our neighbour wants us to cut back our very large and high ash tree

[RNM]

we've all got big trees in our gardens, they grow big and high (so no one can get sky tv reception on our street only cable) and our nice neighbour wants us to cut back our tree, its in the middle of our garden by the fence between us. our gardens are all 80ft long and 30 ft wide so quite big, and i think the way the sun comes round (south facing) our tree when all green may block some of their sunlight.... not sure?

but anyway now do we have to pay for it? we had the tree in our drive cut back last year for £150, tree much much smaller than the one in the garden.

our neighbour on our other side has about 3 trees up against our other fence, the apple and fig tree drop a lot of fruit in season (rotton by the time it lands and birds get to it) and the rest of the time, we are constantly cutting back big branches etc... so do we get them to cut back their trees?

thoughts anyone please?

[Marlinspike]

We had quotes for tree lopping, and yes, I would say you are looking at £150 - £200. If the neighbour wants the tree cutting, maybe they should at least contribute towards it, of not pay the whole lot?

[TmiEdward]

If they want them cut, they should contribute or pay the total amount. If you want the trees cut on the other side, offer to pay the amount to your neighbour.

[scurryfunge]

If you have no objection to trimming your tree and it is not encroaching on anyone else's land then I would agree to have it cut at either your neighbour's full cost or halve expenses with you. With regards to your other neighbour, if the plants come over onto your land, you can cut them back but you have to offer the cuttings back to the neighbour.

[OpenAmyrillis]

You should check with your council first, it sounds ridiculous but our neighbours were actually fined for taking too much off the top of their tree!!!I'm sure I'm not imagining this!

[grumpypants]

i think there is some recourse your neighbour can make re: tall trees and your council - maybe check your council website. depending on your tree's height and position iyswim?

[scurryfunge]

Yes, you can have preservation orders in place on trees.

[AvengingGerbil]

Ash trees are a particular nuisance because they seed so easily - there is one backing over my garden (not from a neighbour as such) and I have to dig out 30-40 saplings a year from my small patch - and if you don't get them soon enough, they put down deep roots and suddenly you've got a forest.

(Not v helpful, sorry, but seeing 'ash trees' makes me come over all of a tiz!)

[grumpypants]

www.gardenlaw.co.uk/trees.html
does this help?

[OpenAmyrillis]

Bamboo plants are also a bugger, if you don't want your neighbours to smother you in your bed don't plant one next to a dividing fence. Just saying

[RNM]

thanks thats what i thought, when i mentioned costs, she had suggested her son's cut the tree back, but imho to do that they would need to get their spiderman and superman costumes on!! i guess we'll have to agree to split the costs as tbh the tree is no way as big as some of the others in neighbouring gardens! doesnt bother us, but if it does to them then i guess they'll have to pay...

great link grumpy thanks

scurry funny rule, but i am completely happy to give her back her rotton bird bitten fruit and branches!! urgh...

[smashingtime]

Could your dh do it himself or with help? A friend of mine had hers lop off some of the tallest branches and it did take him a few days but obviously cut all the costs!

We had a problem with neighbouring conifer trees but there was nothing we could do legally to get them reduced in height because they were trees and not a hedge. They have since removed them but that is another story....

[TmiEdward]

The trees at the bottom on our garden (in a track behind us, so not actually our trees) have a preservation order on them.
They can only be touched with permission from the council and then only by a certified tree surgeons from an approved list.

One is an oak tree and is so full that in the summer we need the lights on in the middle of the day.

[CointreauVersial]

If it's very big, don't do it yourself. Apart from the safety aspect you can destabilise a big tree badly if you cut off the wrong branches (or end up with a rubbish-looking tree).

Just get a couple of local companies in for quotes. I'm sure your neighbour will split the costs, particularly as you aren't that bothered about having it done, but if it's on your land it's down to you. Is it worth falling out with your neighbours over it??

[minibmw2010]

I think a fair compromise (considering they've asked you to do it) is to get two quotes, pick the best and ask your neighbours to share the costs with you. Otherwise, if you aren't bothered I'd leave it frankly ... but you'd best check with the council first to make sure there's no preservation order. We have one on an oak tree in our back garden and it did take a while to get sorted out as we had to get permission.

[hophophippidtyhop]

We had an ash tree in our garden cut down, same length garden, but half the width, as ash trees can grow a metre a year! Might want to consider growth rate into how much you cut it back by.

[virgiltracey]

You'd know if it had a preservation order on it though. It will be on the property deeds.

Love where we live but every single tree has a preservation order on it including the 150 foot pine swaying dangerously in the high winds at the moment and threatening to crash down onto our roof!

[WorzselMummage]

If they want it done they should pay for it IMO.

We've had several neighbours trees chopped down with their permission and have paid for it ourselves as it's us that wanted them gone.

[clam]

Why are bamboo plants a bugger? We've got those...