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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour cutting my tree then throwing cuttings on my garden

77 replies

twinsufficient · 24/07/2012 22:38

Caught my neighbour cutting our tree (only the parts that were overhanging her garden) but then she threw all the cuttings onto our garden. To me if I was in her position I would've cut what I needed but have got rid of the mess myself. I know it's our tree so I suppose it's our property but she could've asked if that was ok to dump the cuttings or just use her own garden waste bags.AIBU?

OP posts:
Jjacobb · 18/07/2017 16:14

She is actually breaking the law. We have just had this exact scenario. Neighbors cut our tree but they went crazy and literally hacked half the tree down. It was done out of spite because of a dispute we are having.
They didn't tell us and threw all the limbs and branches back into our garden causing a lot of damage in the process.
DH contacted the council who informed us that the neighbors had a right to trim overhanging branches. Which we knew and have no problem with They must then OFFER said branches back to the owner.
If the owner declines the offer of taking the branches back the person who cuts them is responsible for disposal.
Just throwing them over a fence is trespass and fly tipping of garden waste and can lead to prosecution.
Because our neighbors acted out of spite DH popped a polite letter and copy of the e mail through their letterbox and gave it all back to them.

Iikkiilloo · 18/07/2017 16:38

ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD
ZOMBIE THREAD

Autofillcontact · 18/07/2017 16:41

"25/07/2012 00:30 Collaborate

"it's a tad rude to give no warning, and she should have told you just to let you know it was bothering her so that you then had the opportunity to say you'd do it for her to save her the hassle."

Really? And what permission or notice do garden owners ask of their neighbours before they allow a tree to grow over their garden (speaking as the owner of a 60 foot eucalyptus that now grows more over the garden at the back than ours - sorry neighbour)?"

The tree is nature though! Why would you have to warn anyone it was growing? It's free to grow as it pleases

I HEART TREES

Iikkiilloo · 18/07/2017 16:51

Autofillcontact

😂 You are ticking off a poster for a post they wrote 5 YEARS ago. You loon 😁

Autofillcontact · 18/07/2017 20:33

That's ok. I don't get my knickers in a twist about

ZOMBIE THREADS like the drama llamas. I'll still have my say Grin

grannytomine · 18/07/2017 20:44

My neighbour has trees all along our border. We are getting on and husband is disabled so I pay someone to cut it all back on our side every year, then I pay for him to take it all away which isn't cheap as he has to pay at tip as he is a business. So her bloody trees cost me about £500 a year. I think it is really rude to decide to have something in your garden that is going to cause neighbours bother and expense.

So look after your own tree.

Eurolord · 18/07/2017 23:27

Why do you need to cut back the trees every year? Sounds like a little too much excessive behaviour to me.

BadLad · 18/07/2017 23:41

Legally she's right. MN'ally she's being passive aggressive

Chortle

Eurolord · 23/07/2017 13:40

Badlad,

Legally, she is not right.

Sparklingbrook · 23/07/2017 14:05

This thread will celebrate it's 5th birthday tomorrow. Grin

AnnoyedPianoMum · 23/07/2017 14:11

I'd like some neighbourly courtesy and for them to get their trees trimmed properly. Not for them to do their side so it looks nice and my having to pay to get the overhanging bits done.

I might start returning all their branches!

PiratePanda · 23/07/2017 14:16

That is precisely what she's supposed to do by law, and if she backs onto you as well why on earth should she trek all the way around the houses to return the cuttings to your front door?

YABU, but am assuming you now know that.

PiratePanda · 23/07/2017 14:17

Oh crap. ZOMBIE ZOMBIE ZOMBIE (where are the zombie alerts gone?)

daisychain01 · 23/07/2017 14:17

The tree in question has by now probably died of horse chestnut canker or ash die-back and the family has moved away due to retirement.

Eurolord · 23/07/2017 14:40

What is very clear from the comments is that few people have a really knowledge of the facts on what to do.

Throwing the cuttings over without the landowners permission is illegal.

In a couple of months and after he has received a heft fine you will be able to ask my neighbour about the correct way to do things.

BettinaBobbet · 05/08/2018 14:16

twinsufficient, I am just hoping six years on you have learnt to be responsible for maintaining your garden and have developed empathy for your neighbours. Yes it is your tree and its it is your responsibility!

Returnofthesmileybar · 05/08/2018 14:37

Of all the threads you could resurrect to lecture the op on BettinaBobbet could not have picked something better than trimmed bush Confused

Puddlejumps · 05/08/2018 21:56

All these people saying ‘it’s the law’ are incorrect, yes she can cut the overhanging branches, but she has to ask you if you want them back if you say no she has to dispose of them or it is classed as flytipping. Check the rules!.

9amTrain · 05/08/2018 22:24

@BettinaBobbet why on earth have you posted in such an old thread to contribute literally nothing?

Sweetcarrielynne · 05/08/2018 22:27

Even if she does have to return the cuttings she could have done it in a less rude way!

Sweetcarrielynne · 05/08/2018 22:29

Omg @BettinaBobbet your comment is the most passive aggressive playing of the long game ever 😂

topcee · 24/09/2018 16:15

In same position. Just been out into garden to find that overhanging branch of plum tree has been lopped and chucked back. Annoying! if I had been told it wouldnt have been a problem but as it is its really annoyed me. Was very tempted to knock the hanging baskets they have hung over the fence we paid for back into their garden- after all they are on our property so I would be entitled.It's easy to see how something like this could cause war. As it is the law and they are in their rights I am going to let it go- but if as much as a tendril pokes its head over that fence - well who knows the satisfaction I may get throwing it back!

charlestonchaplin · 24/09/2018 16:39

It isn't the law topcee. They should have asked you whether you wanted the branch, not just chuck it in your garden. If you don't want it, it is their responsibility to dispose of. I would get rid of it this time but tell them what the law is so they (hopefully) don't do it again. It is true that they don't need your permission to cut it back though. And yes, I know it is an old thread. I wanted to comment on it regardless of that.

FrustratedBeyond · 24/09/2018 17:50

Slightly different but my fence blew down in that awful wind and before I could put up a new fence (2 weeks ish?) the neighbour's labrador kept shitting in my garden - even when the neighbours knew the dog was in there!! I bagged up all his poop and put the bag over their side of the fence... Never saw the dog come through again!

Janice54 · 12/09/2019 12:43

My neighbour paid someone £200 to “prune” our tree that hung into allley between us, he left the cuttings by our gate. I moved the cuttings back to her side of the alley. Haven’t had any nonsense since.Ha ha!