Neighbours conifer not maintained

[OwZ321]

Hi,

Photo attached.

We moved in to our house last year. When we first moved in our house and garden needed a lot of tlc. We've been gradually working our way through the garden. We haven't got a great relationship with our neighbours due to them constantly complaining about noise during our house renovation.

We've been living here a year now and was hoping that our neighbours would trim their conifer at least once a year but this hasn't happened. The conifer is so large and is blocking the light in our back bedrooms and garden, we are hoping to trim back our side but how should I bring up the discussion with them trimming their hedge and maintaining it? Am I being unreasonable to want them to do it?

Many thanks

You can just trim back your side, with no discussion with them.

Re the height, if they are happy with it then they don’t need to do anything with it, but if you offer to pay for it or pay half then they might?

You can trim your side only. You can offer to pay to get their side trimmed. It was there when you bought the house though and they may want it there to block the view from your trampoline

Chop it down your side. You don't need their permission. I bloody hate conifers that get left to get that big in a garden. Especially so close to a fence.

That looks like a Leylandii. They grow up to 90cm a year. Reducing the height would need to be done on a regular basis. I wouldn’t offer to pay - you could create a precedent where the neighbours expect you to pay every year.
I sympathise OP. My own unpleasant neighbours have a similar monstrosity in their front garden, planted far too close to the corner of my house. I just hope the roots don’t damage the foundations or gas main…

I have similar neighbours. Their trees are higher than their roof. Bloody leylandis.

You can only cut back what overhangs your property and you must offer it back to them. So I’d suggest speaking to the council to see if there are any laws in your area about such things.

And if so I’d prob mention it to the neighbours and half in to have the tree chopped back to a reasonable height if you want to make up for the renovation noise and be on friendly terms.

It has to be done before birds nest I think so you’d need to checkj that out too.

You're not unreasonable to want them tom domit, but you can't compel them at all.

The tree WAS there when you bought the house, so you can't really go complaining about it taking your light, either!

But you can of course chop your side to the fence. But it will turn brown and look shit. You could also offer to pay to have it removed but they might say no.

How many are there? Have you got conifers on your side that you have removed the lower branches of?

If they have several, they are covered under the high hedges act. You can contact the council.
Have you tried a bottle of wine for the noise and a conversation about the tree?

Our leylandii was like that when we moved in - we had it substantially cut back. You are free to trim your side although you have to offer your neighbours any cuttings.
It cost £450 to have ours reduced in height, so with the rising cost of living they may not be in a position to pay for it to be done. You can only ask though.
You should really wait until Autumn to do any cutting back too, as you might disturb nesting birds if you do anything now.

From the picture, it doesn’t look like it overhangs your garden all that badly.
I’ve certainly seen a lot worse.

I think it looks lovely tbh, I’m well envious of your NDNs tree.

It was there before you moved in too so I think you have zero grounds re light.

Leylandi don't grow back if you cut them sideways. So if you cut it back it shouldn't grow back.

Be careful about too aggressively cutting it back as if you cut past the green it will not grow back and will just look brown and ugly.

Just talk to them. They might not realise how it affects you.