Our trees overhanging neighbours garden who should pay to have them cut?

[aubergineterrine]

We have some tree branches overhanging neighbours garden and they have asked us to cut them. I know they can obviously trim everything on their side up to the boundary fence. Whose responsibility is it to pay to have the tree branches cut, ours or theirs or is it reasonable to split the cost?

It's your tree so morally you should pay the cost.

Not reasonable to split or expect them to pay. This is your responsibility to sort out.

I don’t think they should have to pay anything as it’s your tree.

You should. I'd be very pissed off with my neighbours trying to sting me for something that they did which caused me a problem

Yours. It’s your tree. Same as how if they threw a banged into your car they couldn’t say ‘that’s your responsibility, it’s on your drive?’

If they want them cut then they have to pay.

Is this a reverse? How can you expect neighbours to pay for you to maintain your property.

If they want them cut, they do it or pay for it.

Obv if you want to keep good relations and they aren't being unreasonable, you could go go halves.

Fwiw, this is what i have agreed to do with a neighbour who would like a bit more light for their green house, we get on well, they feed my cat when i go away.

Legally its their problem unless your tree is causing specific problems eg leaf fall blocking a drain or damaging a structure.
Morally I think you should pay all of it or at the very least a proportion.
They also can't throw it into your garden but they do have to offer you the cuttings.

I have trees along our border (not planted by me), but I maintain them because they're my trees and I want to be a good neighbor. Obviously, if you refuse to have your trees cut, they can hire someone and cut them back, but I do think the responsible thing is for the owner to cut them back.

It's not actually. There's no legal obligation on the OP to cut the neighbours side but in the interests in keeping a good neighbourly relationship it might be wise for them to offer to pay. If they don't want to and don't care about getting on with the neighbour then said neighbour has every right to pay someone themselves to cut it back.

It might not be a law, but morally it is the ops responsibility.

I had this issue. I had to pay thousands to have a large overhanging tree removed which wasn’t even on my property. Neighbour agreed to it but wouldn’t pay as it was me who wanted it removed. Arrange council to come out and everything (conservation area).

I now view her as a bit of a twat.

You should pay. If your tree wasnt there, they wouldn't have the issue.

You must either pay or cut them yourself

It is your tree, if you get it trimmed or lopped, you can ensure that the tree is kept in good shape so that you can be proud of it.
You will also maintain or improve relations with neighbour.

It’s their responsibility to pay for the branches overhanging their garden to be cut. Having said that, if it’s a big tree then going halves on the cost of a professional tree surgeon makes sense. It will give a much more balanced and aesthetically pleasing result.

Legally, you don't have to pay for any part of it that is in their garden. I maintain a hedge though that I own and that grows into next door. It seems the right thing to do and it keeps neighbourly relations sweet.

Could you please tell my neighbours this? Last year I paid £300 to have their trees and shrubs cut back as they were more in my garden than theirs! They slam the door in my face if I ever go round there so I have to deal with it.

There is another thread at the moment with a photo that shows what can happen if you don't cooperate about a tree that overhangs a neighbour's property!

No idea what the legal answer is but imo it should be yours, it is your tree after all

Ime your ndn can send A Tree Twat round and enter your garden and cut of whatever he wants.....

You should.

Exactly!

...it's YOUR tree