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AIBU?

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Original poster

Tree and neighbour

120 replies

glasshalf · 12/05/2019 18:08

Hi
So we moved into our house in the last year , we havnt had a summer here yet so although we knew there was a large tree in the neighbours garden we didn't quite realise the impact it had on our property -
Any how today we have been looking and it blocks the whole sun from our garden and living room in the afternoon . We went to say hello and spoke about it and she is absolutely not wanting it cut back, said she will get a tree preservation order on it HmmI love trees would never kill it but it is having a huge impact on light in our garden and back of our house . I literally don't know where to go with this next as we don't want to upset anyone or take legal routes- any tips?

OP posts:
Seeline · 12/05/2019 20:26

Your DP is a tree surgeon and he didn't realise the tree would block the sun?!

donquixotedelamancha · 12/05/2019 20:32

We went to say hello and spoke about it and she is absolutely not wanting it cut back

I think it's a bit forward to ask someone to cut back their tree on first meeting them (if that is what you mean).

Keep in mind that you are asking them for a favour. I would leave it, perhaps until next year, and try to build up a relationship in the meantime.

When you do cut it, don't go overboard. Our neighbour asked to trim ours on first meeting- his brutal pruning and constant moaning about other trees mean we haven't let him again.

LIZS · 12/05/2019 20:37

And it is now too late to trim trees, due to nesting birds.

Original poster
glasshalf · 12/05/2019 20:42

@Seeline yes he did , I believed the sellers when they said the neighbours were reasonable about it - my bad.
@donquixotedelamancha we actually only went to say hello , she started talking about the back hedge and we just got chatting . @LIZS yes I know hence me introducing ourselves now because we won't cut it until winter if at all.

OP posts:
TheHodgeoftheHedge · 12/05/2019 20:43

Not in England there isn't

Yes there is in the anti social behaviour act of 2003.
I really do hate it when people state things categorically like this, when they actually have no idea what they’re talking about.

LarryGreysonsDoor · 12/05/2019 21:06

I’m afraid I’m of the ‘the tree was there before you were’ school of thought.

Do they know that your DP could do it?

Original poster
glasshalf · 12/05/2019 21:22

@LarryGreysonsDoor yes they do , still not that forthcoming about it and yes I totally get it was there before but her reason for not wanting it cut back was because she doesn't want us seeing into her garden - we are built about 1 metre above and the tree towers the houses so we would be better to compromise with bushes on the fence line - the tree plays no role except totally blocking any sun into my back garden and house .

OP posts:
LIZS · 12/05/2019 21:31

Has she ever seen it from your side? However agree with those who say tree was there before you and you should have considered its potential impact before buying.

DerrenBrownings · 12/05/2019 21:33

I would still do it. I bet if you trimmed the top right down she wouldn't even notice. I hate people like that, it doesn't effect them or cost them anything and makes someone else's life a lot better and they just get lairy and say no! Twats

Original poster
glasshalf · 12/05/2019 21:35

@LIZS I tried to show her , she wasn't really interested just kept saying how last owners lopped it badly without asking- that to me says she should just be glad we discussed it .

OP posts:
Original poster
glasshalf · 12/05/2019 21:36

@DerrenBrownings I will see how irritating it is through the summer and get some advice then take it from there

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 12/05/2019 21:39

I bet if you trimmed the top right down she wouldn't even notice

No, I'm sure no one would notice the tree suddenly being significantly shorter 🙄

You can't just chop at someone's tree - people who do that are twats.

MereDintofPandiculation · 12/05/2019 21:53

I just didn't realise people could be so unreasonable when it came to something that doesn't affect them But it does affect them. The tree will be blocking their view of something, and they may not want that view unblocked. They may like the tree and not want it removed or reduced. So you're asking them to do something they don't want to do in order to benefit you. I don't think it's being unreasonable for them to say "no".

Original poster
glasshalf · 12/05/2019 21:58

@MereDintofPandiculation no it really isn't , their house is an end one backs onto ours and the tree is higher than the houses so it doesn't actually block out anything and tbh if they want to keep the trunk that blocks a small part of our house from them they can it's not that that's causing an issue it's the massive full branches at the top

OP posts:
Dottierichardson · 12/05/2019 22:08

Just bear in mind that it’s a criminal offence to cut/trim/prune/fell trees during nesting season that may contain nesting birds, this usually runs from around late March to end of August, in some areas longer, blackbirds nest several times and can be nesting in Sept/Oct. Although anyone who would want to risk killing birds for the sake of their suntan, with/without the legal situation, is beyond my understanding. Also trees with TPOs can only be trimmed EVER with planning permission equivalent from local authority.

I trim my trees regularly but there is a minimum time between for regrowth and to ensure safe, cutting too much, too soon can make trees dangerous, and I only have them done in the winter between November and February. I would report anyone who tried to trim the overhang during nesting season and I would sue anyone who attempted, as some have suggested, to remove any part that is not an overhanging branch. It's property and it's mine!

Dottierichardson · 12/05/2019 22:12

I don't like hot tubs, trampolines, BBQs, Chimineas and so on but seems that according to some posters that means fine for me to enter a neighbour's garden to take them apart with a chainsaw...

Dottierichardson · 12/05/2019 22:15

Also trees benefit the environment for everyone, which anyone who's not living with their head in the sand understands, we should be planting more of them...not sure what benefit neighbours getting more light for their tans/personal gratification has for anyone beyond themselves.

PotsOfJoy · 12/05/2019 22:16

Yes there is in the anti social behaviour act of 2003.
I really do hate it when people state things categorically like this, when they actually have no idea what they’re talking about

There is nothing in the Antisocial Behavior Act 2003 which means anyone has any legal remedy for an individual tree growing above 2m. I really do hate it when people state things categorically like this, when they actually have no idea what they’re talking about.

Dottierichardson · 12/05/2019 22:29

This is one of many articles that explain why trees are so important environmentally and for combatting floods/climate change, but if that doesn’t bother anyone perhaps this will be of interest to homeowners

People are attracted to live, work and invest in green surroundings. Research shows that average house prices are 5-18% higher when properties are close to mature trees.

www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/the-regents-park/things-to-see-and-do/gardens-and-landscapes/tree-map/why-trees-are-important

OP you sound like a bit of an entitled pain in the arse.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 12/05/2019 22:31

Think yourself lucky it’s a tree, at least you can prune it. We discovered when we moved in that the sun falls perfectly behind the house that’s slightly more up the hill than ours and blocks all our light in the summer from about 6ish onwards. Whenever we looked at the house during the day there was lots of sun and we weren’t there long enough to notice which way the sun passed over. Nice sunny summer evenings haven’t happened in our back garden. I do sympathise.

Bluntness100 · 12/05/2019 22:37

Are you sure she doesn't just like the tree? I have a massive tree in my garden I love and would be reticent to have cut back as it would change it's look.

Eliza9919 · 12/05/2019 22:37

You should just trim it when they are away.

We have a tree next door that blocks the sun from our garden but at the moment the decking gets it all day and the rest of the garden has shade for the dogs so I'm not that bothered. If it was blocking our decking I'd get it cut back.

RaptorWhiskers · 12/05/2019 22:40

Personally I’d be furious if you moved in then tried to tell me I had to cut my own tree down which was probably there before you were even born

steppemum · 12/05/2019 22:44

you know you can prune any part of the tree that overhangs the boundary line on your side?
But there is something about you can't do it if it damages the tree.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 12/05/2019 22:45

Why the fuck did you buy a house knowing there was a tree there and now decided everything revolves around you?

There is a special place in hell for people like you.

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