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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour keeps cutting my hedge

56 replies

Daisyzxcv · 28/09/2019 12:55

I moved in over a year ago, and the neighbour to the back of my garden keeps cutting my laurel hedge. Now he's not even had the decency to come round and let me know he's going to make a huge mess of leaves and cuttings in my garden, he just happily starts cutting it. I've got a young baby so I've had an hour's sleep last night and wasn't sure if I was being unreasonable in being a bit peeved. It might be useful to add that this is NOT a boundary hedge - it's actually our property. I don't mind him cutting any overhanging branches on his side but the fact is, he was standing on ladders, reaching over at least 3-4 ft onto my side and cutting or should I say, hacking at my hedge so that our side looked a mess. Luckily my other DC wasn't out at the time because he was happily throwing the hedge trimmer over to get a better reach. God forbid that he threw it too far and it caused injury!
I don't know what to do, I hate confrontation... And I'm worried about it being cut back too far because I've heard a very loud, big dog round there sometimes and I worry for the safety of my children if it gets through the hedge.

Any advice is very much appreciated

Signed off - a very tired, stressed out mumma.

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 28/09/2019 13:57

Laurel is a right bugger op, you need to keep on top of it, it grows so fast.

Are you sure you don't want him trimming it for you? He may be thinking he's doing you a favour.

TheAlternativeTentacle · 28/09/2019 14:33

I'd put solar lights around the branches as that would fuck up his stupid hedge trimmer. Wanker.

Coffeeandchocolate9 · 28/09/2019 14:40

don't know what to do, I hate confrontation...

Tilt your head forwards so your chin is tucked in, as if you are trying to give yourself a double chin.

Look down. Those are your lady balls. Note that however small they are, they're bigger than a man's balls Wink

You could spend the rest of your life being walked all over by people who have no right to. Or you can take a deep breath in and learn some basic assertiveness.

You've got this xxx

BlackCatSleeping · 28/09/2019 14:43

The solar lights are a nice idea.

81Byerley · 28/09/2019 14:49

Could you say "Do you have a problem with the height of my hedge? I notice you've been cutting it." And have a conversation from there.

CallMeRachel · 28/09/2019 15:01

Could you say "Do you have a problem with the height of my hedge? I notice you've been cutting it." And have a conversation from there.

Then what? He says "Yes it's blocking the light which I'm not entitled to claim from my garden so I would like it kept short".

Ummm no, it's her hedge and she wants it for privacy screening. As it's in her garden her rights trump his. He has no right to cut it and has no say in what she does with it.

DriftingLeaves · 28/09/2019 15:22

Councils will act if it's over 6 ft and causing a problem for neighbours.

SavingSpaces2019 · 28/09/2019 16:11

he can see over easier now from his windows upstairs. It does make me feel quite uncomfortable
He wouldn't be the first pervert who bullied people so he can get his perverse kicks.

It might be useful to add that this is NOT a boundary hedge - it's actually our property.....he was standing on ladders, reaching over at least 3-4 ft onto my side
You need to stand up for yourself - and your dc who he's probably perving on too.

WarshipWarrior · 28/09/2019 16:22

I'd get it removed and put a big tall fuck off fence there instead and tell him he is not allowed to paint it etc.

WarshipWarrior · 28/09/2019 16:24

Bit harsh to say he is a pervert but maybe if he is being a twat you could go down that route if not to just embarrass him to stop I.e "I see you cut the hedge so you can see over the hedge better from your windows- is that to look at me or my children?"

Thisismyusernamefornow · 28/09/2019 16:29

Maybe it's an agreement he had with the previous tenants m/owners and is carrying it on. Just tell him you don't need his help any more. Thank you.

QualCheckBot · 28/09/2019 16:32

tbh I'd be quite pleased and I would suspect he's not doing it to annoy you. Hedges should be cut at least once per year in order to stop them growing wider and out of control instead of upwards. He's cutting it at the correct time of year and its hard to cut a hedge without causing some outfall over the other side.

Presumably one side is his and its impossibly high to reach the top without ladders?

You really should get your hedge trimmed regularly or do it yourself. But why not simply talk to him about it?

Bluntness100 · 28/09/2019 16:50

Were you intending to do it op? Do you have the equipment or were you hiring someone?

Laurel grows about three foot a year. It's a total bastard, and as said, it gets out of control so quickly. Miss a year and you're looking at six foot additional growth and the professionals coming in.

I'd be very careful here. If you or your partner were planning to do it yourselves or would prefer to hire someone, then explain that to him and when it will be done and he doesn't need to do it any more. But if you weren't planning to do it, I'd let him crack on. The clearing up is the easiest part and he's doing uou a massive favour.

sunshinesupermum · 28/09/2019 16:58

Replace hedge with 6ft high fence?

cantfindname · 28/09/2019 16:59

Same position OP and I don't know what to do. Neighbour asked for access to cut top of her hedge and not having a good reason to say no I allowed it. I now have a garden buried under tons of conifer and no way to move it.

On asking all I got was the MN-style tinkly laugh and an 'Oh dear'

Guess I am stuck with it Angry

Blankspace4 · 28/09/2019 17:02

Definitely put something in writing and post it through.

MitziK · 28/09/2019 17:05

Considering that it's poisonous, the berries look very appealing to children, it's invasive/will take root anywhere a cutting lands (when it's already throwing out runners underground) and the cyanide compounds in it make sure nothing else will grow nearby to compete with it, I'd be happy if he continued to cut it - he could remove it completely for all I cared.

Original poster
Daisyzxcv · 28/09/2019 17:18

Sorry I've not had time to reply to all but the hedge isn't causing anything to him, the hedge is actually all on my garden. We do keep it trimmed but he obviously wanted it trimmed more... Thanks for making me think from another point of view though. It is tempting to get rid of it completely and put a fence in but I'm pretty sure there's a 6 foot max and I don't think that would provide enough privacy either.. bit of a sticky situation! Plus I'd imagine it's quite costly! Maternity leave pay isn't great haha

OP posts:
Original poster
Daisyzxcv · 28/09/2019 17:20

Haha! You guys are hilarious! Lady balls, calling him a twat, and the imaginative ways to stop him cutting my hedge have cheered me up

OP posts:
burritofan · 28/09/2019 17:20

so we pooped a note through the door
Shitting in his letterbox would definitely aggravate the situation

Span1elsRock · 28/09/2019 17:27

Our NDN used to do this, but he also threw all the cuttings back into our garden. He came at least 2/3 feet into ours, used to make us rage. It was the fact he never warned us so we could keep the kids out of the garden that got me.

We put a fence up in the end, even though it's his boundary. It was either that or strangle the stupid bastard.

SavingSpaces2019 · 29/09/2019 17:33

why not put potted bamboo all along the boundary line?
It grows fast and tall - see if he's got the guts to cut that back to perv on you?

Original poster
Daisyzxcv · 29/09/2019 17:42

Bamboo is a good idea! I might have to look into that..

OP posts:
Tonnerre · 29/09/2019 17:45

Stick a few metal posts randomly in the hedge, preferably so that they reach just below the top bit and your neighbour can't see them.

MrsLEB · 29/09/2019 18:00

He probably thinks he's helping you. Just go and have a word and explain to him the issues that it's causing/could cause.