Next door neighbour dilema

[AutisSon]

Not sure if AIBU and need other views. There is a big tree that is right in between mine and my next door neighbour house. It is clear in our deeds that is both our responsibility to look after it. It is also protected so everything has to be done properly. Next door lady is nice enough, but she likes to just do things without consulting with us. Three years ago she dropped me a message to say that a tree surgeon was coming the following day to trim the tree, and that we needed to pay half of it. I didn't like this as we should have looked together to a couple of quotes and decide. We footed £400 for half of the work. She also had other bushes trimmed etc which she said they were paid by her separately. I asked her for the invoice and she never sent it. Ever since I was a bit crossed with her and told her so. A few months ago there was quite a bit of wind and she was in a state of panic, called another tree surgeon but I was very clear that I would only pay for the tree if it was a safety hazard amd needed trimming. The tree surgeon clearly said that there was nothing wrong with the tree so that was left like that. Last night she texted me to say that she has booked the tree for a trim early December. AIBU to be mad at her? I replied saying that while I appreciate her to organise this I would have liked to see more quotes and speak with the tree surgeon myself. I don't even know how much I am expected to pay😡

I have trees with TPOs

They very much do care here

Doubt she'll get permission for that

What species is it?

I think you should write her a letter, or ideally an email if you know her email address, (as that way you can prove she's received it), saying that you are concerned that the tree is costing you more money than it should in maintenance, and that in future if she feels that work is needed, her first port of call is to speak to you. At that point, the two of you can talk about what needs doing, and who should do what, regarding getting quotes, etc. Then, once you have got at least 3 quotes, you will consult again, and decide JOINTLY, what you are prepared to pay. Failure to do this in future will result in her paying the bill in it's entirety.

This makes it clear that you're no longer going to be taken for a ride, or ripped off if that's what she's been doing, and that it's up to her to make you aware if she feels the tree needs work doing. It shows that you are being reasonable, in as much as you are willing to do your share of getting quotes, etc., and are happy to pay your share, provided that your conditions have been met. She really doesn't have a leg to stand on once you've done this.

The tree must be huge for that price!

We had a tree removed by a tree surgeon which cost £1k - the tree (which should never have been in a domestic garden) was over 20m tall and could grow to over 40m! The developers decided to leave it in situ when they built the estate in the 80s - it was a beautiful tree but blocked light to our garden and house and several of our neighbours gardens. The tree surgeon said it was very lucky there wasn't a TPO on it as he'd be able to reduce the crown by a maximum of 20% which would make no discernable difference!

Thank you. It is an English Oak x

Depends if they need to climb it or bring a cherry picker as it bumps the cost up. I've paid £800 for a tree to be cut back & dead wood removed. There was 3 of them, 2 of them climbed it and took about 4 hours. Plus they take all the branches & debris away. Oh and they also did the planning application too.

I think you're wrong. We had a huge tree with a TPO in our back garden at a previous house, and even the tiniest trim needed permission. The only thing you'd have got away with is if it had become suddenly dangerous and you'd had to do something in a hurry.

We had tied the washing line round the branch, which officially we needed permission and we'd been planning on taking it down before the planning person came, but forgot. He told us not to worry, as it wasn't damaging the tree at all. He was lovely and put in his notes he'd given us permission to do that, so it would be fine in future.

I think we got the maximum allowed trim which was something like all the dead branches, anything within 10' of the ground and up to 30% of the rest. It made a huge difference to our garden, and it soon grew back.

We paid around £800 for ours around 20 years ago. It is a beautiful beech tree, about twice as high as our (2 storey) house was, and branches spreading over three gardens. That was the cheapest quote we had (and our neighbours kindly paid some as well).
They didn't use a cherry picker, but there were 3 or 4 men and with having to climb the tree they needed them for safety. It took them all day.

We have an oak in our garden, we have it trimmed every 2 years as it covers some of our neighbours garden too.

You really need to work together with your neighbour on this and avoid falling out. Agree a schedule eg.every 6 months to inspect or get tree inspected and agree on any resulting work. It sounds like she is over vigilant and you are passive. You need to meet in the middle. Take no notice of what people on here think of the quotes, we can't know the circumstances. By both buying your properties you agreed to the TPO.

Your neighbour is either a loon or a chancer.
Big trees creak, especially oaks. They move about, it's how they stay up, bending with the wind.
And she's absolutely banking on you stumping up £2k for your half of work that doesn't need doing.

We live in a TPO covered forest. Every tree even the saplings, has a TPO. You do need planning permission to fo any work. The only exception is if you submit a 5 day notice to do emergency work on a dead or dangerous tree. Even then you have to take photos as proof.

moving trees are not a problem. It’s when they stop moving that you need to worry that they might be about to fall.

You are allowed to trim a tree with a TPO, but you need permission from your local planning authority first.

This. If the booked work is going ahead OP needs to clarify with the tree surgeons what NEEDS doing and what is being done to support the preference of the neighbor. Half of the cost of what needs doing is reasonable to pay (although prior agreement should be sought) but paying half of much bigger works that she wants to have done as a choice shouldn’t happen!

I think that this is exactly what is happening here. She is obsessing over the tree creeking but it doesn't actually need any work done as is healthy and safe. I spoke to her and told her that I won't be paying anything out of choice, also that although I appreciate her proactiveness we need to speak about this things as we did with the previous owner. She said that she will pay for all of it but I wasn't happy with it either. That tree is on my house deeds too and I am also responsible, she can't just do what she wants with it. I need to make sure that an application has been submitted and that everything is done properly, also I feel that the tree is ok as it is. She is not a happy neighbour now😫----

Get it to her in writing so that there's a record.

As the tree is a shared responsibility we both need to agree works to it.

When we spoke on <date> you advised you wanted to have the crown reduced and would pay for the work. As the tree is legally a shared responsibility we both need to agree if and when any work is required.

I do not agree to the current work, because I want to obtain further advice from other tree surgeons on the health of the tree and whether any pruning or reduction is required. As the tree has a TPO I have contacted the council and explained this to them, as it is relevant for their review when considering whether to give permission.

For the future, I'd be grateful if you could discuss with me before instructing tree surgeons or contacting the council to ask for TPO permissions.

PS - and if she's unhappy you could always politely remind her that the tree was there when she bought the property, and presumably her conveyancer made it clear it was a shared responsibility and therefore she doesn't have control over what she does with it?

Thank you! What a nightmare this is!

Why don’t you get a few quotes for the tree to be pruned back to a sensible size. And then schedule annual maintenance to return the tree to the pruned size (depending how quickly it grows). I’m sure your neighbour could write a post about how she’s left to arrange for the tree to be maintained, and if she doesn’t do anything it doesn’t get done.
It’s always easier to have a positive relationship with the people you live near. We aren’t all the same, and that’s what makes us individual. But there has to be a compromise here somewhere. After all, it is just a tree.