Hedge responsibility

[WBWIFE]

So we bought a house to renovate 4 months ago. We are doing it bit by bit as we both work full time, have a toddler and I'm pregnant. So we are down there when we can. It's a detached house and we don't do loud work on an evening. Met the neighbours who seem nice.

Neighbour knock Don last week when my dad was down the house fitting doors. Asked if we could trim our hedge soon on their side of the fence as it's getting long. Apparently old owner used to do it which I can't see as she was older and an alcoholic who barely went out or could string a sentence together...

They've said because the hedge grows from our side that we must trim their side.

I've had a Google as never bene in this situation before, in our old house we'd keep our own gardens tidy. Online says it's their responsibility? Is that right?

I don't want to cause a rift between neighbours but we also don't have time to maintain their garden. And once we do this one thing for them then the requests to do stuff for them might keep coming..

Not sure what to do really.

Oh and said neighbour asked us to take their fence down so they can paint it easier with it led on the floor..

We did say maybe next year in a panic because we were mid way carrying stuff in the house. Did think after can he not just paint the fence on his side as it is? 🙄😂

Oh dear! I’d have probably said next year too as would have been taken aback at the fence one. I’d go back soon and say you have spoken to some fencing people and taking it down would effect the structural integrity and longevity of the fence so it will be needed to be painted in situ.

With the hedge I also think it’s each house trims respective side. I’d go with saying regardless of the arrangement they had with previous owner you are very pushed for time so will be reverting to the normal practice of maintaining their sides of it. If they kick off don’t respond other than ‘I’m sorry you feel that way’ . Don’t get into an argument with them, it isn’t one of you don’t respond. Definitely would deal with this sooner rather than later as they sound like if you give an inch they will take a mile.

You cut your side of they hedge and the top up to the boundary... they do the same on their side.
Proper cheeky fuckery going on right here

Thank you.

I did think that and once I'd googled and said to my dad were supposed to maintain our own sides he kicked off at me saying we shouldn't get into an argument with the neighbours and should trim it for them as it grows from our side and overhangs their fence. That it's common courtesy but that's not what I've read.

Also they have a hush in their garden which overhangs our bakc garden and we just trimmed that back when we moved in and didn't ask them to come and do our side..

They are older maybe early 70s so I do feel bad as we are in our 20s but we are short on time and have more pressing things to do in the house to get moved in, especially now I'm pregnant.

Maybe I'll leave it and wait till they ask us directly as they did ask my dad, and then say that we have always trimmed our own sides in other houses. I just hate conflict and awkward situations.

Chancer, they lnow they are supposed to maintain their own side.

As far as I'm aware (I am not a lawyer) legally, you don't have to and they are entitled to trim it themselves back to the boundary. Morally, it's not quite so clear cut.

I have a hedge growing from my property, which is great for me it gives a lot of privacy. The previous owner, and now myself, whenever it gets its annual trim I get both sides done and works well for myself and the neighbour. But I'm happy with that arrangement.

But agree with the above, if you don't wish to do so then be clear and direct sooner rather than later.

And the fence thing is just odd but a complete aside

Hang on.

Do you even want a hedge? If it is on your side growing onto theirs then why is that their problem?

If you don't want to maintain a hedge then you might want to think about getting it removed and putting a fence in instead.

@08:18TheAlternativeTentacle it's been there for about 20 years. As long as my dad has lived near anyway.

Taking a hedge out like that costs a lot of money which again we do not have after doing a full renovation.. And with me going on maternity leave in the next few months.

As above it says legally that both neighbours are to maintain their OWN sides which has always been the case in our 2 previous homes when we have trimmed our side and the neighbour had a hedge..

'Whether due to height, size, or confusion over ownership, hedge maintenance is a common source of neighbourly disagreement. However UK laws on hedges do offer clarification on who is responsible for taking care of hedges on domestic properties.

Boundary hedges between properties are in fact the responsibility of both neighbours, but the ownership depends on which side of the defined property boundary lines the hedge is growing. You are permitted to trim back any branches or roots that encroach the boundary line onto your property, whether manually or by using a petrol or battery hedge trimmer; however if you cut back any further and go over the boundary line, legally you could be taken to court for damaging your neighbour’s property – so use your trimmer with care.'

@thealternativetentacle

Legally I don't think they can force you unless they can show you are causing a nuisance (unlikely). However as your dad says, do you really want to start getting into an argument?

An example is someone I know was that a friend of mine, their neighbours had the most enormous high hedge and refused to trim it down to a reasonable height. Their whole garden was surrounded by hedges but belonging to the other properties. As a result the soil adjacent to the hedge was absolute dust with roots spreading into their garden. Friends answer was ok if they want to play that game, then she will. They dug a trench down the boundary and it cut all the roots off which is killing off the hedge and if she decides to leave will mean it's likely to blow over as unstable. As a result whole hedge will have to be taken out.

I would swallow and just cut it yourself

I think it’s different to a normal boundary hedge because the hedge is on your side of the fence, so clearly your hedge, not a shared one.

What sort of hedge is it - which species? Some of them grow a heck of a lot faster than others and need to be kept in check, others only need doing once a year.

Depends, if they are in their 70s and possibly unable to do it themselves I would just cut their bit when I did mine. While you don't have to it would be a nice gesture.