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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell my neighbours to FTFO

51 replies

Smarterthantheaveragebeaver · 22/03/2015 09:12

We have lived in our house around 15 years. There are some large, mature oak trees at the bottom of the garden, about 100 yards from houses. No issues with them blocking light, etc, theyre too far away. No view of rolling lanscapes obscured, either.

New neighbours moved in about 2 years ago. The husband has asked, on about four occasions, when (not if) we are going to have them taken down, saying that branches have fallen into their garden (they havent) and they are worried in case anything lands on their child (unlikely given size of garden).

WIBU to point out that these trees had been in situ for about 80 years before they moved in, they would have noticed them when they came to view the house, and that if they didnt like them they should have bought another house?

Normal people dont expect their neighbours to have a load of unnecessary work done, at great expense, for their benefit, do they?

AIU think it is completely wrong for him to insist that we spend thousands of pounds (that we dont have) solely for their benefit? We've no problem with them chopping off the bits that overhang their garden, but suspect they wont do a proper job.

None of our other neighbours mind these trees. In fact, they all say they quite like them as they obscure the view of a not very nice looking building behind.

OP posts:
NoraRobertsismyguiltypleasure · 22/03/2015 17:10


Well that escalated quickly!
:)

MabelSideswipe · 22/03/2015 17:20

We live backing onto a park and right near our fencw is a dense wooded area. A few years ago on a non-windy day a huge branch from a massive tree in the park fell into our garden damaging our fence and missing our playhouse by a few inches. One of our near neighbours ran round in a panic to see if all my kids were still alive. Luckily is was a school day at breakfast time do we were all in. Anyway the council came and removed the branch and fixed the fence but didn't chop down the tree. So there is no way your council will advocate the chopping down of your trees in antipation of a event that might never happen!

Yoosurnaym · 22/03/2015 17:20

YY to tpo
YY to photos

If his asks again you might want to put something in writing to him. Make it polite, mention the TPO and make it very clear that you are not intending to do anything about the trees. Keep a copy.

You might want to get a tree surgeon to look at the trees. A lot of healthy matures trees can benefit from a 'health check'. Get him to put his findings in writing. I wouldn't normally be so cautious but your neighbour sounds awful.

LIZS · 22/03/2015 17:23

No , normal neighbours don't insist on that. However we have been placed under pressure to prune/remove our sycamores which we do every 3 years or so anyway. Not that the next door but one neighbours have done the same with their 30' plus horse chestnut during the time we have lived here, a branch from which recently appeared in our garden. Tell your neighbour you can't do anything until late summer earliest due to nesting birds but then will look into pruning it. In the meantime speak to the trees officer at the council re. TPO.

Leeds2 · 22/03/2015 17:26

Would certainly serif the trees are already subject to a TPO and, if not, get one. Then give your neighbour a copy, and tell him you would be breaking the law if you cut them down.

Also, as others have said, take lots of photos of the trees (at different times of year).

Charlotte3333 · 22/03/2015 17:31

What happened to liking your neighbours and accepting that trees overhang your lawn? Our neighbours at the back are marvellous, our children play together, they come for takeaways and parties and wine and general catch ups, if there's anything going on in the garden the DH's go out there fifty times to talk about it then hold a day-long-carnival of pruning and lopping together whilst the DW and I laugh at their silliness.

He sounds bonkers, and the sort that if you bend to his will now, will be making demands of you constantly. If he is so incredibly worried by the trees let him look into dealing with it through the council; I'm certain they won't give him the time of day. Stupid man.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 22/03/2015 17:52

TSSDNCOP

interesting about the sycamores.
They do seems quite close to be so big ( I see they've grown double the height that they were)

What happens if a branch does break and property gets damaged though. If you've asked them to reduce the trees and they've refused then they are ignoring known risk.

My NDN has a willow, it was huge. A couple of years back a massive branch just missed me (we'd had storms, I hadn't noticed how bad it was damaged. One branch was hanging. We went to move the guinea-pigs and as I walked up the garden I heard a swoosh which was the branch falling)

We have a large ash tree that I'm looking at pollarding/removing depending on how bad it is, because it overhangs my garage and NDN garage.If/when we get storms, it'll lose branches for sure.

If you aren't allowed to lop the tree yourself (I thought the law allowed this but maybe not if there's a TPO in place) then your neighbour surely should.

Lack of light, nothing you can do , but the leaves that cover your garden would pose a safety risk if they're slippy?

I used to chop the willow branches (they reached over my fence to the ground, covered half the width of my garden) but I would have to dispose of them myself (and we pay ££ for garden bags) Had to make sure I pushed the branches into the NDN garden first before I cut them .

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 22/03/2015 17:54

Sounds a bit of a knob. Tell him to do one.

Pico2 · 22/03/2015 18:03

I wouldn't rush to get a TPO as restrictions on property can be off putting to purchasers. It's not as if you need a TPO to stop yourself from cutting them down.

Perhaps your neighbour could recommend a source of plastic trees to go with his plastic garden.

Christelle2207 · 22/03/2015 18:37

Idiot. He should have sorted any concerns with trees before he bought the house. If you have the option of a
TPO though be sure it doesn't impact negatively on your house or garden(doesn't sound like it does). Point being we had an issue with a massive oak tree in the garden of a house we viewed- looked lovely but was sufficiently huge that it made the rest of the garden un-gardenable as it clearly soaked an enormous amount of moisture. It had a TPO so we didn't buy the house.

Yoosurnaym · 22/03/2015 18:39

70isanumbernotalimit. You have my sympathies re your neighbours willow. They are beautiful trees but not suited to most gardens.

If the OPs trees are right at the end of her garden then I don't think having a TPO on them would deter future purchasers (unless she lives in sandbanks Wink )

Notrevealingmyidentity · 22/03/2015 18:47

An oak that size/age is wonderful for biodiversity.

Tell him to do one. the put bats in the loft. That'll teach him

Notrevealingmyidentity · 22/03/2015 18:50

His loft. His loft.

Nanny0gg · 22/03/2015 19:39

If a tree in your garden has a TPO you are completely responsible for its condition.

So it can be expensive in terms of getting the council round every so many years to look it over and see what needs doing/approve what you want to do and then getting an approved tree surgeon out to carry out the work.

TRexingInAsda · 22/03/2015 20:39

YANBU, mature oaks are beautiful and ecologically important - and in any case, they're yours and you want them - tell him to FTFO.

I would contact the Council and get a TPO put on them due to the potential threat from the neighbour. You would then not be allowed to chop down the tree or damage it in any way without first making an application to the council (unless it was an emergency - the tree was dead, dying or dangerous) - but that also means the neighbours wouldn't be able to butcher it while trying to cut overhanging branches etc. If you wanted to lop some branches off for maintenance, you have to apply to the council - but the application is free, so a TPO won't cost you any extra, it just gives a bit of protection.

seventiesgirl · 22/03/2015 20:55

Nanny, any tree in your garden is your responsibility not just one with a TPO on it.

feebeecat · 22/03/2015 21:09

One of our neighbours has a huuuuuge oak tree in his garden, by about 4pm the sun disappears behind it, even though it's a fair way off (gardens at funny angle). From the moment we moved in here my dad was on to me to get him to chop it down. Even if the whole thing fell I doubt it would reach our house. Owner did have a lot lopped off it a few years back, but 'not enough' apparently. Man on ropes up tree was taking down branches x2 length of himself. I love that tree.
When I was growing up there were a couple of trees near our house dad swore were a danger & needed to come down. They've out lasted him. Some people just seem to have an irrational urge to chop things down. If it's not dangerous, leave it be.

whoopsbunny · 22/03/2015 22:11

I think there are 'tree haters' secretly going about in normal society.

Where I used to live, a new vicar moved into the vicarage. There was an adorable and tiny cherry tree in the front garden - must have been a good 20ft from the front of the house. He said 'ooh, that tree'll have to go - it'll interfere with the foundations' It was tiny - smaller than my 5'6''.

Sure enough, he chopped it down Sad

maddening · 22/03/2015 22:23

I reckon he wants to build an extension but the allowance you have to make for roots gets in his way.

Phephenson · 22/03/2015 22:25

nunkspugget pahahaha, thanks for the laugh.
Op, hope you get a TPO

JoffreyBaratheon · 22/03/2015 22:54

I'd plant a few more too for good measure. They take ages to grow.

Prats that moved in next door to us 18 mths ago hacked away (not at the time of year you're meant to prune, either) and without my permission at all the branches in my front garden overhanging their garden. They are not gardeners they just have a mud track they do 3 point turns in. The woman had clearly been told the law by someone, as she then asked me if I wanted the prunings (It took them days and the pile of prunings 6 foot high). Knowing they have no wood burning fires, I said no. A year later they still have half their front garden taken up by the prunings mountain. Tragic.

None of these trees are massive - just budleas and elders planted within the last ten years. The whole time they were pruning I overheard the man shrieking "These effing things"/"This effing shit". I have just planted a hedge of mixed native trees - beeches, sloes, dog roses, etc all down the back garden on the side I share with them. They must be livid. Think I'll plant a few more out front.

MrsBoreanaz · 22/03/2015 23:03

There are trees with TPO's just the other side of our back fence.

The council has advised us that we are allowed to chop back any branches or roots that come over our boundary.

Not sure if TPOs work differently in different councils, but it may not stop your neighbour hacking off the bits on his side. ..

Just a question to ask if you do go down this route.

Oh... And YANBU.

blankgaze · 22/03/2015 23:12

Get a TPO urgently, let ndn's know the trees have a TPO and that the penalties are severe and your council is actively looking to prosecute anyone who contravenes it.

TRexingInAsda · 23/03/2015 18:26

TPOs work the same regardless of the Council - it's controlled by legislation UK-wide. The neighbours (or anyone else) can be prosecuted for damaging the tree, so it will stop them chopping overhanging bits off (unless they make an application and are granted permission to do it - in which case they'll have to do it properly and not butcher it). Good luck OP.

Nanny0gg · 23/03/2015 18:53

Nanny, any tree in your garden is your responsibility not just one with a TPO on it.

True. It's just that some think because the council has stuck an order on it, they are responsible for work that needs doing. I wish!!