To think we should be allowed to pull up our NDN’s stupid tree!!

[QueenofmyPrinces]

I live in a crescent and there are about 5 of us who have gardens that all kind of back on to one another.

In one of these gardens is a huge tree that is a total PITA! It’s at the end of their garden and some of it hangs over in to ours.

All winter our entire decking area and the lawn of our garden are COVERED in dead leaves that fall from the stupid tree that we have to go and rake up every day, and then every summer our entire garden is covered in bloody annoying soggy blossom petals and stuff which makes it looks awful and so messy.

We’ve had to buy one of those leaf blower/hoover type things because it’s the only way we can keep on top of it and we can’t actually play out in our garden with the toddler/baby until we’ve hoovered up all the crap that falls from their tree.

Last summer we looked in to our rights and as a result we hacked off all the branches that overhang our garden but it doesn’t solve anything because the other 90% of the tree still exists and its leaves and soggy blossom bits are still blown all over our decking/lawn every bloody day.

I can’t even explain how pissed off I am by it and every year the problem just gets worse as the tree gets bigger and bigger.

A few of the other surrounding neighbours have voiced their anger too because their gardens suffer that same way ours does and two of the neighbours gardens are practically in the shade all day because the big tree blocks the sunlight out.

AIBU to think that surely there’s something more we can do? Can a house owner be forced to have a massive tree removed if it impacts on everyone else?

You don’t need the LL’s permission legally you are allowed to cut back any branches that overhang your garden as long as you return them to the owner.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. Although I know we have the right to do it, she still said that, and I was just telling you all to explain what her response was and how rude she had been. My husband said he was quite taken aback by how abrupt she had been so hadn’t gotten into an argument with her.

I think we will all just have to lop off the bits that overspill into our gardens which is unfortunate as it won’t leave much tree. I imagine those whose gardens no longer receive the sun will notice a vast difference if so many branches are removed by us all taking it into our own hands.

It’s sad because it will probably look very oddly shaped, as a previous poster said, which is a shame because if the LL had just compromised with us or listened to us then it probably could have been managed much more professionally and more of the tree could have been left.

I would say about 30% of the tree hangs into the garden where it’s planted and the remainder of it primarily overlooks our gardens. As a previous poster has said, it was a pretty selfish place to plant the tree as it’s far away from their own house with little impact on their garden whereas the rest of us have to deal with the issues it causes.

It’s sad because it will probably look very oddly shaped

The ugly side will be the butchered one, so you'd be looking at it.

OP can you show us a google earth image of everyone's gardens?

If the tree was there when you moved in why complain now? Also be aware if the tree is large and of some age it may have a tree protection order on it which stops people cutting bits off without the correct permission.

God, what a pain the LL is. I really do think it would be worthwhile getting a tree surgeon to take a look at it. You and the other neighbours could club together and, tbh, I don't think you'll be able to do any work to the top of the tee yourselves. Those guys are experts and will work hard to make sure they keep the tree healthy and make it look good.

It does look like a cherry to me from the leaf shape & blossom colour.

AFAIK cherries can cope quite well with hard pruning/pollarding; in fact that might even bring more blossom in subsequent years but the issue with shading will be reduced.
What you could do is agree with everyone that you all remove branches that are overhanging gardens, as is your right, then approach the LL and offer to contribute to the cost of getting a tree surgeon to do a proper pollarding job to improve the health, shape and look of the tree?

You have my sympathy. We had a very similar set up until recently when the owner passed away and the remaining neighbours had the tree removed. The gardens are transformed for several of us.

The tree was totally unsuitable for small gardens and so close to houses.

If the tree was there when you moved in why complain now?

They grow ...

The one I'm annoyed with was hiding below 5ft fence level when we moved in. It's now as tall as my house.

As Primal said, trees grow.

This tree would have been hiding behind our fence too.

The best way I can explain the layout is to imagine a circle split into 5 equal segments which represent the 5 gardens: one where the tree is planted and the other 4 are the surrounding gardens.

Starting from the top and going clockwise imagine those segments are numbered 1-5. Segment 2 is where the tree is planted and I’m segment 4.

The centre point of the circle is where the tree is planted, slap bang in the middle of us all.

I'd rather have a garden covered in blossom from a neighbour's tree than shit from a neighbour's cat/s, which is what we currently have.

Sorry, not helpful, just joining you on your vent OP!

I have cat shit issues too Bev - so vent away!!!

Gutted, lol

The risk of death from falling trees in any year is negligible, around 5 a year. This has been steady since people starting writing tree safety policies. The risk is so low that spending money on risk reduction is grossly disproportionate to any benefit accrued. Likewise damage to property, this is also rare. Root damage to foundations for instance has to have a specific set of circumstances to occur, and drain blockages are caused by roots exploiting old, degraded mortar in clay pipe joins rather than causing the damage themselves - the pipe will need repairing regardless of the tree.

Nah, you can't pollard a mature tree unless it has been managed in this way since the nursery.

Could you get the neighbours together, get a quote and offer to pay a quarter each of a professional haircut for the tree? Then if one of the other neighbours calls the LL they could offer to have it done at no expense to LL.
Difficult to know why the LL refuses. Strapped for cash, in love with the tree, or deliberately annoying your other neighbours?
If no joy the light-blocked neighbours will have to complain to the council.

I've only read the first page (mine are set to 100 comments are page though) and everything the OP has posted just screams "I'd rather the world bent to my will than actually have to do any parenting".

• You don't get to just cut down trees because they inconvenience you. They're necessary, and vital. Or did you not know that in addition to flood saving, wildlife housing, shade providing, they're also converting carbon dioxide to oxygen? You know, the stuff YOU breathe?

• Your baby won't be a baby forever. God forbid you should have to actively parent during this difficult time. Heaven forfend you should have to tell your child "no", or remove the offending items from their hands/mouth. Someone alert the church elders, someone who chose to have a child is being expected to actually care for it! God help your child's future teachers in four or so years if you actually think that destroying a tree is less inconvenient than telling your child no.

• Even if I didn't care a whit for trees, and even if I didn't fear for what kind of child your brand of parenting (or lack thereof) is likely to raise, you're not the only person on the planet. Just because you're being inconvenienced doesn't mean you get to make unilateral decisions that affect other people. I call your attention to your assertion that you "informed the tenants we were planninh on doing it, who thrn informed the landlord who gave us his permission". So you didn't ask, you dictated. And it's not actually your tree or property to be dictating anything.

You sound like hard work, and I don't like using that phrase, but you really, really do.