Tree in my garden

[PumpkinP]

Just had a letter posted through my door from a neighbour, must be the house behind, saying they want me to cut my tree down, I have never spoken to this neighbour so this is the first I’ve heard, they have said that they have been in contact with the council to get the tree cut down, before even speaking to me?! (Mine is a council house) and that the council will be contacting me to arrange it but that it may take up to a year and that apparently they are not willing to wait a year! They are also saying they’ve had issues since 2010 but I’ve only lived here since 2015. Aibu to not want to cut my tree?

Could be the house insurance company saying it’s got to go. One house complained about some trees locally. The council said they wouldn’t remove. The home owner for someone out to view them and the insurance company for the building said something to the council as within a week 10 trees where cut down when the owner only wanted two gone so kicked themselves in the arse but the council don’t want to be liable for any damage caused and now the tree has been brought to their attention if it falls and hasn’t been looked after they would be liable.

Lots of us have advised the op that there are more suitable trees for gardens. Why stick to one unsightly tree, which doesn’t benefit wildlife much in a garden, when you could have several trees that do?

All houses on lower slopes are overlooked. It’s the topography of the land. To a certain extent you have to accept this because a potential 45m tree is simply not acceptable to anyone in a developed area.

You just identified a tree in my garden which seems to be the Lawson Cypress! I didn't know what it was. I hate it with a passion, as it blocks half my garden and is ugly, but it provides privacy from many overlooking windows, so I won't be cutting it down. I planted some fruit trees at the bottom of my garden, so when those get bigger and provide privacy, then I will get rid of the cypress.

Neighbour keeps it well trimmed on his side!! He doesn't complain as it doesn't block the light.

@eatyourcake The thing about those fast growing cypress, is they will shade out and suck the water from the soil, and slow the growth of slower growing, younger trees nearby. Better for it to come out as soon as you decide it's unwanted? How tall is yours?

There’s nothing to say that the council will agree to replace it, I really doubt they will I imagine they will tell me to do it myself and I wouldn’t even know how to go about that

Lawson cypress are really not small garden trees. Let them chop it down and then plant something else in its place. Planting trees isn’t difficult.

I'm really surprised the council have agreed to cut this tree down so can only think there must be more to this which predates you being in the house. I worked for a housing association who have a Tree Policy and the only reasons trees could be cut down/ removed was if they were dead, diseased or dangerous. If you feel strongly about keeping the tree you should check if they have a policy and ask why the tree is being cut down with reference to their policy (if they have one). You should also check your tenancy agreement as it will detail your obligations to maintaining the garden and if you are complying the council should not be coming into your home and chopping down healthy trees ( yes technically it is their property but you have rights too as per your tenancy agreement). Good luck

Yes it is odd that this will be the second tree he has managed to get cut down when it’s not even his garden! I wouldn’t know how to go about planting a tree tbh I’m really not a green fingered person.

I’m really not a green fingered person

Then all the more reason to allow the council to remove this massive burden of a tree.

You dig a hole. You put the tree in the hole. You fix a stake to the tree to eel it steady. You top up the hole with the soil you displaced or buy a soil improver if necessary to mix with it to help give the tree a good start. Water it. Plant in the autumn or spring.

Channel your inner Monty Don. You can do this!

Buy a tree.
Dig a hole
Put the tree in
Put some soil on top
Water

It’s really quite simple. And you get to have a nice tree!

@101jobs

I truly struggle to understand the logic of the law regarding trees.

Someone plants a massive tree in their own garden. Eventually that tree grows to the point it’s blocks their neighbours light, causing all matter of mess in neighbours garden and possibly making part of their neighbours garden unusable. But yet the innocent neighbour has to pay with their money to get it cut back yearly or do the hard work if chopping themselves and pay for the petrol to dispose of it at their local tip in their own time!!!

Meanwhile the owner of tree doesn’t care 2 hoots about the neighbour who’s been inconvenienced

I’m know not all tree owners are selfish, because I did once have extremely considerate neighbours who always insisted it was their tree and therefore their responsibility. He always used to come into my garden to chop it back and clear up too😃

But unfortunately, plenty of tree owners don’t do this and that’s very selfish.

This^^ This is exactly me and my neighbours. I don't even expect him to get rid of the 60' tree at the end of my garden overhanging half of mine! But the refusal to maintain it is the thing that grates. I have to pay to maintain something that isn't mine, causes me to lose the use of just under half my garden, blocks sunlight after 1pm in the day, spend hours and hours raking up leaves, laying new lawns every year that don't take. Because he likes the tree that doesn't affect him. Oh, and I've been here 25 years and he has had it pruned (barely) twice in that time. He is a selfish cunt.

Honestly, I would just let them cut it down if I were you. It's not worth getting into a huge fight with your neighbors over this.

I had conifer trees growing along the side of my house and my landlord cut them all down. I was so upset. But, now it's so much easier without all the pine needles blocking my guttering and I later found that the roots had damaged the underground drainage pipes, which we had to have replaced. What really shocked me was that I saw a photo of the house from 2 years before we moved in and the trees were saplings, only waist high. By the time we moved in, they were already as high as the second floor.

Don't get me wrong, I love trees, but gardens are not always the best place for them especially these rapid-growing trees that can get so huge. I would replace this one with something beautiful like a cherry tree or a magnolia and make sure it was planted away from any boundaries.

I fairness/ a tree bigger/ taller than the height of your house seems like it needs maintenance, which your not willing to do. I can't blame him for wanting someone to take some responsibility

If tree is taller than hoise it needs to come down. Any damage to the tree and it ends up falling onto your house or neighbours house then council would be liable

We have long beech hedges. They support a lot of wildlife. Nesting birds etc. Conifer hedges grow like topsy and support next to nothing and are thugs. They also take more water out of the ground than beech. Beech need trimming once a year. I actually think leylandii should be banned in gardens.

Why can't it be trimmed , why does it need to be cut down? Looking around at my area lots of trees are as tall as houses, so not particularly unusual.

Who is going to trim it then? You? Doesn’t look like it. It is probably too late for that now it’s huge. Leylandii are thugs. They are unsuitable for small and medium gardens. I really don’t understand why you don’t prefer better trees for your garden?

A tree of the size you describe (45ft?) will have equivalent sizes roots, which undermine the nearby houses, causing subsidence. It’s too out of control now, roots-wise, to be just trimmed. Make sure when you plant a new tree, you never let it get high enough that you can’t manage to trim it yourself ( step-ladder included).

Lawson cypresses can grow to 45m not just 45ft!