Neighbours overgrown trees

foodaholic

I have lived in my house for 11 years. The neighbours at the back of us have very overgrown evergreen trees that have never been trimmed since I've lived here.

I'm going to approach our neighbour and ask them if the could get them trimmed.

If they do not oblige can I cut the branches that are invading my garden.
As they are so over grown up think I would probably need to hire someone to do it.

Any advice is welcome

vicwatson

Of course you can, and its wise to talk to them first.

I imagine if you want them trimmed then you'll have to bear any costs.

kylith

You are within your rights to cut off anything that crosses your boundary line. These trimmings should be returned to your neighbour, as they are their property, however cutting trees and chucking the trimmings back over the fence can be seen as hostile so personally I'd drop round to him and say that you're going to trim off the branches that overhang your garden and would he like you to dispose of the waste or does he want it back. This might give him the impetus to do something about it himself.

foodaholic

I would love for him to get it trimmed but I don't think he will.

I will chat to him first of course.
Does he have to take the clippings ?

lazybones32

The branches that are cut off are his, so he can do what he likes with them. You are obliged to return them to him.
If he won't do anything about pruning the trees, you can say "I'm legally obliged to return them to you/your property". Don't mention anything about getting them taken away. If he wants the person cutting the trees to remove the branches, let him pay the cost of it.

The surgeon/climber who does the work can drop them onto his land and there is nothing he can come back to you about, unless a dropped branch breaks something...in which case the climber/surgeon would be liable.

Andy-Pandy

What the others have said is correct. Just a word of caution though, even if you only cut branches over hanging your house if you kill the tree your liable for it. I'm saying this because it's a ad time to be doing anything but light pruning. It's work that's best left to winter or early spring.

foodaholic

It's just that it's gotten so overgrown now it's impeding on my daughters treehouse and I don't want it getting ruined.

It's so bad that it's taken completely over his next door neighbours garden