To tell my neighbour he's a fucking knobhead

[NobbyNeighbour]

So we have a bungalow at the back of us, always got on with the lady who lived there. We have a thick conifer hedge between us which is about 8ft tall. It's our hedge, dh cuts the height and our side. Occasionally she would ask us to cut her side and being nice I would send dh to do it even though technically it's her responsibility.

Her adult (in his 40s) son moved in and the word is in the village he's not nice but I never had anything to do with him. Then last year he came banging on our front door ranting at dd about the hedge. Told her "tell your parents they've got till 5pm tonight to decide what they're doing, either they cut my side of the hedge this weekend or I cut it and send them the bill". Really shouty. I didn't bother going round to discuss with him as I knew neither option would be occurring. It was a foot deep in snow so hardly hedge cutting weather and I'm not paying for something that's his responsibility. He's never been back and hasn't cut the hedge.

Then yesterday evening he lights a bonfire 2ft from our hedge. It's not the first big fire he's had on the boundary but this was the worst. Right on our side of the hedge we have a garden office. The flames were at least 9ft high, I could see them over the hedge. He's a cowboy builder and often has bonfires as he burns stuff from his work. Ash was raining down all over the garden. I was scared for the hedge and garden office, I could smell petrol so think he'd put petrol on it. There were little bangs and explosions so God knows what he was burning. I started shouting at him and he was laughing and shouting "you need to cut your hedge". I lost my shit at that point and called him a fucking knobhead and dialled 999. Fire brigade put the fire out. But apparently he felt I was overreacting. Stupid idiot has actually burnt the fascia board on his own garage!

I don't even think he's doing it to try and damage the hedge, I just think he's as thick as mince and doesn't give a shit. Apparently he's always threatening people in the village. I know he was mouthing off in the shop a bit ago threatening to burn some people out if he found who had objected to his planning permission.

So while I'm still mad as hell I'm also slightly nervous! I videoed quite a bit yesterday, not sure if I contacted the council whether they'd talk to him about the bonfires but guess I can't prove he's burning non domestic stuff?

Just ring the fire brigade every time he has a bonfire.

As for the rest, give as good as you get.

999 is there for a reason, either for fires or for feeling threatened or intimidated. Don't listen to Mumsnet, because no one here sees any point in calling 999 unless you have a limb hung off and the Texas chainsaw massacre is happening while the town is burning down. If you feel threatened or there is another fire use 999.

I have an equally dickish neighbour, I called the fire brigade last time he did it, it was out of control and he was standing there with a petrol can.

He sounds unhinged and u were right to call 999. But if the hedge is on your property with roots etc then it is your responsibility so cut the other side. Yes he could do it and has to offer the branches back but it is yours to sort out I believe. Not a lawyer just seen the advice on here before.

I'm not sure and we probably need to look into this more. At the time we couldn't do it due to a combination of snow and piles of rubble. The piles of rubble and also excavated holes remain in his garden right up to the hedge, he's literally being excavating with a mini digger for months. It's like a building site, I'm not going in, it's not safe. You couldn't stand on a step ladder. If it's a safe environment and he talks to us rather than ranting we'll think about it.

I called 999 once when my young neighbours had a bonfire about a foot from my fence on November 5th. Police came and made them put it out.

I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of anyone who likes to go around threatening to burn places and demonstrates a recklessness around fire. Engage with him as little as possible, if he starts uncontrollable garden fires- call the fire brigade. Document any harrassment or threats.

The neighbour is definitely a knob for the way he's behaved. If you've been cutting your neighbours side of the hedge up til now then maybe there was an expectation, but he could have asked politely. He should be maintaining his side, as legally you're not allowed on his property, but he's only permitted to cut anything that protrudes over his boundary.

You do realise the law on hedges (or trees forming a hedge) is to keep them a maximum of 2 metres? That's roughly 6.5 feet, not 8 feet, so he could complain about that.

We're still cutting the height and our side. He seems to expect we should be cutting his side. I've just been googling and it is his responsibility to cut his side up to the boundary.

I appreciate it's maybe a bit higher than it should be, but it's been this height for 30 years and he doesn't seem to have an issue with the height, just the spreading out sideways as they get quite bushy. I think it would look ridiculous at 6.5ft high.

I think it’s reasonable to want you to cut the hedge. He sounds like a knob. I’d agree to do it once a year, maybe every November. I’d call 999 if he has reckless bonfires.🔥

It’s not your neighbours responsibility to cut YOUR hedge, it’s YOUR responsibility.

But she can’t go into his property to cut it, especially after all this, whereas he can cut it himself

That sounds scary.

Our neighbour always cut "our" side of his hedge. As he says, it's not our fault we"ve got this big prickly thing next to us and why should we have to find tools, industrial strength gloves and time for it just because they chose to grow it next to us? We were grateful every time he cut it, but much more grateful when he removed it! I'm not saying setting fire to stuff is at all a proportional response, obvs.

How deep is the hedge? If it's yours why are you not cutting it all at once.
We have an 8ft hedge on our boundary that's about 3-4 ft deep. Dh cuts its monthly and just does it all from our side with extendable electric shearers. We want the hedge to look nice so wouldn't want half of it cut and the other half higher.

You do realise the law on hedges (or trees forming a hedge) is to keep them a maximum of 2 metres? That's roughly 6.5 feet, not 8 feet, so he could complain about that.
That is for fencing not hedges. But I'm happy to be educated on this - which country is this law for and can you provide a link?

It’s maybe 3ft deep. But we couldn’t cut it without being on his land and it’s a total building site. Big holes, piles of rubble 6 ft across and 4ft high. It wouldn’t be safe to try.

Dh cuts the height the whole way across from our side. It’s not the top the neighbour wants us to cut. It’s the vertical side on his side

Is his mum dead or did he move in with her?

TBH you all sound horrible. He is indeed a knobhead for being aggressive and lighting fires. Your attitude towards the hedge on his side not being your problem marks you out as similar in my book. The odd trim for his mum was fine, but its not fine now. Its your hedge. Regrdless of the law etc its your hedge and he obviously is sick of it. IMO you have a responsibility to see it from his POV an maintain it to his satisfaction or at least make the effort. ITS YOUR HEDGE.

Just happy its similar minded people getting each others backs up

The law relating to fences not being in excess of two metres applies only to fences, not hedges.

Op maintains her hedge. There is no obligation to maintain the hedge on her neighbours side or on her own side for that matter. The neighbour can cut back any growth that protrudes over the boundary. He is supposed to give back the branches and greenery he has cut.

If the neighbour is unhappy he should approach the council and make a complaint under the Anti social Behaviour Act 2003 part 8. The council will only be concerned with the height and whether it is excessive in relation to the surrounding properties and stops views or light.

I was also wondering what has happened with his mum, he seems to have taken over the property?

I'd be very wary of him as he seems to turn to setting fires and threats of fire rather too readily for my liking. I'd be more inclined to trim the hedge that I've chosen to have (what species is it?) to keep the peace, if the ground on the neighbour's side was even and safe to put ladders on. Otherwise it's a Nope...

If the son is in his 40s she’s at least likely to be in her 60s maybe 70s.

personally I think it’s dickish not to offer to keep it trimmed at her side too. It may be on her side but it’s your bloody hedge and it’s impacting her and causing her stress, energy and expense.

she wouldn’t have any of this if you didn’t have the hedge.

Ive lived next to 15 foot conifers, my paths were always green the foliage blocked my light and grass wouldn’t grow near them.

Do the right thing, sounds like the son is bullying you because you’re causing his mum stress.

Edited to add, we all know what the legal position is, but some people don’t have any moral understanding.

Lots of misinformation on this thread.

Here's a good article on hedge law. I love that this country is so petty that we have hedge laws 🤣

https://www.blbsolicitors.co.uk/blog/hedge-law-uk/

Anyway, the gist is, that OP should be ensuring that the hedge does not damage property but there's no obligation for her to cut neighbour's side.

Also, there is a law about maximum hedge height, but other factors need to be included for it to be considered an issue, mainly, light reduction.

Classy

Has he got planning permission to build anything in the garden? Check your local district planning portal regularly!

it’s your hedge so in my opinion you should trim it.