Neighbour dispute, they haven't even moved in yet..

[FrameyMcFrame]

We have new neighbours, they haven't moved in yet as they've been gutting the whole house and building a massive extension.

The water board have now contacted us saying there's a collapsed sewer pipe and they need to dig 1.5 meters deep in our garden to fix it.
The strange thing is that we have absolutely no problem with our service and the previous owners of next door did not have problems.

I'm guessing that the building works have damaged it.
I'd be happy to oblige but the hole is 3 meters long and begins at the base of the trunk of a mature cherry tree. I can't imagine the tree will survive having its roots cut through? But maybe I'm wrong.

IABU to just say no you can't do it? I don't understand why they need to dig up my garden when it's their pipes that have the problem.


I just want them to leave us alone now.

That was rubbish

Keep the tree

I will Melroses

Blackbirds nest in there every year and that's a good enough reason to keep it.

I think it's unlikely the cherry tree causing the problem as they have roots very close to the surface. You often have to poke them down as they protrude out of the lawn. They roots tend to splat out and treacle quite a distance so the company would need to be very careful not to damage them. Ime you need to dig carefully at the beginning, move the roots out of the way, and then rebuttal them near the surface when you are done. Not sure whether they will be that careful or how many roots the tree can load before it can't cope and dies. As others have said if this happens they will need to pay for a new tree and j would want as mature a replacement as possible.

Thanks minimum, YES there are roots right at the surface that protrude through the grass.

I can't believe how deep the hole is they've dug, sure there aren't any cherry roots that low.

Definitely keep the tree. They bought the house knowing next door had a tree and if they don't like it they can lump it. You are already been more than accommodating.