Neighbour has cut my tree...a lot!

[NeighbourCutMyTree]

How much is usual? I know they can trim overhanging branches, they've gone right to the top of the tree. I'll see if I can add a photo.

Yes that’s fine, but why didn’t you maintain it and why did they need to go and have it trimmed themselves?

Do you mean TPO? If so, she’s in big trouble!

You can do what you like in your own garden but it should not affect your neighbours. We have a gigantic lelandii right against our fence. It ruins our enjoyment of our small garden.

If I even up the other side, there will be no tree left, seriously, it's half the tree they've lopped off! Because of the way I've blocked out the surrounding houses you can't tell, but I am left with half a tree. There's no way to even up the mess. I'll just have to live and learn to love my half a tree.

They appear to have cut the overhanging branches. Totally fine.

Maybe it’s your writing manner but honestly it comes across thay you are pissed off and felt you were entitled to have your tree over hang their garden like that? Surely not?

Mumsnet is full of really odd people. A beautiful tree is ruined. It probably dropped leaves on the neighbours plastic grass

They can trim anything on their side.

The beautiful tree should have been maintained whilst growing to ensure this situation didn't arise in the first place

It’s a shame, and does seem a little OTT unless it was blocking all light to their garden, but unfortunately as they’ve only cut what overhangs into their garden, I don’t think they’ve done anything wrong.

I didn't think you could touch tree until the autumn because of nesting birds?

You should’ve maintained it properly and then they wouldn’t have had to have done such an uneven job.

How do you maintain a tree that is close to the boundary so that no part overhangs said boundary?

They've done nothing wrong, but now I'd get someone out to cut down those two stems on the left, so that you're left with a properly shaped tree on your side

Sadly I don't think they've done anything wrong - it looks like the tree has been planted too close to the boundary and they have decided to exercise their right to remove the branches that are overhanging into their garden. Would have been nice to let you know though. My concern would be that it's now destabilised - we had to get a tree surgeon out to remove branches of some huge trees that overhang into our garden from the woodland we back onto (with the permission of the landowner) and the tree surgeon would only remove certain branches up to a certain point to ensure it wasn't destabilised.

I don’t think that’s true.

It looks to me like a multi stemmed holly (as a PP said). If you/ a tree surgeon take out the trunk stem on the left, the one that’s nearer the boundary, the tree will sort itself out in the next few years by growing into shape.

You haven’t got ‘half a tree’! And if a tree is on the boundary you do need to keep it contained. Otherwise it needs planting well in from the boundary.

I know it looks odd now but it’s not that bad, honestly.

They can trim overhanging branches, but not to the extent that it destroys the tree. They can't reduce the height. The trimming does look pretty extreme though.

What a stupid thing they did to your tree. Surely must look odd to them too??

You can, as long as the tree is carefully checked for nests.
I had some work done in May, and one large laurel bush had to left because there was a nest. The tree surgeon was meticulous in checking.

Short sighted of your neighbours to butcher the tree like that. I’d imagine it looks a hell of a lot worse from their side. My new neighbours did similar and it looks a bloody mess from their side. They now have a view of bare half dead branches and twigs in the centre of the tree that haven’t seen daylight for years with no hope of any greenery ever growing back.
Fortunately we can’t see it.

Like you said OP, learn to enjoy your side 💐

Depends on the type of tree. With this one pictured, it would be quite easy (upright growing habit). With a tree that has a spreading habit e.g. beech/oak it would be difficult.

If you planted a beech or oak on your boundary you’d be an arse! If you wanted to buy a house next to one/with one then I’d check for tree protection orders first…

Am I right in thinking that they can do that but legally they're supposed to give you the cuttings? I could be talking nonsense.

It's a shame they couldn't have had a conversation with you about it.

It's annoying but they can do this.

My newish neighbour hacked our tree back to the fence line a few months back. Honestly it looks like it's been sliced down the middle. I was cross because she mentioned it to me and I had agreed to get a tree surgeon in who can do the whole tree so it looks ok but she got a guy on who hacked her side and left ours. If I'm honest I was furious. And all because she has put a huge ugly overground pool in the garden next to our very old tree and didn't want the leaves etc in her pool.

Yes yes she was 'within her rights' but I seriously don't like her now!

That looks awful! I’d be furious! Did they ask beforehand?? If I were them I’d have spoken to you, offered you to do it as it’s your tree.

TBF, those trees are a bloody nuisance.