To wonder what great aunts options are here?

[KaplanCarr]

I help my great aunt (85) with admin and bits and bobs as whilst mostly independent she’s struggling more with every day tasks. She’s lived in the same house for many years and the back garden has mature trees 40 years olds at least I’d say, I think silver birch. They are very high.

A couple of years ago a neighbour at the back asked if she’d get them cut down a bit so she agreed and they paid a bit toward the cost too as she’s barely got any money. She’s not so fond of the trees that she refuses to cut them, it’s simply that it costs a fortune and she doenst have the money readily available and they’ve never been an issue for many years.

Today the next door neighbour knocked on GA door saying the were concerned about the trees in the wind etc…they offered to it towards them being cut back but £100 won’t go far, you’re taking close to a grand. I can understand their concern, however the trees have been there and like that for many many years, more than the new neighbours have lived there in. They bought their house about 4 years ago and nothings has changed, they haven’t suddenly grown, so they knew there were large mature trees, so part of me thinks well you can’t complain because they haven’t just appeared.

My aunt is worried about what will happen and she’s not against having them cut back but she simply hasn’t got the money to pay as she lives off her pension and has very little in savings. As I say you’d be looking at the best part of a grand I’d say easily so what the heck can be done?

Has she got house insurance on the building? It usually has public liability up to £1m or more (mine has anyway) wouldn’t that cover if she was sued for a falling tree.? Although I think it’s the problem of the property it falls on to get it removed, so the neighbours need to make sure they have insurance. When you take out buildings insurance there’s a question of if there’s any mature trees over a certain height near your house.

She should be covered by her building insurance, just check. It is more likely he does not like the leaf drop.

Tell him to bugger off

Behave… Not many people these days have a thousand pounds knocking around for tree maintenance fgs.

OP, it sounds like the neighbours are being over cautious about the tree because of the increase in winds and storms. Just tell them if they want it taking down, then they should pay for it. They can’t enforce anything unless the tree is in a dangerous condition.

I’d get an arborcologist out to do a survey. Then you know what you are dealing with.

1. nothing to worry about, share report with neighbours. Ends
2. remedial work, low cost
3. will need work in time, you can plan for it
4. urgent work required, use house insurance if she can’t afford it.

This

I'm guessing they don't like the amount of leaves dropping into their garden or maybe the trees cut out some of their light? If they don't look wonky they most likely aren't going to topple over. But perhaps ask your aunt for details of her insurance and see what the cover is.

There's a reason we have tall old trees in the UK. It's because they don't just fall over at the drop of a hat especially ones within gardens that tend to be fairly sheltered by surrounding housing from the worst of high winds.

Unless she has a reason to think the tree is unstable, rotting, excessive play in wind, then I would just ignore them.

We have lots of mature trees nearby. Our house insurance only asks for details of any that are within 5m of building. - none. They've never asked me for a tree survey and I've had lots of questions with them to ensure we are fully insured. Our neighbours tree is likely to be 100 years old.

Silver birches sway in the breeze so are far less likely to fall in a storm. Unless they’re diseased they’ll be fine.

Quick update

Ive had a good AI conversation and it says if there are mushrooms on the lawn and it’s not leaning it sounds healthy in that it’s a normal occurrence. If it was mushrooms growing on the bark etc it say ls that’s a sign of a diseased tree

Hi @KaplanCarr .

It might be worth talking to Citizens Advice and Help the Aged/Age Concern to see if she can access any grant money to have the trees looked at by a professional. And possibly pruned/cut back ...

Tree Preservation Order.

My late parents had a silver birch tree in their garden since before my birth. They brought it back from the local garden centre in the car with the boot open in about 1977. When we sold the house last year it was maybe 40-50 feet tall, and they had maybe 2 ft cut off every couple of years. I find it very hard to believe "hey bought their house about 4 years ago and nothings has changed, they haven’t suddenly grown" I would say that is about 4 ft of growth. That's significant. Your aunt needs to get them cut. That's her responsibility. She knew this when she bought a house with fast growing trees in the garden.

Those people saying she should get someone out, she should get a loan, she should ask Citizens Advice, pay for a survey - just, behave! Why on earth should she be forced to spend money she doesn't have, on a problem she doesn't have?

There's nothing wrong with having mature trees in a garden. Most older houses do. They do not need cutting down because neighbours don't like them. You don't need to 'regularly review' whether they are safe.

Do you all live on new build estates? I've never known anyone cut a tree down unless it was diseased or dangerous. And I've lived in my current house (with mature trees) for 30 years.

These respinses are mad. Neighbours obviously spoke to each other and are trying to worry your aunt into doing something they want. Go see them and tell them to stop. Highly unlikely the trees are any issue the just dont like them. Tell your aunt not to worry she can leave them as they are.

We have a tree at the end of our garden and it seemed fine. Then in a storm last year part fell and crushed our neighbour’s shed!
My husband is now taking it down bit by bit. It was 50ft tall when he started.
Storms are more frequent now and she needs to get them checked

yes trees are important i have a 50ft common ash

No that’s not the situation. I called them mature trees as they are very high and wild and have been for as long as I can remember. They were significantly high when they bought their house. Even if they grew a few extra inches that’s nothing when they were very high to begin with. As I say no one has complained before other than a neighbour over the back (who also bought the house knowing tehu were there. My aunt did pay towards getting them cut back but it’s very expensive to have them cut back as I say it’ll be in excess of a grand. They probably did get them cut down initially but why my uncle died she wasn’t able to financially.

You say she knew that when she bought the house with fast growing trees (before I was born) but the same can be said for people who buy a house next door then ‘have concerns’.

House insurance does not cover problems you should have tackled.its for unforeseen issues.
If they are not dangerous, she just says she can't afford it, but if they want to organise and pay for them to be cut down that's fine.

There is a national map here:

https://tposearch.co.uk/

I would tell them if they would like them cut down they can pay for it. And that is afar as she is willing to go. Honestly no need to worry about inspections or anything else. I can’t possibly imagine a 40tr old silver birch has a TPO on it. But she should stand firm that their worries are not her concern but she is happy to accommodate them paying to trim them down.

Lots of stuff here. As an ex house insurance claims manager can i add some stuff

If the trees don't look obviously damaged or diseased then if there is anything blown off in a storm that causes damage to the neighbours property insurance would cover it under her legal liability as a householder.

If the trees look fine, then she need do nothing. If the neighbours have bits overhanging their garden they can cut back to the fence line and as someone said they must offer you the bits cut off. If you don't want it becomes their responsibility to dispose. That goes backto the time where all wood was valuable for fires etc.

Bottom line if there is no visible damage or sickness in the trees, your aunt need do nothing. She is fine.

Thank you so much for this information, it’s very much appreciated! She’s been quite upset by it and doesn’t want to fall out with people but I’m of the opinion they bought the house next to mature tress so they can have them chopped but they’ll have to do it at their expense if they’re that concerned.

At last someone talking sense!! All these people saying she should pay, it's her responsibility, etc. are just spouting rubbish for the sake of having something to say.

I can't help wondering how many of the people saying she should pay for someone else's 'wants', when she has no money, would be willing to do what they're suggesting if they were in the same position.

OP, please just tell your Aunt that she has nothing to worry about, and tell the neighbours that they chose to buy their property in the full knowledge that the trees were there. If they had surveys done, it's likely that the surveyor would have mentioned the trees if they noticed them and thought they were dangerous, and finally, tell them to make sure they have good buildings insurance as that way they won't have to worry even if the worst should happen, which is unlikely. Personally, I think your G.A. is being very generous in agreeing to let them trim the trees or remove them, if THEY are prepared to pay, as if it were me, they wouldn't have a hope in hell of me agreeing to them chopping back nice trees, unless they were actually overhanging their property, in which case they are legally entitled to do so.

Anecdote not evidence but honey fungus in our tree was first noticeable as mushrooms on the lawn. Also I think silver birch are an unusually short lived species so maturity is a mixed blessing.

It's probably fine but I wonder if you could help her get a tree surgeon or two out to safety check them and quote for any work if recommended. If no professionals have looked at them for several years it's not a bad idea anyway, and if they are fine as you strongly suspect then that is perfect ammo to say no to the neighbours.