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AIBU?

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Original poster

Enormous tree in neighbour's garden

287 replies

treewoes · 27/10/2019 13:08

I live in a small terraced house. At the bottom of my next door neighbour's garden there's a huge tree. I'd say it's at least three times taller than the surrounding houses... probably about 100ft if I had to guess?

Every day the tree blocks the sunlight in my garden for about 3 hours solid in the early afternoon, before the sun swings back round again in the late afternoon/early evening.

I would really love to get the tree either significantly reduced in height or removed altogether, but obviously it's on my neighbour's land so it's not my call.

I don't know the neighbours at all well (we only moved in six months ago and have barely seen them) and am really nervous to ask them, in case they're annoyed or think I'm interfering.

I'd be willing to pay for some or all of the work if the neighbours weren't happy to do so. DH thinks we should go halves but since we're the ones who have an issue with it, I think it's only fair that we cover the full cost if need be.

Does anyone have any advice on how they would deal with this situation? Do you think it's worth exploring getting the tree cut since I do get sunlight in my garden for about 6 hours a day (but none at all from 12-3)?

And does anyone know how much it would cost to get such an enormous tree cut back or chopped down? Logistically it could be a challenge as the tree is located between two rows of terraces.

Thank you!

OP posts:
gwackywacky · 27/10/2019 13:10

This reply has been deleted

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mineofuselessinformation · 27/10/2019 13:15

So..... the tree was there before you and didn't magically appear once you bought the house?

AutumnRose1 · 27/10/2019 13:15

Why do you want to cut down a tree? I thought you were going to raise a safety concern.

Hopefully it has a TPO.

Hont1986 · 27/10/2019 13:18

If a neighbour I barely knew turned up at my door, asked me to cut down my tree, and proposed going halves, I'd laugh them all the way back out to the street.

Yes, YWBU and would permanently ruin any relationship with that neighbour. You have no right to light in this case.

Djimino · 27/10/2019 13:19

OP, ignore the bolshy posters. There is nothing wrong with asking your neighbours if they are ok for you to pay to have their tree cut back or for you to offer to pay half. They may well be thankful of the offer.

I'd drop a polite note through their door and see what they say.

Gizlotsmum · 27/10/2019 13:19

You can ask the neighbour. Maybe knock on their door and ask if they would consider it? You have to be prepared to accept it if they say no.

bluebeck · 27/10/2019 13:20

Why did you buy the house if you objected to the tree?

LucyAutumn · 27/10/2019 13:21

Wow you are being extremely unreasonable and entitled OP Shock

hairyheadphones · 27/10/2019 13:23

The tree was there before you bought the house. If you don’t like it you could offer to pay for it to be reduced but you are cheeky even expecting the neighbour to pay half as it was clearly there before you moved in.

LolaSmiles · 27/10/2019 13:23

I'd be confused if a neighbour turned up at my door saying "hi I don't know you and we've only been in 6 months but the tree in your garden blocks sun for us from 12-3 so we'd like you to remove the tree or cut it back".

Buying any property with large trees near by and then being surprised if and when the tree casts shade is one of those things that confuses me a bit

Userzzzzz · 27/10/2019 13:23

Some people get funny about trees on here but really they can be very anti social if they are too big in an inappropriate place. Our neighbours approached us about trees that were ruining the enjoyment of the garden and we were happy to take them down as we hadn’t appreciated how awful they had made their garden.

We will be taking down some others that are inappropriately planted and just too big. We’ll plant something else that is better for the space. A tree that’s 100ft was a stupid one to plant in a garden of a terrace house.

Original poster
treewoes · 27/10/2019 13:23

@Hont1986 How can you possibly know that I would ruin the relationship with my neighbour? They might not like the tree either for all I know!

And if you actually bothered to read my post you'll see I've already said that I'd pay the full amount if needed.

OP posts:
purplemunkey · 27/10/2019 13:24

You moved in 6 months ago and this is only occurring to you now? If it bothered you you shouldn’t have bought the house.

You can ask, there may be a chance they want to get rid off it and would be happy to take half the money from you to do it. I’d say it’s far more likely though that you’ll piss them off by even asking and will sour any friendly relationship you might have had. Definitely don’t put a note through their door - if you’re going to ask, do it in person. At least you’ll have the opportunity to back track if they react the way I think they might.

Aquamarine1029 · 27/10/2019 13:24

I can't believe you would want to cut down this tree when it's causing you no harm whatsoever. Unbelievable.

gwackywacky · 27/10/2019 13:26

@Userzzzzz Wow you're just slaughtering life left right and centre arent you? You should be ashamed

Original poster
treewoes · 27/10/2019 13:26

Thank you Gizlotsmum - yes I would be prepared to accept it if they said no, as it's on their land after all. I just thought it could be worth a try.

I don't know why people keep talking about the paying halves thing - please read the original post properly and you'll see that's not what I said.

OP posts:
DisplayPurposesOnly · 27/10/2019 13:26

I doubt you'll get anywhere asking to have the tree removed.

It can't hurt to ask nicely about reducing its impact and offering to pay.

This might help to get some idea of what's possible:
www.trees.org.uk/Help-Advice/Public/A-brief-guide-to-tree-work-terminology-and-definit

Biancadelrioisback · 27/10/2019 13:27

They also may really, really like their tree and not want it cut down or removed. Perhaps other neighbours like it too.
You can ask but you need to be prepared for them to tell you to jog on

NailsNeedDoing · 27/10/2019 13:28

No idea how much it would cost, but I don't think you'd be doing anything wrong by offering to have it reduced, although it would be cheeky to ask to have it cut down altogethe.

You're right that the cost should be entirely yours though. I was in this position and a neighbor asked if I'd reduce my tree. I said no to paying for it because I liked it, but I'm not an arsehole and I could see it was genuinely an issue for them, so I let them pay the full cost of what they wanted done.

Original poster
treewoes · 27/10/2019 13:28

"I’d say it’s far more likely though that you’ll piss them off by even asking and will sour any friendly relationship you might have had."

Would asking once in a nice way and offering to cover the cost really sour any relationship? I wouldn't want to risk that as I would hate to fall out with my neighbours.

OP posts:
RightYesButNo · 27/10/2019 13:29

Could go either way. They could be perfectly happy to work out an arrangement to cut back the tree. Or they could think you’re an idiot for moving into a house when you knew a huge tree was there. Difficult to say. I would just approach them very softly about it?

I wouldn’t recommend you ask to cut down what could be a several-hundred-year-old tree when your garden gets light, just not all the light you want. I’m not even the biggest environmental campaigner, and definitely not judgmental of others usually, but it seems a shame to cut down a tree that’s probably been around for so long.

purplemunkey · 27/10/2019 13:30

You said ‘part or all’, and that your DH suggested ‘halves’. We’re not making it up. I don’t think it changes much to be honest.

Hont1986 · 27/10/2019 13:30

'If needed'! Of course it would be needed, do you think they're going to stump up the £1000+ themselves just because your garden is a bit dimmer at lunchtime? Not to mention the loss in the value of their home. I'm really surprised you can't tell what an unreasonable request this would be.

Original poster
treewoes · 27/10/2019 13:30

The houses were built in the 1950/60s, so the tree might have been around then but has probably grown substantially in the last 70 years!

OP posts:
purplemunkey · 27/10/2019 13:32

Yes, I think so, potentially. It’s the attitude - if the first time I met my new neighbour was when they came round to ask me to remove something from my property, you wouldn’t be making a great first impression on me that’s for sure.