasing some people.

Due to the nature of terraced housing and thin gardens I do think people should be mindful of others and be a little careful with planting. Some large trees that I cut back drastically (field maples), were back at the same height three years later. Trees want to be at their natural height, and for some specimens that's huge. I have moved to a pollard and coppice system for some of my trees, as it's more manageable for me. High canopy trees can sometimes let through light lower down, and today when feeling sunburn on my bonce from the day before appreciate shade when the sun actually shines brightly. So there's plenty to consider and lots of nuance. I did remark that I would need to remove one of my trees and was told by another neighbour that would be a shame as they liked it.

However both my current neighbours have hacked limbs off my own trees, not even cleanly and responsibly. And both sides have complete wastelands, that look terrible from my perspective. They only pull up plants, never plant, care or nurture. But that's my problem.

I do think you are being unreasonable, but you can but express your concerns, and the neighbour sounds very amenable by suggesting that they would be happy with works done even though that would be at your expense.

I have an Aunt that moved next to a park. And complains bitterly about the trees that line the park! Moaning that the council need to take them down. It's utterly ridiculous. I noticed one neighbour paid to get some thinned out even, I assume with council approval, and they have made a complete mess of them.

Friends went halves with their neighbours on thinning some trees, both woodland gardens but these were self seeded ash with ash die back that could have come down and damaged friends garage and house.

I was very upset when a neighbour had a tree in the back lane of terraced houses taken out to get more light….beautiful old hawthorn.

What kind of tree is it? If it’s grown so much in 3 years might it be a leylandii? They grow so fast and if not kept under control can be dangerous. Does it drop leaves in winter? Can you post a picture. We bought a house with an out of control leylandii hedge bordering our neighbours garden It was on the north side of our garden so didn’t impact much until we had a storm and one of them ( 40ft tall) fell into our garden narrowly missing the house. We suggested to the owner he might want to address this. It was obvious that at some point in the dim and distant past it had been cut back but not recently. Our neighbour had them all cut back to about 8 ft which has killed most of them so we’ve now put up a fence to hide the bare trunks. On the plus side we’re not worried every time it’s windy and it’s brighter in our garden.
just to add we had two of these in our garden both of which were blown down in separate storms.

It isn’t causing structural damage, it’s sunlight, which you have no legal right to, in your garden.

It sounds harsh, especially as sunlight is incredibly important to us, in a garden, but it isn’t dangerous or causing your property damage.

We recently moved and we turned away from two houses because of trees that would block our light.

I am sorry. I know it’s not what you want to hear but, as many people have said, you are being unreasonable. She has offered you access to the tree. Do it quickly, before she changes her mind (but after October).

You don't have to wait until after October - you just need to have a survey carried out to ensure there are no active nests. If she's offering you access now then go for it.

I have quite a few trees in my garden none affects my neighbours, however one neighbour complains every single autumn about the leaves from my trees blowing about, I have no control which way the wind blows, it drives me mad every single bloody year....sorry just wanted to get that off my chest...

that sounds like my experiences, we had trees opposite our rental growing up which were brutally cut for literally no reason 🥺 and many other experiences including recent ND’s constant fussing about hedge/trees when she barely used her garden anyway. I’ve always appreciated trees and love them around me as much as possible 🫂

conflict with neighbours is very upsetting. Any laws/rules are expensive for you to enforce if neighbours aren’t complying ( solicitor fees) and the mental strain of conflict is damaging to your mental health. . The best thing is to not get in conflict. I have been in your situation and paid to have the tree pruned. Neighbour would only allow me to have one of the two trees that are bothering me worked on.

your neighbour can say no so best to take what is offered.

It's interesting that the law would insist that you trimmed a hedge that was too high, that you did not erect a fence that was too high but it's silent about trees. My neighbour (terraced house too) has planted large trees in her front garden - they block my light, I do hack them down to the line between our properties with an extended lopper thing - the shape doesn't look so nice for them but if they don't want to keep their trees trimmed that's what happens when you allow you plants to over grow - it's antisocial, imo.

I have a number of large trees in my garden. They are beautiful and I love them but part of having trees is having some responsibility for looking after them. Every few years I get a tree surgeon in and make sure the trees are reduced where necessary. I won’t hesitate to cut down a tree if it’s got too big or if it’s in the wrong place. I speak to my neighbours and ask if the trees are okay. One of my trees really overhangs a neighbours garden but she likes it so we’ve left it be. I think it’s a dick move to Not care about leaves from your tree inconveniencing neighbours. It’s obviously got to be a bit in give and take but generally why should someone’s desire to have a tree take precedence over someone’s desire to have a leaf free garden. Anyone that plants a tree right on the border of their garden is stupid and selfish. They know the trees going to grow and overhang and neighbours garden. When I’ve chosen trees for my garden, I’ve looked at the mature height and width and planted it accordingly.

I find it ridiculous when some mum‘s letters have kittens over the suggestion that someone cuts a tree down like they’re sacred and irreplaceable. I’ve cut down loads of the exsisting unsuitable trees in my garden and I’ve replanted them.

I’ve planted quite a few trees in my garden (we all have good size gardens) but I have made sure that when they grow bigger the shade falls in my gardens direction. I have a hot west facing garden so the shade will be welcome and there will be plenty of sunny spots too.

I’m not sure what you can do in this situation except look into planting up your garden pretty woodland flowers and plants rather than sunny bed plants.

I would pay, because I’d want to be sure it got done. But I cannot understand why people have tree’s in their garden if they’re unwilling to maintain them. It’s basic common courtesy. We have a huge hedge, and two trees, and every year have them professionally maintained. We send the tree surgeons into the neighbours garden (with permission) and don’t ask for a penny. I wouldn’t dream of asking them to contribute, it’s not their problem.

If your children were bothering your neighbours - it would depend upon what exactly they were doing and to what degree. It is accepted that kids playing in a garden would make noise - that is what kids do.

If your kids weren’t louder than normal kids- then the neighbour would be expected by most to suck it up. If it was generally accepted that the kids were louder than or more annoying than the norm - then you would be expected to intervene.

As far as trees are concerned - they grow (some out, some up, some both). That’s pretty much all they do and it is the norm for trees. The tree isn’t doing anything outside the norm. It is not her responsibility.

WTF!

Morning.

An update: I text my (lovely) neighbour last night asking if we could talk about the tree. She replied saying it's a bloody nightmare for her too and she had it pruned a few years ago but it shot back. She's happy to have a major prune and/or potentially take it down (she alluded to some issues with her garden as a result of tree, I'm not sure what) and will get quotes. I've offered to pay half.

i'll ask AI what type of tree it is when I get home.

“Doesn’t have to “ give a damn about the neighbours and the damage you cause is hardly a recipe for a sensible life. In fact it’s a bit low life.

Maybe you want the birds in the tree to stop tweeting also?