Neighbours plants over hanging boundary line

mdw

Hi,

I just need a little help on this. My neighbours and I share a front garden, ie there is no wall between us up until recently we both had grass and would take turns cutting the whole lot. However they recently dug up their half and planted a hedge type plant down the boundary line. It is impossible for me to cut my grass without cutting their plants that over hang our grass/boundary line. they got a little upset to this fact. I recommended we stick a fence/wall down the middle so it does not happen again and we split the cost of it. But they said I should but it down because it is me who is damaging their plants in my garden!!!!! Does anyone if I am allowed to cut their plants if the are on my side of the boundary????

Thanks

snellers

sounds like your prob could get messy if not addressed soon....seems strange that they aren;t being very accomodating to your suggestion of a fence.....which is the most sensible option to the dilemma.
Although it sounds like they are acting childish i really think you should pursue the idea of sharing costs......maybe it would be worthwhile getting a quote from a local company and then see the neighbours.

put it to them it would be madness falling out over a few square foot of ground and again suggest the fence solution (you don;t want to annoy them by cutting overhanging plants but equally they need to see from your perspective-

other than that if they aren;t willing to accomodate then you need to decide whether a fence is what you want....if it is then I would suggest ensuring you use the absolute full amount of your boundary (to the nearest inch) - get your boundary info from the county council if you don't have so you know your rights and take what is rightfully yours.
if no fence then you can take the decision to do nothing - continue to cut whatever is lying on your grass .....although it probably isn;t the best decision for your own sanity!

best of luck!

gaz wac

Hi MDW,

A neighbour of ours is well up on the aul law, and he had a huge tree next door to him and half the tree used to be on his side of the wall, but I do know, every year or two he gets a bloke to come in, cut all the branches from the wall up and then gives all the branches back to the neighbour (still his property) to despose of !! Somthing in the law saying its up people with tree to make sure its not crossing anyones boundary lines and if it does, there are responsible to despose of it
link: http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/trees.html

Minder

Unfortunately, I'm not up on the law, but I believe the deeds to the property will set out the liability for boundary fences etc. It is common to allocate a boundary to one property rather than splitting the liability, so for example, you may be responsible for the boundaries on the left of your property as you look at it from the front, your neighbour is also responsible for the boundaries to the left of his property.

It is why you often get post and rail fencing with the fair face showing on one side of the garden, and the rail side showing on the other side of the garden. If you put it up, you have the fair face on your side of the garden.

Check the deeds.