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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think that people should have to get permission from all surrounding neighbors before cutting down a tree?

225 replies

ElberethGilthoniel · 30/08/2021 12:31

I live in a third floor flat with a lovely surrounding of trees on each side giving a treehouse sort of vibe.

Two times over this summer, neighbors in houses with large gardens have chopped down huge trees (approx 30 meters) that must have been over 50 years old.

This has really affected the views and amount of light from both sides of our flat, and made the whole area less appealing. Is it unreasonable to think that there should have been some neighborhood consultation before they did this? Or some sort of democratic process?

OP posts:
tigger1001 · 30/08/2021 14:42

"Well. Thanks for the opportunity to respond there 🤷🏻‍♂️
Yeah I'd definitely be happy to do that. Though I doubt it would be twice a week with all the people who want to keep the tree pitching in?"

Interesting you didn't answer about the financial obligations? You ok to contribute to these too?

Bluntness100 · 30/08/2021 14:42

Op look no matter how much you want it, legally and morally you’ve no right to someone else’s property, it’s that simple. You don’t. And you never will have a right over something someone else owns. Be it their trees, their car or the food in their fridge.

And I’ve lime trees and although they are heritage trees that can live hundreds of years, have a life span, and they rot from the inside. And become dangerous.

And if that tree was thirty metres high and about forty metres from their house it would have taken up a large amount of their garden as it would likely be at least forty foot wide. Unless they have a large garden it’s highly likely that tree was simply not suitable for that location and was dangerous.

It’s irrelevant though, you have no rights over something someone else owns,

OverweightPidgeon · 30/08/2021 14:46

Yeah I'd definitely be happy to do that. Though I doubt it would be twice a week with all the people who want to keep the tree pitching in

How many people have you asked who have said they’d be happy to spend time clearing a neighbours garden? Confused most people are too busy with their own stuff to start getting involved in neighbours gardening.
Is the tree owner happy for people to traipse about on their property?

Palsy · 30/08/2021 14:48

@ElberethGilthoniel

Oh come off it OP. Us 'awful, to the manor born types' know about aboriculture, and you just want to live in a flat like a tree-house. Whose opinions do you think carry more weight when a decision is made about tree-felling?

You're just pissed off because you're getting your arse handed to you on this thread.

Original poster
ElberethGilthoniel · 30/08/2021 14:48

@tigger1001

"Well. Thanks for the opportunity to respond there 🤷🏻‍♂️ Yeah I'd definitely be happy to do that. Though I doubt it would be twice a week with all the people who want to keep the tree pitching in?"

Interesting you didn't answer about the financial obligations? You ok to contribute to these too?

Well, seeing as those financial obligations are completely based on the spurious assumption that the tree is in fact causing damage to surrounding houses, then I don't see a need to commit to that.

I can be pretty certain that the tree will in fact drop its leaves in the autumn, so am happy to help out there 🙂

OP posts:
Oldraver · 30/08/2021 14:49

Well I'm sure if you offer to chip in with the costs the neighbours will take you into account 😄 we've spent £1,500 over the last few years in tree surgery

And what is your 'tree house vibe' from three floors up is some one else's no light for most of the day

RolloTomassi · 30/08/2021 14:49

I do sympathize with you, OP. A new neighbour on the first house of our road cut down the most lovely cherry tree, it wasn't big and set away from their house, to the far side. Replaced with white gravel which looked shit and detracted from the entrance of the road. Tree was there long before them, just seemed a pointless weird thing to do, and we felt annoyed.

That said, you can't dictate re others' land. I never like to see trees go, but there might have been issues that outsiders wouldn't know of. In your case consulting a whole block of flats would be totally impractical, I wouldn't invite all those opinions. It does seem a shame but it is what it is unfortunately.

tigger1001 · 30/08/2021 14:52

"Well, seeing as those financial obligations are completely based on the spurious assumption that the tree is in fact causing damage to surrounding houses, then I don't see a need to commit to that.

I can be pretty certain that the tree will in fact drop its leaves in the autumn, so am happy to help out there 🙂"

Trees need regular maintenance to ensure they stay healthy.

Possibly also lead to increased insurance costs too.

So happy to pay for these?

2et2font5 · 30/08/2021 14:53

They own the tree. You seem to think that they just own the land. They own the tree and will have paid upwards of £400 to get it removed if it is large. You may or may not consider that they have a good reason to do this, but it doesn't matter. It may affect you, but that also does not matter. You don't count in this and you don't have a voice. If you don't like it, then that is just tough.

MissJeanBrodiesprime · 30/08/2021 14:54

I can certainly see it from your point of view OP, I think I’d be gutted if all my neighbours cut down all their trees, it would certainly give a very different feel to my back garden / house, but unfortunately unless the tree is protected there is nothing you can do about it.

Bluntness100 · 30/08/2021 14:57

@2et2font5

They own the tree. You seem to think that they just own the land. They own the tree and will have paid upwards of £400 to get it removed if it is large. You may or may not consider that they have a good reason to do this, but it doesn't matter. It may affect you, but that also does not matter. You don't count in this and you don't have a voice. If you don't like it, then that is just tough.
And the rest. To fell a 90 foot tree, one which is likely 40 foot wide, would cost close to a couple of grand. It’s not the felling which takes the time, they would probably get it down in a day, it’s the cutting all the branches and wood into manageable liftable sizes and getting it off site.

It’s likely three to four days work for two men.

TalesOfDrunkennessAndCruelty · 30/08/2021 14:59

Well, there is some accountability (up to a point) because of tree preservation orders, but beyond that people can do what they like with their own trees.

Cherrysoup · 30/08/2021 15:02

Ridiculous idea. How many occupants are there in the flats/surrounding properties? It would be an insanely long winded process. There was no way I was going to consult neighbours when I chopped down 7 out of control leylandi a previous owner had planted. A decent fence makes for good neighbourly relations, not blocking views/sun etc.

480Widdio · 30/08/2021 15:07

Absolutely nothing to do with you OP!

Nsky · 30/08/2021 15:08

No, I had a tree cut down years ago, so much more light, I’m sorry if affects you.
Get real.
We ( my family home) had a tree that fell into neighbours driveway, rotten luckily nothing was damaged, nor old man.
Very sudden one lunchtime, and rotten root left ( to big to be removed).
Quite a sight, and no warning

fluffedup · 30/08/2021 15:11

I don't think that would work, as obviously the person whose land the tree is on should be able to make the decision about the tree.

But removing (or adding) a large tree can make a massive difference to surrounding houses and gardens. The tree owners should at least let neighbours know that there surroundings are about to change, and if there's a reason such as the tree being unsafe, it would make the neighbours less upset about its loss.

I'm projecting though, we had a beautiful tree on the edge of our garden, though the trunk was just in next door's garden. Its branches covered half of our garden so its presence made a big difference. New neighbours moved in and cut it down, they didn't tell us it would happen or ask us if the workmen could go in our garden, and they left lots of smaller cut branches in our garden.

They cut down about 8 large trees overall - why not just buy one of the many newbuilds nearby instead of ruining all that wildlife habitat?

godmum56 · 30/08/2021 15:13

Linden is not a great tree for gardens. It gows and spreads quickly and A LOT. The flowers drip sticky sap which sets like chewing gum on anything it lands on and grows black mould. The trees are an aphid (and therefore ant) magnet, which is fine if you have acres but not in gardens, even big gardens.

Chloemol · 30/08/2021 15:16

Oh please you are expecting someone to contact each and every neighbour, or in your case possibly hundreds from people to fell some trees?

Don’t be ridiculous. You don’t know why the trees came down, it could be for any number of reasons. They are not your responsibility nor it is the owners responsibility to let you know

Get over yourself

godmum56 · 30/08/2021 15:21

@fluffedup

I don't think that would work, as obviously the person whose land the tree is on should be able to make the decision about the tree.

But removing (or adding) a large tree can make a massive difference to surrounding houses and gardens. The tree owners should at least let neighbours know that there surroundings are about to change, and if there's a reason such as the tree being unsafe, it would make the neighbours less upset about its loss.

I'm projecting though, we had a beautiful tree on the edge of our garden, though the trunk was just in next door's garden. Its branches covered half of our garden so its presence made a big difference. New neighbours moved in and cut it down, they didn't tell us it would happen or ask us if the workmen could go in our garden, and they left lots of smaller cut branches in our garden.

They cut down about 8 large trees overall - why not just buy one of the many newbuilds nearby instead of ruining all that wildlife habitat?

but again, do you know why the trees were removed? The inspector who actually suggested that my huge oak tree should be removed, said that in domestic circumstances, trees can't just be left to live out their natural lives. Where comes a point where trees become too big for their location or unsafe and removal is the only thing that can be done...and the fact that your neighbours employed a poor company to do the work doesn't mean that the work shouldn't have been done.
SilverGlitterBaubles · 30/08/2021 15:21

Until you know the reasons for cutting down the tree OP I think it's unfair to comment or expect consultation. Trees can appear healthy but actually be very dangerous or they can be causing unseen damage to drains, walls or nearby homes. A large tree near our home recently fell across a busy road on a pretty calm sunny day and it was a miracle that it didn't kill or seriously hurt someone. Turns out it had a disease. It costs a lot to have a tree removed and I doubt that anyone takes the decision lightly.

MissConductUS · 30/08/2021 15:23

We've spent thousands having trees taken down around our house in the last few years, for the simple reason that we live in the woods and don't want them coming down on the house in a storm.

It's Hurricane season here and we're expecting the remnants of Ida to arrive on Wednesday.

Badbadbunny · 30/08/2021 15:24

If you're that bothered you should have campaigned to have tree preservation orders put on them, that way there'd have been consultation and due process to protect them if it was felt worthy to do so.

LemonFantaGin · 30/08/2021 15:24

We had a huge mature oak tree cut down, she was beautiful, so much wild life, well over 50 years old, she was dying from the inside out from the base up and risked falling on my childrens bedroom.

Would I rather she was still there?
Absolutely! But I had no choice, it was literally a matter of when, not if.

Perhaps they had reason to cut them down.

SW1amp · 30/08/2021 15:32

@heldinadream

I bloody adore trees but this is bonkers.

What if I buy a car in a colour some people might object to, have I got to consult all of my neighbours first?
Think about it! This is an insane level of thinking you have any control over what other people do OP!

There was a news story a few years ago about a beautiful chocolate box village in the Cotswolds which was on the Chinese tourist bus route Coachloads of people arrived at the village every day to take pics of the quintessential English village And then one of the residents bought a bright yellow car and lots of the tourists objected because it ruined their holiday photos and thought he should move the car from outside his house, or change it for a less offensive colour

Yes. People really are that self entitled Confused

Sittingonabench · 30/08/2021 15:35

Yes YABVU. Should everyone require permission for what they choose to do with their land/property/assets?