To not want over hanging conifer and associated bird droppings in my garden

[mummytwoshoes]

NDN has very large conifer in their garden, very close to the border with us. There are many branches over hanging in our garden and also the roots have broken through our paving causing quite a mess and making it very uneven. Also birds sit in there all day covering the paving in bird muck, which is not ideal with a toddler playing around. Spoke to them about getting it under control but they don't seem receptive and say bird muck is natural! AIBU to insist that branches and roots are cut back? At our expense of course.

It used to be that you were allowed to remove branches on your side of the fence as long as you returned them to the neighbour. I don't know if the law has changed though. It seems extremely unreasonable not to sort it out if it's damaging paving on your side.

We have a similar issue with a massive conifer very close to the boundary fence - grass dead because of shade and dryness and half the garden covered in needles and pinecones and bird poo.

You can cut it back - you don't need their permission up to the boundary line as long as you offer the cuttings back to them (odd rule, that ). That's what we're planning to do.

It's so frustrating isn't it. It's made a space 4m X 4m basically unusable and unsafe but they're refusing to acknowledge it needs addressing!

If you're in a conservation area you may need consent to deal with a tree.

If not I would cut it back on my side so long as no nesting birds.

Does anyone have experience of dealing with cutting back surface roots that have pushed the paving up?

Roots on your side .... hammer copper nails in them. It'll kill the tree.

Tempting but now we've established 'tree-gate' with the neighbours I can imagine we would be found out! Plus it's about 30ft tall, I don't fancy it dying and falling over