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.

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

I don't know how you like your trees but I Couldn't agree less. It looks shit. I'd hate one of my trees to be brutalised like that.

Tbh OP doesn't have much choice.😁 Her lovely neighbours have sorted that.

I thought it was illegal to cut any down in nesting season & IIRC not before September

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.

Totally agree! Have a chat explain their problems and let OP sort it out properly.

They've done the opposite of what you've said.

It looks shit. I'd hate one of my trees to be brutalised like that

Then don't let them get so high on the boundary as to grow over your neighbour's property. The neighbour has done nothing wrong.

Shouldn't be so stupid as to plant a large tree so close to a boundary in the first place.

I suspect this is their way of letting you know they want this tree to come down as they must know the tree will now be dangerously unbalanced and probably need to come down. My friend moved into a house where their neighbours did this as soon as they moved in. They wanted rid of the tree anyway though so want much of an issue. But turns out they did it as they wanted rid of the tree. It started to die after they cut it.

As other pp have said, sadly for you it looks like they technically haven't done anything wrong as the tree is to close to the boundary for its size and canopy footprint.... although bit of a sh*ty thing to do without mentioning it.

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.

You've totally imagined this scenario.

It's called 'asking'.

The neighbours that back on to my garden have a massive elder and crab apple right on our boundary that all hang over into my garden, the elder has self planted saplings halfway along the fence and now they have planted several other trees against the fence, they are also encouraging ivy to grow up the fence which is now forcing it's way through the slats. They are doing this as they want privacy, their house is way back from all these trees so they have no effect on them. They are really pissing me off!

There's nothing to say that the OP did plant it there. It could have been there for ages. It could have been there before the boundary fence.

Assuming there was as much their side as is left on yours, I feel like you’ve been very unreasonable to let it get that far. It has run wild, and they got desperate!
get a tree surgeon out now to even it up and top it.

I thought it was illegal to cut any down in nesting season & IIRC not before September

It's only illegal to disturb nesting birds.

It's illegal to interfere with birds nesting, not to cut trees down or trim them.

As long as there's no nest it can be chopped down perfectly legally (assuming no protection order).

I double checked & it's the end of July, so they have broken the law & you can report them...

www.durham.gov.uk/media/3887/Hedges-and-the-Law/pdf/HedgesAndTheLaw.pdf?m=636735642239830000#:~:text=the%20Wildlife%20and%20Countryside%20Act%201981.&text=(CSS)%20or%20the%20Environmentally%20Sensitive,to%2031%20July%20(inclusive).

Then don't let them get so high on the boundary as to grow over your neighbour's property. The neighbour has done nothing wrong.

Yawn, we all know it's the actual LAW.

Life and all that is usually a bit more nuanced. Like good relationships and chatting with the people next door. And half decent manners.

The neighbour has done nothing wrong.

The neighbour HAS actually broken the law that protects nesting birds

You can't use somebody else's garden to host your tree. Plant the tree well within your own garden so you are using your own space. It isn't cool to use your neighbour's garden and then to be outraged that they have taken their space back.

They can if they apply for permission from the council supported by a tree surgeon's report.

House not host

It's still their responsibility if it's on their land, regardless of who planted it. By buying the property, they inherit the responsibility/liability.

There's nothing to say that the OP did plant it there. It could have been there for ages. It could have been there before the boundary fence

You can see it's a youngish tree. It's hardly a stately old oak predating the urban landscape.

Even if someone purchases a house with trees in the boundary, it's up to the new owner to either ensure that branches don't grow into someone else's land, or accept that they may end up with half a tree in the future.

No the have not.

Planning Man is a complete sap. Pardon the pun. Apparently it will grow back!!
He is going to have words with Tree Butcher Twat as I felt he was using PM's name to get away with excess cutting.. He took photos.
Big
Fat
Fucking
Wow.
He did admit cf neighbour had no manners.
She has done nothing for neighbourly relations and my considerate ways have ended...
<off to turn the tunes up >

The neighbour HAS actually broken the law that protects nesting birds

They haven't. All pruning or felling is legal as long as there are actually no nesting birds present in the individual tree.

You pay for a tree surgeon to maintain YOUR trees which are YOUR responsibility.

Dogs and trees always bring out the oddest responses...

I imagine all the tree haters have concrete backyards, or at most some plastic grass, that they are forever hosing down to remove the dog pee...

The poor planet.