Neighbours tall tree blocking house

[Wudgy]

Looking for some advice, found a potentially great house to buy and all going great until we have realised that the neighbours very very tall tree casts shadow into garden all day and by 4 pm the back of the house sunroom, kitchen, even upstairs bedrooms are all in shade due to this tree. It’s hard to decide what neighbour is responsible for this tree as it looks in middle of two different houses. We queried on viewing the tree and estate agent said something like owner has had no reason to have had a conversation about the tree- so has clearly sat in shade for years without doing anything about it. Apart from this the house is perfect but making me uneasy now , we would like the tree trimmed down ( 20 ft) , doesn’t have to be removed. Should we go and approach the two possible neighbours to suss out who’s responsible and how they feel to let us trim it down or go back to owner via agent and get her to? Feel like she definitely won’t and then potential discard us as awkward buyers and go onto another buyer who might not notice / be bother ( has been plenty of interest).
Any advice? There no protection order on tree btw, high hedges order might not cover it as it’s a single tree.

Sun in the garden is crucial to me so if you're the same I'd look for somewhere else...

Find somewhere else.

If buying the house with the tree as it is is a deal breaker for you, this isn't the house for you. Walk away now.

Very few trees can be trimmed for height and remain attractive. Choose another house.

No way should you go to the neighbours to suggest having it brought down to a smaller size to suit you. You can’t expect anyone would do that. It’s completely unreasonable.

If you came to me and asked me to cut down my tree to half it’s height; I’d say no.

If it will bother you, keep looking elsewhere

Thanks , will definitely have to think about it further as no point making plans to buy a house and add an extension into the garden to sit in the shade. I get everyones point thinking I am being unreasonable in asking the neighbours but it is unusual that this tree is so so large and not in keeping with any of the trees around it in size. Will have to decide if it’s worth a shot asking neighbours before completely walking away from house.

Perhaps they value the tree, many people do.

Look, it may be that the tree has grown out of control and the neighbour is equally fed up with it, and they would bite your hand off if you said you pay for it to be trimmed etc.

To have a proper tree surgeon do a crown reduction on a mature tree isn't cheap. We paid £400 last autumn for one tree in our garden to be done. And they grow again quickly. The owner of the tree clearly isn't bothered by the size. So if it bothers you that bad you could offer to pay for it to be done each year... but remembering the neighbour can say no at any time, or that the neighbour may move and new owners may not want it doing.

Basically, if the trees bother you then it's not the house for you. Even if reduced they will still cast shadow.. and as you've already noticed it , it will be one of those things that constantly boggles you as you see the trees grow.

Not quite sure why autocorrect changed niggles to boggles there!

I was quoted nearly £1,000 to have a tree removed from my garden. No access can make it very pricey, alongside being on a boundary.

We were in the process of buying our current house and I went for a nosey around the property ( empty house ). The next door neighbour came out and first thing she said was can we cut the big tree down as it’s blocking all the light into their house 😀. We were planning on taking it down anyway as it was too big to be where it was.

I would round to the neighbours and ask them about it , it’s worth a try .

What is it about people buying houses and objecting to the trees that have often been there a long time? The only way you would be in any way reasonable is if it’s something like a large leylandi type tree. If it’s anything else, particularly a specimen YABVVU. Just find another house. Though tbf i would quite like a large tree shading my house on hot summer days, making the bedrooms less unbearable in the heat.

It may also be soaking up loads of water, a house we lived in previously had neighbours large tree removed and it got damp within 12 months - careful what you wish for.

Then I suggest you plant one, pick one that grows fast and you will have some shade.

@Springchickpea yes it’s a very large leylandi tree, Wouldn’t suggest removing / cutting otherwise!
Hedges also but they have been cut back a bit.
Thanks to everyone, it’s worth a visit to the neighbours first I think later this week and proceed from there. Would be gutted to lose the house as very very little choice around here but equally wouldn’t like to live in the shade forever!

Given you don’t even own the house, tbh I’d think you were a bit mad if you approached us as the neighbours and started asking about cutting down the tree.

As the owner of the house you’re trying to buy, I definitely wouldn’t want to ask my neighbours about the demands of my potential buyer. The tree is nothing to do with the owner of the house you’re offering on. You could see the tree when you put the offer in.

I wouldn’t talk to the neighbours/ I would demand that the tree be trimmed back before purchase, it’s up to the current owner to have the convo. Don’t buy on a promise that a neighbour may cut it etc. Also tree cutting is extortionate so don’t bear the cost if you can avoid it.

Wow, you are some kind of special thinking it's ok to knock on a randoms door and ask them to cut a tree down because you might buy the house next door.

I'd tell you to fuck right off.

Is your name Karen?

Some people might like idea of removing a large tree in their garden ? But the cost of taking them down is too much for them.
If you offer to pay for the removal they might be happy with that.

If someone came to my house and asked me to alter something in mine because they might buy the opposite one id tell you to fuck off.

If it IS a Leylandii and it is affecting the 'enjoyment' of your property, then the Council do have powers to enforce them being cut to a reasonable height.....

What is it about people buying houses and objecting to the trees that have often been there a long time? Exactly. We live in a manor house converted to apartments, with a very large garden and lots of mature trees (some 200+ years old). 20 years ago an estate was built at the back of our garden and we now have about 9 gardens backing onto ours. Every year we have issues with neighbours complaining about one or other of the trees: they block light, they drop leaves, they're dangerous (?). Apart from the fact most have preservation orders on them so we can't cut them down even if we wanted to, why do people buy properties near established, mature trees and then get stroppy about them?

In your position, there's no harm in asking, but other neighbours may actually like the tree.

@Chumleymouse was that at me? We have several large oaks at the bottom of the garden, but the garden itself is so big (1/2 acre) that they are too far from the house. It’s not really practical to plant something so big much closer, just from a garden layout POV. But our old house had a large specimen beech at the end of a the neighbour’s garden, and that was lovely in high summer.

@Wudgy definitely a leylandi and not another conifer eg some kind of Cypress? Leylandi would be an odd choice for a specimen but can be topped (they end up pretty ugly though). As a tree owner, I hate when people come round moaning about large established trees doing their tree thing. You can ask, but might not get the reception you want, and might annoy your seller. This might not be the house for you.