To ask neighbours to cut back their grapevine

[horseyhorsey17]

The garden that backs onto mine has a large leylandii screen, several metres high, with a grapevine growing through it that is currently dropping grapes into my garden. I have two dogs and am worried about them eating the grapes and getting poisoned. I have been sweeping them up but it's not really a solution as they drop down all the time. There were only a few last year so it wasn't so much of a problem but there are LOADS this year and they're really high up in the trees - which aren't on my land so I couldn't put a ladder up to cut the overhanging bits down if I wanted to. Can I ask my neighbour to cut the overhanging bits down - super politely of course? Is there any obligation for them to do so? I am at a bit of a loss as to what to do, short of keeping my dogs out of the garden for the next three months until I'm sure the grapes have all come down out of the trees.

Of course reasonable to ask, and whilst unlikely to harm your dog, cannot be good for them.

I'm not sure of any obligations, hopefully others can help.

Grapes are extremely toxic to dogs. They can cause the equivalent of anaphylactic shock. It's hit and miss. One dog can eat a lot before any problems but another can react after just a few.

You can ask them. They can say no.

But if it's overhanging onto your side you can cut it back yourself. The polite thing to then do is offer them the cuttings back but that's up to you.

The problem is they're about five/six metres up in the trees and I don't know how to get a ladder up there. The trees are on the other side of the fence.

But if it's overhanging onto your side you can cut it back yourself. The polite thing to then do is offer them the cuttings back but that's up to you.

It isn't up to OP. You have to offer them back and dispose of them appropriately, not just dump them in the neighbours' garden if they decline.

That should say if they decline the cuttings.

Just ask the neighbours and explain the situation with regards to your dogs health. Hopefully they will be receptive and sort it out.

If not, you may have to get a tree surgeon at your own cost and cut back anything that overhangs your boundaries

I figured it was implied that if they decline the cuttings then you dispose of the correctly, not dump them on their doorstep.

My bad!

Because their poison is falling onto my land - which I don't have a say in - and they might not want my dogs to die? I appreciate there are plenty of people who wouldn't give a toss though.

If it's so difficult to get to (and assume it's not accessible from the neighbours side because of their trees?) would it be easier for you to fix netting to the top of the fence, overhanging horizontally into your garden, to catch the grapes as they fall?

This is good advice. I've left a message for the neighbours asking to call me but will get a tree surgeon if they can't/won't help.

This is also a good idea - thanks.

Hopefully my neighbours are nicer than you.

I would ask them ASAP, OP.

Most people would not want to poison dogs. Maybe they will be nice about it.

Yes, I've worked out you're a dog hater.

This is crap anyway. If they chucked poison into my garden, they'd be committing an offence, and this isn't actually any different. It's not 'my dogs my responsibility' if it's other people causing the problem for me, in my property.

Bloody hell, some of the responses! I had no idea until recently that grapes are poisonous to dogs. If I found out my grapevine (if I had one!) was in danger of poisoning my neighbour's pets I'd be entirely happy to have a chat with them about how best to stop the grapes falling in their garden. As would most reasonable people I'd hope! Let's hope the neighbours are nicer than some people on here!

This is Mumsnet, it's full of sociopaths who hate dogs/children/Millenials/parents/left-wingers etc etc.

You OFFER them back.

'Entitled owners.' Oh please do piss off.

Your dogs grapes are your responsibility. Don’t make them anyone else’s. They’re nuisance animals fruit as it is.

Okay I'm being a bit silly but couldn't resist! Surely you wouldn't want to accidentally poison your neighbour's dogs, whether you like dogs or not!!