Neighbour’s House & Garden

[Mimi15]

Hi all, just looking for some advice/guidance on what, if anything, we can do to help our neighbour and ourselves! Neighbour is early 60s, single and absolutely skint. He’s a lovely man and a quiet, kind neighbour, however his house are garden are running to ruin and encroaching on us and his other neighbour’s gardens and driveways. He has done no maintenance to either in the 10 years since we’ve lived here and both front and back gardens are overflowing and look like jungles. He has a derelict 30 year old car that has never moved and is buried under foliage, grass, trees etc on his drive to give you an idea of how overgrown things are. The growth in the back garden has now caused the fences to collapse and break with his trees and hedges pushing through. They are his fences but we are happy to meet the cost of replacing these. However we’re obviously worried the same thing will happen. He also has a large oak tree in his front driveway that is dangerously overgrown and overhanging whose roots have ripped up part of our block paved driveway but he simply states he cannot afford to have it cut/removed. We’re not too fussed on the drive - we’re quite easy going but I am now starting to worry about the roots spreading near the house/drains and any potential problems they can cause. We are also acutely aware that hygiene and cleanliness are not his priority and as result the odd rat is starting to make an appearance. Financial and physical assistance have been repeatedly offered but he steadfastly refuses. I’ve let it all lie for an easy life in the past but matters are really deteriorating now and feel I need to take some action - is there anything I can do?? Thanks

The tree needs reporting to the council if he won't address it. Definitely not good having such a large type of tree so close to the houses.

With the overgrown stuff pushing on the fences I would probably start cutting it all back to the boundary line regardless, which you are completely entitled to do anyway if anything is overhanging. It doesn't sound like he will even notice if you just crack on.

Perhaps raise your concerns about his welfare with adult social services.

And report the tree/foundation issue to the council?

You can report the rats to the council as well so I would start there.

Well you can take action, the council will come out, speak to him and or he will need to pay someone to tidy it up or the council will clear it and add the fee to his council tax bill.

You can try adult social services, but they aren’t going to clear the garden. Does he really have no money, have you spoken to him. To cut it back probably wouldn’t cost that much.

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. He categorically states he has no money and we’ve seen no evidence of any money so I do tend to believe him. Some good plans to action. I will go and speak to him first before starting anything’or involving anyone.

He may well have no money but also just be aware there are people out there who have plenty of money but simply refuse to spend it.

I'm not too sure that mentioning an overhanging branch or roots to the council will lead to them getting involved at all. That's purely a personal thing between two neighbours.

If roots from the tree were damaging the pavement out front then it is likely that the local council would step in, but not otherwise.

"Financial and physical assistance have been repeatedly offered but he steadfastly refuses."

If that is the case then there is little that you can do. What you can do is to cut back any of his plants that come onto your property.

So, for example, with the oak tree (and any other trees and hedges) you can cut back any overhanging branches and roots back to the property line.

You don't need his permission to do this - if it's overhanging your property or the roots are going under your ground then it's a "nuisance" and you can remove them back to your property line. You'll have to do the work yourself or pay to get it done.

What you cannot do without his permission is to go onto his land and start chopping things down.

As others have said, with the issue of rats then, yes, contact the Environmental Health dept of your local council. however, it is likely that they will only investigate where there is good evidence of an active infestation. You will need to supply plenty of evidence about this.

One way may be to contact a reputable pest control company, they will likely be able to find the evidence of rats if they are coming on to your property.

https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/article/6550/Overgrown-or-untidy-gardens#:~:text=Your%20rights,unless%20it's%20contravening%20the%20law.

In particular

We can serve a Section 215 notice on the owner or occupier in cases where the condition and the appearance of the property or land are detrimental to the surrounding area or neighbourhood. The section 215 notice requires proper maintenance of the property or land in question, and it specifies what steps are required to remedy the problem within a specific time period.

So the Council can take action in cases like this