Neighbour request to cut down trees

Baby01032012

We bought our home last April. We have a medium size garden with very tall trees at the end of the garden. We like the trees, more for the privacy they give. They are our trees in that they are inside our border with the garden behind us. There is a small fence directly behind these trees that defines the border. None of our neighbouring gardens seem to have such tall trees. Some neighbours cut their own trees down last year.
The neighbours who's garden backs onto ours called to our door recently. They want to come to some sort of arrangement to cut down the trees. They say that the trees are blocking sunlight into their garden and their kitchen is overshadowed. As I said we quiet like the height of the trees and privacy they give and before their approach had no plans to do anything to the trees.
What would be a reasonable response to their request.

Many thanks.

Whosthis

You could have them reduced in height, you would retain your privacy and they would get more light. What height are the trees?

Rubberchikken

a reasonable response would be to leave aside your love for these trees and just for a minute put yourself in their shoes and see things from thier side.

very tall trees do give privacy but they also block out sunlight and eventually can place a small garden in shade on even the sunniest day. also in a storm they could come crashing down.

we have a very large garden. we have no houses directly behind us. we had a row of large evergreens that over the past 20+ years have grown to 70+ feet in height. the lack of sunlight started getting noticable 2 years ago so a couple of them were taken down. last year on that very stormy day in feb one more came down.

these trees only affect us. if they affected anyone else i'd give some thought to it. neighbourly relationships and all that.

Manach

While AFAIK there is no corresponding right to light to a neighbour and if the trees do not impinge on any of the property of the neighbour then per se there is not a legal impetus to cut down the trees , the importance of having a good relationship with the neighbour is a factor. So as 2nd poster said trimming them would seem a reasonable compromise.

thomas anderson.

The neighbours behind me have tress that are 30 feet tall and it is an absolute nightmare. We have no sunlight in our garden during the summer.

We have approached our landlord but nothing has been done.

Don't be a dick and cut your trees

galljga1

Whosthis wrote: »

You could have them reduced in height, you would retain your privacy and they would get more light. What height are the trees?

Would have to go with this suggestion. Was in a similar situation in the last house. If these are the dreaded leylandis, they can get out of hand pretty quickly. I would keep them at a height which gives you privacy and allows them to be maintained easily.

beauf

Agree with the others. Compromise and cut them shorter giving privacy and giving light to the neighbour.

Greenmachine

The trees didn't grow overnight. Perhaps get a quote for them to trimmeda little if they are particularly tall, and forward to your neighbour, who has complained. . Don't remove them completely if you enjoy the privacy they provide

TheDriver

agree with the above, and nothing worse than unmaintained, wild trees

SoftMicro

Have the neighbours offered to pay towards reducing the height of the trees?

Do you think it's feasible to reduce the height of the trees?

It would be worth getting a tree surgeon to come out and go through options etc

qt3.14

About how tall are the trees OP? And how long is their garden?

That'll tell you just how overshadowed their place is and how low you can cut them without impacting on your privacy from say, their upper floor.

Whosthis

qt3.14 wrote: »

About how tall are the trees OP? And how long is their garden?

That'll tell you just how overshadowed their place is and how low you can cut them without impacting on your privacy from say, their upper floor.

The height you can cut them to will really depend on the height of the tree, you can remove about one third of the tree and it will remain alive and healthy, any more and it will die off.

wandatowell

Retain your privacy of course but I'd take a few feet off the top.

Even if it wasn't enough to satisfy the neighbour I'd doubt they'd come a second time asking you to chop some more off.

nc19

thomas anderson. wrote:

Don't be a dick and cut your trees

bollix!

don't be bullied. do what YOU want

P. Breathnach

nc19 wrote: »

bollix!

don't be bullied. do what YOU want

I would hope that what OP wants is to be a good neighbour, and have good relations with those living nearby.

yabadabado

Get a quote to see how much it will cost to get them reduced in height.Pass the quote onto your neighbour as you had no intention of cutting down the tree's I dont see why you should pay towards it.
If your neighbour agrees to cover all costs then get in the tree surgeon and agree on the height they will be reduced to.

I wouldnt put a penny towards the cost.

Mousewar

Yes, compromising and having them reduced in height but not removed altogether is probably a fair compromise.

However, I would make sure that the tree surgeon is one that you hire and one that you instruct on the job. Do not let your neighbours hire and instruct the surgeon themselves. The people behind my parents' house came to them with the exact same request a few years back. They asked if they could hire someone to 'trim the trees'. My father agreed, realising they had gotten a bit high. Three days later he came home to find one of the two trees in the garden almost completely gone and the second one moments away from destruction. He had to run out and roar at the treecutter before the second tree was ruined as well.

stimpson

Suit yourself OP. When we moved in to our house we had the neighbour from behind around to us in the first week about the trees. We chopped a leylandii at considerable expense to ourselves.

A few weeks later we were approached about the Eucayptus, which we event silly topped. It has since grown back to its original height, but has gained some width too. Cue neighbours back around to ask us to chop it. I refused but told him he could trim any beaches overhanging his property - which he has a legal right to do.

There is no legal right to light or a view, and while I sympsthise a bit, I think my desire for privacy trumps his desire for light. The fact that he didn't offer to contribute to my costs had some bearing too. Had he been reasonable I may have done more.

nc19

P. Breathnach wrote:

I would hope that what OP wants is to be a good neighbour, and have good relations with those living nearby.

haven't spoken to my next door neighbour in yrs. Can't stand him. We fell out over his unreasonable demands on things on my property. Don't know any of the other neighbours names and don't want to. Neighbours are over rated

Shoutcast Ireland

nc19 wrote: »

haven't spoken to my next door neighbour in yrs. Can't stand him. We fell out over his unreasonable demands on things on my property. Don't know any of the other neighbours names and don't want to. Neighbours are over rated

No truer words

pawrick

If you do agree to reduce their height make sure you are there while the work is being done and that the reduced height is agreed beforehand. also that who ever cutting them is covered to do so on your property.

Duckjob

Baby01032012 wrote: »

We bought our home last April. We have a medium size garden with very tall trees at the end of the garden. We like the trees, more for the privacy they give. They are our trees in that they are inside our border with the garden behind us. There is a small fence directly behind these trees that defines the border. None of our neighbouring gardens seem to have such tall trees. Some neighbours cut their own trees down last year.
The neighbours who's garden backs onto ours called to our door recently. They want to come to some sort of arrangement to cut down the trees. They say that the trees are blocking sunlight into their garden and their kitchen is overshadowed. As I said we quiet like the height of the trees and privacy they give and before their approach had no plans to do anything to the trees.
What would be a reasonable response to their request.

Many thanks.

Does any part of any of the trees hand beyond the boundaries of your garden? ie. if the walls/fences between you and the neighbours all grew up vertically would there be contact with the trees? If the answer is yes then you really need to get it sorted.

In any case, it sounds like a reasonable request from your neighbours. I would agree with others that you should try to accomodate them in some way.

dazed+confused

The amount of a tree that can be pruned safely is entirely species specific. The OP did not mention what type of trees they are so it's impossible to say whether thinning or topping them is the best course of action. Consult a qualified tree surgeon.

the_syco

Consult a qualified tree surgeon, and consider that the trees were put between the neighbours for a reason. Unless the neighbour said they'd give you money, don't even think about doing it. And if they did, ensure you have that in writing before you get someone to do the job, in case the neighbours forget to ever pay up.

seamus

There is a pretty straightforward solution. Obviously you don't have to do anything, but a neighbour that you're on reasonable terms with is better than one that thinks you're an asshole.

You can both maintain your privacy and allow your neighbour to get the light. Your trees don't need to be any higher than the windows on the back of your neighbour's property. This in probably about 5 metres. At most - in reality 3 or 4 metres would be enough, depending on the size of your gardens.

So you can trim the trees, keep your privacy and have a happy neighbour. It's win-win.

As others have said, get a tree surgeon, get a quote from him, and present that quote to your neighbour. Do not let him get someone else in to do it, and insist that the tree surgeon does the work from your side (i.e. under your supervision).

Uno my Uno.

the OP isn't obliged to do anything in my view and it wouldn't be unreasonable to refuse to take any action. It's their property and their tree, no one else has any right or expectation to ask them to do anything with it.

Having said that there may be good reason to trim or remove the tree, the danger of it falling in a storm would probably be top of the list, only the OP can say how likely this is. Keeping nice with the neighbours would be way down the list for me, who knows if lopping the tree will keep the neighbours friendly or if they will turn nasty at all.

Certainly if I were to agree to their request to have the tree trimmed I would expect the neighbours to pay for it.

seamus

Uno my Uno. wrote: »

Keeping nice with the neighbours would be way down the list for me, who knows if lopping the tree will keep the neighbours friendly or if they will turn nasty at all.

It's a simple win/lose proposition.

Refuse: Potentially piss off a neighbour. Gain nothing.
Agree: Don't piss off a neighbour. Lose nothing.

Plenty of people don't care about their neighbours, but a neighbour who actively doesn't like you is not something you need. Since the OP has nothing to lose by accepting a reasonable request, refusing it just because you can, is unreasonable.

runawaybishop

Unless the trees are substantially trimmed they will probably regrow and block the light again in a couple of years. If they are leylandii though they will not regrow and the OP will get to look at ugly brown branches.

Uno my Uno.

seamus wrote: »

It's a simple win/lose proposition.

Refuse: Potentially piss off a neighbour. Gain nothing.
Agree: Don't piss off a neighbour. Lose nothing.

Plenty of people don't care about their neighbours, but a neighbour who actively doesn't like you is not something you need. Since the OP has nothing to lose by accepting a reasonable request, refusing it just because you can, is unreasonable.

I don't agree that its a simple win/lose proposition at all.

My point was that accepting what may be a reasonable request (or may not be, in fairness we don't really know a lot about the circumstances) may not keep the neighbours on side or prevent them from being pissed off. It is entirely possible that the OP could trim/lop/cut down their tree and the neighbour could still be pissed off or inclined to make more demands or whatever.

It isn't necessary or even advisable to accede to request just because someone has asked you to do something, especially if you are only doing it try and avoid angering or displeasing someone. The OP might be happy to agree to trimming the tree but if they aren't they shouldn't feel they have to just because the Neighbour might act like an a$$hole if they don't.

Teyla Emmagan

What type of trees are they? If I had trees in my garden like you describe I wouldn't cut them down for love or money. Nothing worse than somebody's semi D looking into your back garden. Privacy is worth its weight in gold.

MajorMax

nc19 wrote: »

haven't spoken to my next door neighbour in yrs. Can't stand him. We fell out over his unreasonable demands on things on my property. Don't know any of the other neighbours names and don't want to. Neighbours are over rated

Damn Flanders!

durtybit

the_syco wrote: »

Consult a qualified tree surgeon, and consider that the trees were put between the neighbours for a reason. Unless the neighbour said they'd give you money, don't even think about doing it. And if they did, ensure you have that in writing before you get someone to do the job, in case the neighbours forget to ever pay up.

or have them fork out to the tree surgeon on the day. If you agree it must be on your terms

Dog of Tears

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Nothing worse than somebody's semi D looking into your back garden. Privacy is worth its weight in gold.

I disagree - I think people who have large trees in their gardens which block sunlight from other people's gardens are selfish in the extreme.

An attitude like this...

stimpson wrote: »

I think my desire for privacy trumps his desire for light.

quite frankly, stinks.


You don't have to be best friends with your neighbours, but it's always preferable to get along with the people who make up your local community.

A bit of compromise can go a long way - there is no doubt a solution you can come to with your neighbours that you are both happy with.

Invite them around for a coffee and discuss it with them like mature adults.

Polo_Mint

OP You also need to think if it was your neighbours trees blocking the sunlight into your Garden.

Would you think " It would be nice to have a neighbour who is understanding and trimmed the trees so I can also enjoy the sun"

That said. You could tell them you are willing to to TRIM them to an acceptable height but can not afford to do so.

Put the ball in their court while extending the Olive branch

the_syco

Dog of Tears wrote: »

Invite them around for a coffee and discuss it with them like mature adults.

The neighbours already popped around to ask about it. The OP needs to get a tree surgeon to pop out and give a quote, and to say how much can be chopped off the top, as too much and the tree could die.

Then to tell the neighbour how much it'd cost, and see if the neighbours pay, or just demand the OP pay for it themselves.

BoatMad

if they are deciduous trees, please dont cut them down , fir trees are just weeds however

Squatman

Whosthis wrote: »

The height you can cut them to will really depend on the height of the tree, you can remove about one third of the tree and it will remain alive and healthy, any more and it will die off.

well is that a fact/???:eek:

evergreen trees may be the case, but deciduous trees will take a good chopping without dying

Chev2010

Personally I'd get someone in to take the top off or cut them down and plant something that won't grow so big again (but gives you privacy!) to prevent this issue in a few years. You mentioned no other neighbours have large trees in the area and those that did cut them down, so your neighbour isn't alone in wanting some light in their garden/house.

The attitude of "it's my house and I'll do what I want" that some people mention is incredibly selfish, personally I'd love to see some form of guidelines/laws introduced to help people in similar situations where the neighbour doesn't care about others.

I've been on the receiving end of large trees soaking up all the sun while I sit in a dark garden that should be bathing in the sun, it's a horrible feeling - horrible!

durtybit

Stinicker wrote: »

I know someone who had trouble with trees like this and disagreeable neighbour, poured a few gallons of somesort of weedkiller which failed the trees one time when the neighbour was out. Around a year later the neighbour had to chop down the entire leylandii hedge as it was all dead.

Wouldn't look suspect at all.

bjork

My neighbours tree fell and hit my house last year in the winds. Damaged the roof tiles, gutters and cracked a window. Cost him more to fix that than it would have to look after his trees.


All nice and neatly kept this year

Markcheese

durtybit wrote: »

Wouldn't look suspect at all.

Wouldn't matter if it did look suspect- proving it'd be the issue-
Just as an after if your neighbours trees were on the boundary fence , can you prune / trim on your side of the line - and would that include the roots - ?

The_Morrigan

Folks you're skirting over the line here now. As a reminder we do not allow discussion of any illegal activity, willful damage of another person's property is just that.

There is a new charter in place - I suggest you read it.

OBaoghil.7

Baby01032012 wrote: »

We bought our home last April. We have a medium size garden with very tall trees at the end of the garden. We like the trees, more for the privacy they give. They are our trees in that they are inside our border with the garden behind us. There is a small fence directly behind these trees that defines the border. None of our neighbouring gardens seem to have such tall trees. Some neighbours cut their own trees down last year.
The neighbours who's garden backs onto ours called to our door recently. They want to come to some sort of arrangement to cut down the trees. They say that the trees are blocking sunlight into their garden and their kitchen is overshadowed. As I said we quiet like the height of the trees and privacy they give and before their approach had no plans to do anything to the trees.
What would be a reasonable response to their request.

Many thanks.

Just something to bear in mind. What is the aspect of the trees? It seems the trees were planted as a screen and could be protecting your house from the prevailing wind and rain and if so you will notice a considerable fall in temperature should you cut them down. You don't say what trees they are. If they are deciduous trees they would have been planted a long time ago but if they are leylandii they may not have been planted very long ago. Leylandii causes more neighbour disputes than any other subject.
Your solicitor (during conveyancing) would have informed you of any legal dispute with the previous occupants had there been one.
You will no doubt want to enjoy good neighbourly relations but don't have them removed until you have checked out the purpose of them being planted there. If it is just for your privacy rather than for weather protection then I am sure a compromise on height could be reached and your neighbour could help by paying for the work to be done to your instructions. Good luck

runawaybishop

Markcheese wrote: »

Wouldn't matter if it did look suspect- proving it'd be the issue-
Just as an after if your neighbours trees were on the boundary fence , can you prune / trim on your side of the line - and would that include the roots - ?

No, you cant prune the roots as you cannot do anything that can harm the tree. You can prune the overhang up to arms reach though, and then dump the trimmings in their garden.

Park Royal

Not knowing all the factors.......as a preference I prefer light to darkness

I prefer ornamental trees to pine type trees.....

I usually prefer helping a neighbour than not helping....

but its no harm to go around to the otherside to see if there is a genuine

cause for change ! I suspect you know there are grounds for the neighbour to

ask for a change !

Dr_Bill

While I am not a tree hugger, I would take the neighbours request under consideration and then assess if the tree/tree pose a risk to my own property or the neighbours property. Your best bet is to ask for a quotation from a specialist tree surgeon. I had a similar issue with a neighbour and used a reputable company. I would recommend you ask any company to furnish you with copies of valid certificates of insurance for your own protection which they will be happy to do so prior to commencing any work for your own piece of mind and protection.