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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour has cut my tree...a lot!

274 replies

NeighbourCutMyTree · 18/07/2022 09:23

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.

OP posts:
Hotenoughtoburnasausage · 18/07/2022 11:33

Think Planning Man has damp pants as he apparently told her what was touching her house was fine without pp .. Wasn't what she relayed to Tree Butcher Twat. I had no idea it was near her property as I can't see from my house (big 8 ft wall) she never came to discuss it. Just to inform her she had A Man coming last Friday.. She got her money's worth. I managed to record them saying shame they hadn't got all the trees because SHE was standing there..
Entitlement is ageless.

C8H10N4O2 · 18/07/2022 11:33

milkyaqua · 18/07/2022 11:31

How are people supposed to "maintain" a tree? It's not a flipping bonsai.

Either do it yourself if you know how or employ a tree surgeon. Just like any other item of house or garden maintenance.

MsFogi · 18/07/2022 11:33

That tree is huge - I'm not surprised the neighbours didn't want all of that overhanging their house/garden.

ThreeLittleDots · 18/07/2022 11:37

it's a shame they couldn't work with you to reach a compromise

Why / how should her neighbours compromise? There's no need to?

This is why people don't enter a dialogue when carrying out perfectly legal and reasonable activities on their own land - because precious tree owners tend to take offence, despite the fact their tree is trespassing.

dawngreen · 18/07/2022 11:38

I don't know what type of tree it is but some trees need topping. This will even them up.

sunglassesonthetable · 18/07/2022 11:40

Well they've made a bollox of that.

It looks awful and they're the ones who have got to look at it.

LOL at all the posters acting like it's just fine! They'd all be squeaky if it happened to them.

Your neighbours are idiots and could have talked to you and worked out a better way of doing it.

sunglassesonthetable · 18/07/2022 11:42

Why / how should her neighbours compromise? There's no need to?

Omg. some people🤣 You sound lovely.

Scottishgirl85 · 18/07/2022 11:46

Yes we have this, a huge sycamore tree that the neighbours have essentially halved. They're entitled to do it. Ours looks fine in summer with the leaves, but in winter looks a bit odd! It's mostly fine from the angle we view it as it's at the very back.

ThreeLittleDots · 18/07/2022 11:48

If you don't want to end up with half a tree on your boundary, keep them a reasonable size so they don't grow over someone else's land. It's not rocket science.

The neighbour hasn't done anything wrong whatsoever and there was no need for compromise.

Adversity · 18/07/2022 11:48

I have a beautiful tree at the end of my garden that self seeded about 19 years ago, it is a type of pussy willow It’s as tall as the house almost. We cut off overhanging branches as next door don’t like them hanging over and are happy to do it. Next doors silver birches hang over our fence at the end and I’m really glad. I love the fact next doors trees screen our garden without my garden needing more trees to make it private. One bough was an issue so we spoke to them and removed it which they were fine with.

Some conifers are just unattractive and become hugely dominant. We didn’t buy a house we liked years ago as next door had huge leylandii.

ThreeLittleDots · 18/07/2022 11:50

LOL at all the posters acting like it's just fine! They'd all be squeaky if it happened to them

I control my trees so that they don't affect my neighbours. If I didn't I would deserve to have half a tree on my boundary.

Kezza49 · 18/07/2022 11:52

Your neighbour can trim branches that over hang their side. However of there is a TPO on the tree, they have to be careful how they trim it back. Looking at the photo, that is not trimming it is damage. The council will not take kindly to that.

Janvan12 · 18/07/2022 11:55

The tree is on the boundary it’s so annoying to have to clean up a tree that is not yours

ThreeLittleDots · 18/07/2022 11:56

Looking at the photo, that is not trimming it is damage. The council will not take kindly to that

The council won't give a stuff, there's no TPO. The only thing a neighbour can't do is kill the tree. Aesthetics don't come into it.

User952539 · 18/07/2022 11:57

Why would the council care what the tree looks like unless it has a TPO

Gardeningdream · 18/07/2022 11:58

I think it’s clear the people getting all “i luffs trees me” either don’t own trees or have never maintained them.

any responsible tree owner will manage the tree, yes it costs time and money, but is required to maintain a healthy tree in a residential area.

people should be frothing at the op for failing to maintain to this extreme. If you like or love trees then you should maintain them appropriately.

the fault here is not with the neighbour. It’s once again with an owner who failed to maintain the tree in a healthy manner appropriate to its setting.

justasking111 · 18/07/2022 11:58

NeighbourCutMyTree · 18/07/2022 09:43

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.

Let your landlord know, it could do with some shortening this would balance it out.

sunglassesonthetable · 18/07/2022 11:59

I control my trees so that they don't affect my neighbours. If I didn't I would deserve to have half a tree on my boundary.

And I talk to my neighbour s. 😁

sunglassesonthetable · 18/07/2022 12:02

The neighbour hasn't done anything wrong whatsoever and there was no need for compromise.

compromise = have a chat and get it done properly

sunglassesonthetable · 18/07/2022 12:03

Some of the 'neighbours' on here are scary!

ThreeLittleDots · 18/07/2022 12:04

And I talk to my neighbours

That's nice, so do I... (?)

However there's nothing to be gained from one party listening to another wailing about not wanting their overhanging tree to be touched. There's no reason to negotiate as the neighbour who is encroached upon is 100% entitled to remove all of the branches on their property.

bruffin · 18/07/2022 12:04

Glittertwins · 18/07/2022 11:08

@bruffin : your neighbours certainly can touch your trees with a TPO on them, it just means they have to get planning permission to have them cut back. A reputable tree surgeon will apply for it prior to work.

But they wouldnt be able to butcher it like OP's neighbours have done, or they would get an almighty fine

Gardeningdream · 18/07/2022 12:04

sunglassesonthetable · 18/07/2022 12:02

The neighbour hasn't done anything wrong whatsoever and there was no need for compromise.

compromise = have a chat and get it done properly

Why is this their responsibility? It’s the ops tree it’s on her to manage it appropriate to the surroundings, not for everyone else to do it for her.

ThreeLittleDots · 18/07/2022 12:05

compromise = have a chat and get it done properly

There's nothing improper about what this neighbour did. The tree looks an eyesore but that's for OP to accept, and they have.

LemonSwan · 18/07/2022 12:06

Hahah the mind boggles.

On the first day the country will ever reach 40c - the same people who likely spout on about how insulate Britain and XR should absolutely be able to disproportionately affect all our lives for the urgent flag waving, essential gluing to motorways and heroic climbing on train roofs required to save the planet; and at the same time don’t see the issue with someone cutting a perfectly inoffensive tiny skinny tree in half vertically so it’s left resembling some kind of ugly strange toothbrush 😂

If that is you I kindly wish you spend the rest of the next couple of days feeling very very uncomfortable.