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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

They've cut our tree!

291 replies

Auntieobem · 01/03/2022 15:03

We have a twisty willow at the bottom of the garden. I love it. Had it topped a couple of years ago - cost £££ but looking good. It overhang/ overhung next doors garden. Neighbours moved in a while ago - we've only spoken briefly but all pleasant enough.

I've just noticed that half the tree has been cut off. Tree looks ridiculously lop sided. Why onearth didn't they speak to us? I know they have a right to cut off anything which overhangs, but who not just warn us?? I feel really sad. Poor bloody tree!! Don't know when it was done, I've been working from home and never saw anything? They must have waited until we were all out? Aibu for being a bit annoyed?

OP posts:
godmum56 · 01/03/2022 19:41

@Emilyontmoor

Benji I know EXACTLY what is in the other side. Compete jungle (or rather ecological desert if someone is going to play the wildlife card), brambles, elder, holly, Ivy, a few fox dens and the trees I wasn’t able to reach to cut them back as saplings and several years worth of the cuttings which help mulch against more self seedlings. The brambles alone grow several feet a week into my roses and over my sheds and are a nightmare to cut back. I would fill a green waste bin each collection if I had to dispose of it all.

On my side meanwhile there a lovely climbers, a wildlife ponds and veg garden planted up alongside wildlife havens. There used to be a herbaceous border but Ai have had to replace that with jungle plants that don’t mind the shade.

It is enough of a imposition to constantly hack at it never mind deal with the prunings , which by the way it is custom, if no longer law, to throw back to the owner of the plant /tree. They really don’t care.

it is still the law in England that prunings must be offered to the owner. its never been custom or law to just throw them over the fence but I can see why you would.
BitOutOfPractice · 01/03/2022 19:43

@godmum56 "you are not them."

An neither are you I assume. That argument makes the whole of MN redundant in one fell swoop and also shows you can't come up with a harm the tree was doing either Grin

godmum56 · 01/03/2022 19:46

[quote BitOutOfPractice]@godmum56 "you are not them."

An neither are you I assume. That argument makes the whole of MN redundant in one fell swoop and also shows you can't come up with a harm the tree was doing either Grin[/quote]
I don't have to. Its not a protected tree. its not a sensible tree to plant in any garden let alone on the boundary of a garden. Its not a rare tree. It is a tree that is known to be a nuisance species in small spaces.

Benjispruce5 · 01/03/2022 19:47

Oh I know it’s law but I couldn’t bring myself to throw any thing over someone’s fence, lawful or not!

LeapYrBaby · 01/03/2022 20:03

@Anniefrenchfry completely, courtesy works both ways but if nobody has said anything it’s not unreasonable to believe that there isn’t an issue. My neighbour really didn’t realise that their overhanging branches were a problem until we approached him.

Emilyontmoor · 01/03/2022 20:09

Benji As pointed out above, though it should be someone’s fence, it is in fact mine, on my land, losing me six inches from the width of my garden. In fact quite a lot of what I throw over lands on my garden on the other side!

curlymom · 01/03/2022 20:20

@EthelTheAardvark

YABU You planted too close to boundary with no thought for neighbours

Try reading her posts, @curlymom. OP didn't plant the tree.

When you buy the house and accompanying land it’s your responsibility whether or not you planted it. OP wasn’t clear on who planted but it’s irrelevant at this point. Do you think you can say it’s not my problem because it was there when I got here? Doesn’t work like that
UKRAINEwearewithyou · 01/03/2022 20:49

[quote BitOutOfPractice]@UKRAINEwearewithyou that's a horrible situation. I hope you can get it sorted. But it's hardly the case here is it?[/quote]
You're correct it's not the same. I was sharing since leaving a tree that blocks light when neighbours don't cut it can result in bigger problems down the line. Perhaps why the neighbour cut the OP's tree back?

EthelTheAardvark · 01/03/2022 20:53

OP wasn’t clear on who planted

She's said it was there when she moved in, that's as clear as she could reasonably be expected to be. You specifically blamed her for planting it in that position with no thought for the neighbours, @curlymom, which was incorrect. It's hardly unreasonable to put the facts straight.

curlymom · 01/03/2022 21:01

@EthelTheAardvark

OP wasn’t clear on who planted

She's said it was there when she moved in, that's as clear as she could reasonably be expected to be. You specifically blamed her for planting it in that position with no thought for the neighbours, @curlymom, which was incorrect. It's hardly unreasonable to put the facts straight.

I hadn’t paid attention to the detail of who planted but well done for correcting me. Still pretty irrelevant but if it makes you feel good that’s fine
FacebookPhotos · 01/03/2022 21:24

I’ve cut my neighbour’s tree back to the boundary without asking him. It’s a PITA and needs doing regularly to avoid damaging the shed (both tree and shed were in place before either of us moved in). It has literally never occurred to me to ask permission - I’d assumed that if he was bothered about the tree he’d get it done professionally. Tbh, if anything I’m annoyed that I have to do it at all. I think that responsibility for tree pruning should lie with the person who owns the land the tree is planted on.

FWIW I do like most trees, but they need to be kept under control. If I could afford a bigger garden I’d have loads of trees. But when you’re stuck with a little garden, neighbours’ trees are a problem.

buckeejit · 01/03/2022 21:30

It's irrelevant really who planted it, it comes with the property & new owner is responsible for it. They maybe dud ask neighbours over the years if the overgrowth annoyed them.

EthelTheAardvark · 01/03/2022 21:35

@curlymom, the point is that accusing someone of being thoughtless in relation to planting the tree is unfair and liable to make them feel worse.

EllaPaella · 01/03/2022 21:39

@FacebookPhotos

I’ve cut my neighbour’s tree back to the boundary without asking him. It’s a PITA and needs doing regularly to avoid damaging the shed (both tree and shed were in place before either of us moved in). It has literally never occurred to me to ask permission - I’d assumed that if he was bothered about the tree he’d get it done professionally. Tbh, if anything I’m annoyed that I have to do it at all. I think that responsibility for tree pruning should lie with the person who owns the land the tree is planted on.

FWIW I do like most trees, but they need to be kept under control. If I could afford a bigger garden I’d have loads of trees. But when you’re stuck with a little garden, neighbours’ trees are a problem.

I agree. We have 3 gardens with trees that overhang our garden significantly. We have to pay quite a lot of money each year to get them all trimmed back to prevent the constant debris falling into our garden and onto our seating and patio areas and to prevent them blocking all the sunlight. We always have to do this at our expense- none of the tree owners have ever attempted to keep them under any control in the 11 years we gave lived here. A few years ago the neighbours leylandi tree killed a large amount of our grass as the tree was dying and seeping acid into the surrounding soil. I really wish that people would take responsibility for what is in their own garden.
HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 01/03/2022 21:42

@curlymom, the point is that accusing someone of being thoughtless in relation to planting the tree is unfair and liable to make them feel worse.

The irony of this post is that the OP was being thoughtless and being unfair to her neighbours, she bought the house it came with the tree so therefore is liable to maintain the tree!

OP should feel worse because of their poor maintenance the neighbour at their own cost maintained the tree to save neighbourly dispute.

sweetbellyhigh · 01/03/2022 21:44

They are massive dicks. Could well kill the tree. Really no need to butcher nature.

Creameggs223 · 01/03/2022 21:45

Why have you let it hang over you should of cut it back. My neighbour has a huge tree I cut it back and put the branches in his garden he wants the tree not me same with your neighbours.

Ricksteinsfishwife · 01/03/2022 21:46

@sweetbellyhigh

They are massive dicks. Could well kill the tree. Really no need to butcher nature.
Don’t be silly. That won’t kill the tree, it’s been done at rhe right time of year and plenty of reason to cut stuff back, we’d be living in a bloody jungle if we didn’t. As in the whole of the uk 😂😂😂
sweetbellyhigh · 01/03/2022 22:02

@Ricksteinsfishwife

Don't be rude, or show such ignorance. No self respecting arborist would butcher a tree like that.

And no, people do not have a right to destroy environments just because. Shows huge ignorance and lack of courtesy on theirs (and your) part.

tigger1001 · 01/03/2022 22:15

[quote sweetbellyhigh]@Ricksteinsfishwife

Don't be rude, or show such ignorance. No self respecting arborist would butcher a tree like that.

And no, people do not have a right to destroy environments just because. Shows huge ignorance and lack of courtesy on theirs (and your) part.[/quote]
They do have the right though. You may disagree, but the law is on their side.

If the op was being considerate they would have had the tree pruned regularly to stop it overhanging other peoples gardens. That's the courteous thing to do - make sure your property isn't encroaching on others.

KarmaStar · 01/03/2022 22:35

It's right at the bottom of the garden,I was expecting a slight overhang but it's in an awkward position,trim down the rest to get it in proportion?
Sorry but I think you should keep this tree under control so it doesn't happen again.

Gurkangurke · 01/03/2022 22:43

have the same species of tree overhanging our garden that is in our neighbour's garden in exactly the same position as yours. i love it and told the new owners to never worry about cutting it on my behalf. it's absolutely beautiful

YourWinter · 01/03/2022 22:54

That's completely the wrong choice of tree for such a small garden. If you're still living there in 20 years, you'll realise that, and none of the neighbours will be speaking to you!

curlymom · 01/03/2022 22:58

[quote EthelTheAardvark]@curlymom, the point is that accusing someone of being thoughtless in relation to planting the tree is unfair and liable to make them feel worse.[/quote]
No it’s not. It’s their responsibility so they need to take this on board in the future. Trees overhanging other properties are a nuisance. Just because they look lovely doesn’t mean the neighbours want it hanging over their land

mumofEandE · 01/03/2022 23:03

To be fair the pic doesn't show a lovely twisty willow!