Neighbours massive trees!!

[inmyshoos]

We found a house we love. The only thing is the nieghbouring garden on one side has massive trees (that have been recently topped by the look of them) that puts the house in darkness when the rest of the street is sunny. It didnt feel dark when we viewed it but it was 1pm on a sunny day. Cant imagine it getting much sun in winter.

Would the trees put you off? I love everything else about the house. I just would hate to get into a situation where there was an on going dispute with a neighbour about trees.

neighbouring ffs.....

Yes, the trees would put me off. Unless you can persuade the current owners to reach an agreement with the neighbours to have the trees cut down to a reasonable size before you sign the contracts, then I wouldn't even contemplate putting in an offer.

Yes. It is a deal breaker for me.

Yes. Totally. Not only do you have a dark house but their roots might cause problems with the foundations. A friend lived in a house with trees nearby that were removed. The water previously consumed by the trees caused the ground to swell and his house was literally pushed apart (it is called heave). They are too much trouble - walk away. I feel for the vendors though. Agreements on trees are never watertight and usually lapse pretty quickly because keeping trees in shape and healthy is expensive.

Are they the type that loose their leaves in the winter? I'd go back and visit the house at a time where I could see the effect of the trees inside.

If the trees have been recently lopped then I would suspect the vendor has either asked for it and/or paid for it in the knowledge those trees are an issue when it comes to sell. Also check whether they are the subject of a TPO.

Thanks guys. Definitely not the type of tree to have a tpo. The house backs on to a wood also but this is a positive for us as it is a beautiful nature reserve where we would walk the dogs.
The trees in the neighbours garden have obviously been planted for privacy but in my opinion are way out of control. They are huge, even now they have been topped they are still massive.
One actually looks like it is growing out over the garage of the house for sale which is a worry too!!

Well I certaiy wouldn't buy it if you won't be happy until you ask you neighbour to cut down their trees. You can try asking now to see what the situation is but i feel moving in and then asking the neighbour to do something about their trees will end badly.

Absolutely Rose this is exactly the situation I wouldnt want.

If they don't have a TPO, current owners of house for sale would be within their rights to prune branches back to boundary.

We have a stunning tree with TPO which neighbours object to, but council won't let us cut it back, even though we'd be happy to.
Mind you, it was neighbours who applied for TPO to protect tree when land for our house was released for building...

You can only cut back if it does not damage the tree. Ie you can't cut a tree in half to the boundary just because it "annoys you"

They are expensive to maintain (as owner of two big trees) but also if they are natural trees (ours are - no leilandi) and you are based out in the country etc and the houses are older, trees are not near the houses etc why should they be cut down.

As long as a tree isn't the subject of a TPO or in a Conservation Area, you can legally cut off anything that is overhanging your property (although you have to offer the off cuts back to the owner, for some strange reason!!).

Not if it damages the tree ie threatens its life/ruins it. I have consulted with the Head of Forestry in my local area with this (happens to be my neighbour thankfully)

RB68 - no it's Common Law. The implications of the work undertaken do not come into it. I worked in planning for many years.

I am no expert on trees but definitely looks like these have been planted as a screen around the neighbouring property. I can't remember exactly what they were like and looking on rightove at the pics i can really tell. They could very well be leilandi!

This would absolutely be a deal breaker for me. It would make me think the neighbours were selfish - why would anybody think it was ok to deprive their neighbour of light?

That said my parents bought a house in February with huge conifers to the neighbouring house, they spoke with the owners about how it was affecting their light and they have all been cut down now at the neighbours expense too.