neighbours leylandii hedge getting too high

[paddingtonbear1]

I hate the things and would get rid if I could, but alas it's not ours. It's at the bottom of our garden behind a fence, but belongs to the people across the way. It's not been cut for a few years and is now getting rather high. We have tidied what we can on our side (the bits overhanging our garden), but we can't do any more. How can we get them to do it? Should we send a polite note? We've never actually met them.

You could try just going and knocking on their dooor and asking nicely!

If they are not understanding and co-operative, I've heard that copper nails banged deep into the trunk kills trees but it takes a couple of years.

Another friend had success with a similar problem but very antisocial and unhelpful neighbours by finding several large roots in her garden, drilling into them and putting concentrated weedkiller (I think it was called roundup or something similar) into the hole!

I would be wary of deliberatly trying to kill them (the trees that is ). They aren't your property and you may become liable to legal action if they discover it was you.

I'd try and talk to them first. If they're not co-operative talk to the CAB - I'm pretty sure you have a right to light in your garden and that there are avenues you can explore that give you more leverage with your neighbours and keep you on the right side of the letter of the law!

oh you might be my neighbours

If so, I've had some quotes and they are all around £500 - so we are saving but NOT THIS YEAR

The law is 2m - if it's above that I think you have a right to have it cut.

Are your neighbours able to cut the hedge? Sorry if it sounds patronising but some people find hedge cutting quite daunting - they may not have the equipment either.
It is nesting time too and they may be leaving it because of that...

Would you be willing to offer cutting their side?