Neighbours' trees -- how best to approach the subject

[Heartsease]

We've just bought our first property, which we're renovating right now and hoping to move in very soon. The garden is one of the main attractions and gets sun most of the day, apart from a couple of hours when it disappears behind two enormous conifers on the neighbour's land which form part of their hedge (which is otherwise non-coniferous and a perfectly OK height).

Obviously what we have to do is approach them and find out what they think, and also whether or not they are the owner, but I wondered if anyone had any tips on how best to go about managing it all. It's such a common scenario, and I know it sometimes turns into a bad situation, which we really wouldn't want, especially not as the new folks. Should we offer to pay the full cost, if they (and/or the owner) agree to it, or would it be normal to expect them to go halves? I imagine it's not going to be cheap. Any sage insights welcome...

That's exactly the kind of story I need to hear, knickerelasticjones! I hope that will be the scenario. Until very recently they had ivy growing over the actual window panes, so I think it's fair to say they are not hugely pro-active about vegetation. But maybe that's because they really love it. I will make no assumptions and start by doing nothing at all.

Scaryteacher -- I'm shocked. The next chapter in my story with the ladder neighbours was that their raw sewage all came up outside my back door, right under my bedroom window. They denied it was anything to do with their extension until MY landlord paid to have a camera put down and found their builder had chucked a teatowel into one of their drains. They never said sorry.

Actually, it's becoming clear why I might have a little bit of neighbour paranoia...

My neighbour has just got men in to cut down two of her very large conifirs and cut back to a reasnable height her other, Imissed the green at first! i really wasn't that bothered and did let her know - she explained though they really were to big and to get them done now before it cost lots and lots and her trees where over 10 m

Why not see what your neighbour thinks to the trees? It maybe they are waiting to get them done?

offer to help with the cost

I actually relish having shady areas in the garden. Perfect place to put the paddling pool in the summer and have picnics out of full sun.