Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Are my neighbours being unreasonable?

450 replies

PawsAndReflection · 25/07/2024 01:24

Hello!

We've recently bought a new house and our neighbours at the end of our garden are looking to redo the outside of their house.

They came by today to ask for permission as the work would require scaffolding in our garden, and were surprised to find seating and an olive tree in the area.

They've asked if we can move the olive tree and seating in order for them to have the work done, but I'm a little concerned about moving such a big tree. Does anyone have experience with this?

They were making out that it really wasn't a big deal but I've been researching it and it seems not quite as simple as they're making out.

OP posts:
Thewheelweavesasthewheelwills · 25/07/2024 11:03

I'd be worried it would kill the tree

shockthemonkey · 25/07/2024 11:07

You really need to tell us if the tree is potted or in the ground.

If in the ground, I cannot believe they had the cheek to ask - it's NO

If potted, then I'd consider it... as long as they took care of all the lifting and replacing.

Qanat53 · 25/07/2024 11:12

PawsAndReflection · 25/07/2024 01:24

Hello!

We've recently bought a new house and our neighbours at the end of our garden are looking to redo the outside of their house.

They came by today to ask for permission as the work would require scaffolding in our garden, and were surprised to find seating and an olive tree in the area.

They've asked if we can move the olive tree and seating in order for them to have the work done, but I'm a little concerned about moving such a big tree. Does anyone have experience with this?

They were making out that it really wasn't a big deal but I've been researching it and it seems not quite as simple as they're making out.

This looks like a “party wall” type of issue. In these situations, the neighbors should be employing a Party Wall firm, paying for your expert advice, telling you how long, compensating. . Should have insurance etc.
This is not a “just ask” situation.

A vehicle with an extendible bucket-lift can be used in inaccessible situations and might cost them less. But not your problem.
Mature olive trees are expensive. Can be moved but do impact the growth and health for a few years after. You have no idea length of time they expect your tree to be out of the ground.

GladAllOver · 25/07/2024 11:15

From personal experience, scaffolders are the worse people you can possibly deal with. They won't care the least about nuisance or damage to your property or the tree. Just No!

ArabellaScott · 25/07/2024 11:16

'Alas, no'.

Howmanycatsistoomany · 25/07/2024 11:28

So they've never looked over the fence/wall? Sure they haven't 🤔
It'd be a hard no from me.

Cyclingmummy1 · 25/07/2024 11:33

Say no to their scaffolding on your property. They'll have to find a different solution.

Allthecoolusernamesaregone · 25/07/2024 11:34

They want YOU to move a living tree and furniture so THEY can use part of YOUR garden for scaffolding which will almost certainly be in place much longer than promised?

That would be a no then.

There are lots of formats for scaffolding and this is probably the easiest, but they will be able to find another way.

Cycleaway · 25/07/2024 11:53

As many other people have said, the scaffolders will always suggest what is the easiest/least work (for them) option to your neighbours. I think legally you can have a right of access to neighbouring land for maintenance but not improvement of your property. But in such cases, it’s reasonable for a written agreement to be in place, not only detailing location, but also duration, hours of use etc. From experience, I would say that scaffolding people are focussed on putting up scaffolding, not the mess they create and leave behind. You also need to consider that they will access your garden on at least two occasions to put up and take down the scaffolding, and that it also means that people (definitely builders, maybe your neighbours) will potentially be walking about on it while its up. Finally, I’d say that if there is established planting in the area, it’s definitely fair to say no. If it really is the only way they can do the job, I would say the very least they would need to do is compensate you for a new - like-for-like tree, and tbh a large, established olive tree would probably cost them a lot more than an alternative scaffolding solution. Good luck!

Greenshed · 25/07/2024 11:59

Goodness me PawsAndReflection, you were up early when you posted. Anyway, the answer has to be no. I don’t believe them for a moment when they claim not to have known a large olive tree was there at the back of your garden, bordering theirs. Surely they could see it above the fence? I think they’re trying to pull a fast one on you. If the tree is in the ground, it won’t do well being moved out of its spot to another, and quite likely will die. To replace costs hundreds of pounds for a large specimen. No, they’ll have to get the scaffolders to rethink their approach.

Crumpleton · 25/07/2024 12:06

HRTFT so may be repeating.

Some, NOT all, workmen will always take what is the easiest and quickest route for them, as you've found out by being asked to rearrange your tree/garden seating, they're not interest in finding a way that's suitable just the one that will allow them the shortest time scale and to move on to the next job.

You really don't even have to have the scaffolding on your property, it's not your problem to fix, they're the professionals let them sort it.

Equally there's a 50/50 chance the builders won't be as interested in keeping your garden as nice and tidy as you do, or will be overly concerned how long the job will take.

Not that we had scaffolding in our garden but our neighbours had a "Pop off Pete builder" that turned up for a few hours daily then popped off to other jobs throughout the whole time he worked there, took an age to finish the work, even then the scaffolding stayed for a while after, so no you're definitely not being unreasonable.

Marinel · 25/07/2024 12:06

Absolutely not. I would not even dig up a tree to accommodate my own scaffolding never mind a neighbour's. As others have said, the scaffolders will find a different way of doing it, they often have to work round obstacles.

taxguru · 25/07/2024 12:13

Neighbours aren't being unreasonable to ask. You're not unreasonable to say no!

Personally, I'd refuse all access to your garden, whether it involved moving things or not. They have no "right" to go onto your property except in an emergency or for essential maintenance. Keep that in mind.

If you want to be "nice", then you can come to a negotiation as to limiting and controlling access for their scaffolders and builders, but you have no obligation to do so.

Definitely don't just glibly agree to anything - you need a proper/fixed/detailed agreement, essentially written and signed, as a contract, to limit what they can do, timescales, and most importantly compensation for any damage, disruption, delays, etc. Also get yourself a couple of webcams on your window ledges pointing towards the fence in question and covering most/all of the likely route of their workmen (i.e. down your drive, across the lawn etc), so that you have evidence of them coming onto your land if you don't give permission and more importantly evidence of the damage they cause!

Builders/scaffolders are notorious for taking a mile when you give them an inch!

taxguru · 25/07/2024 12:14

Anyway, what if you had a full hedge down that boundary? They wouldn't be able to put up scaffolding and wouldn't expect you to allow them to remove the entire hedge. Just put the onus back onto them and their scaffolders to find an alternative and don't be a pushover.

pierrele · 25/07/2024 12:18

scaffold companies also have a bad rep of leaving scaffolding up long after the job has finished, something else to consider if a real intrusion, never mind them asking you to move a tree! how absurd..

MeowCatPleaseMeowBack · 25/07/2024 12:18

Absolutely not. They can find another solution.

Bobbingtons · 25/07/2024 12:21

Olive trees are particularly difficult to relocate, if it's mature the cost would likely be well over 1000. Also they should only ever be moved in their dormant growth period during winter and early spring and even then it might not survive. They v are being very unreasonable in their request and should have brought this up before planning the work!

insomniacalways · 25/07/2024 12:23

Say No - I was nice to our neighbours - they said the impact would be minimal - dismissed my requests for a party wall agreement. Then they demolished my side path completely it was a six foot drop out my side door , the least of my worries as they then put up scaffolding that made our side entrance inaccessible for nearly 18 months. In the end, as I was crying at the builder he signed an agreement to reinstate my path and put in a contract with the owners . Now they have paid to have the path reinstated and it is better condition before - but I came home to find scaffolding resting on my room and all kinds of things. Get an agreement and make them pay compensation and don't agree to anything you are not comfortable with. Mine still have not reinstated the fence between our houses and if I am honest I struggle to be civil now .

Rocketpants50 · 25/07/2024 12:27

I had to move my Olive tree, we took a big root but it didn't survive- gutted. If you want to keep it - I would- say no.

viques · 25/07/2024 12:29

“Surprised to find a tree and seating ”

They weren’t surprised at all, they knew damn well the tree was there which is why they came round in the first place. As a poster upthread remarked, they have tried this ploy with the previous owners, it didn’t work, so they are trying it on with you.

Work out how tall your tree is then go online and see what it would cost to replace it, you might be surprised. A mature olive tree is a very expensive plant, and an asset to your garden. You would not want to risk it being damaged or killed as a result of a totally unnecessary move, even if the neighbours were willing to pay for specialist movers to move it.

Lavenderblossoms · 25/07/2024 12:40

Please don't move the tree. We need as much trees as we can get. Ask them to find another way.

ShelleyCarpenter · 25/07/2024 12:44

Just say no

cheezncrackers · 25/07/2024 12:47

They're being massively unreasonable. That would be a hard 'No' from me.

betterangels · 25/07/2024 12:48

Fuck no. What are they on?!

BellyPork · 25/07/2024 13:10

They sound horrid. Secure your garden and avoid them from now on.

Swipe left for the next trending thread