'Neighbours' ruined my hedge. What do I do?

'Neighbours' ruined my hedge. What do I do?

Author
Discussion

virgil

1,557 posts

225 months

Monday 26th June 2006
quotequote all
7db said:
maxed said:
Civil matter

Theft and criminal damage very much a criminal matter.


EXACTLY!

maxed

1,001 posts

221 months

Monday 26th June 2006
quotequote all
virgil said:
7db said:
maxed said:
Civil matter

Theft and criminal damage very much a criminal matter.


EXACTLY!


Oi...I don't make the laws so don't shoot the messenger

timsta

2,779 posts

247 months

Monday 26th June 2006
quotequote all
maxed said:
virgil said:
7db said:
maxed said:
Civil matter

Theft and criminal damage very much a criminal matter.


EXACTLY!


Oi...I don't make the laws so don't shoot the messenger


When it happend to my hedge the officer asked if we wanted to press charges, so I recon it is very much a criminal matter.

maxed

1,001 posts

221 months

Monday 26th June 2006
quotequote all
timsta said:
When it happend to my hedge the officer asked if we wanted to press charges, so I recon it is very much a criminal matter.


And did you?
And what was the outcome?
Could be of use to the original poster
Quite happy for my neighbour in Wiltshire to cut back the pyracantha hedging there.
He pops round when it needs trimming and takes the cuttings away.
Does the lawn as well if we are not around.
People need to work with their neighbours not have full blown wars with them.
Doesn't pay either if you ever want to sell the property.

timsta

2,779 posts

247 months

Monday 26th June 2006
quotequote all
maxed said:
timsta said:
When it happend to my hedge the officer asked if we wanted to press charges, so I recon it is very much a criminal matter.


And did you?
And what was the outcome?
Could be of use to the original poster
Quite happy for my neighbour in Wiltshire to cut back the pyracantha hedging there.
He pops round when it needs trimming and takes the cuttings away.
Does the lawn as well if we are not around.
People need to work with their neighbours not have full blown wars with them.
Doesn't pay either if you ever want to sell the property.


I'm also in Wiltshire,

We didn't press charges, he was already a problem neighbour and we didn't need another excuse for him! The officer did offer to go have a chat with him and make him aware of exactly what he had done. He was actually a lot more friendly after that.

Edited by timsta on Monday 26th June 16:06

maxed

1,001 posts

221 months

Monday 26th June 2006
quotequote all
timsta said:

I'm also in Wiltshire,

We didn't press charges, he was already a problem neighbour and we didn't need another excuse for him! The officer did offer to go have a chat with him and make him aware of exactly what he had done. He was actually a lot more friendly after that.


Hi but not in Wiltshire full time.
Hence why I value the keen hedge cutting neighbour

Sounds as if you obtained a good & sensible result with your situation.
No fireworks or having to take verbal abuse challenging the neighbour.
Plus, he will never push boundaries again

timsta

2,779 posts

247 months

Monday 26th June 2006
quotequote all
maxed said:

Plus, he will never push boundaries again


maxed

1,001 posts

221 months

Monday 26th June 2006
quotequote all
timsta said:
maxed said:

Plus, he will never push boundaries again






wondered if you would notice

justinp1

Original Poster:

13,330 posts

231 months

Monday 26th June 2006
quotequote all
Hi,

Thanks for everyone who has contributed. I realise that Leylandii are not to everyones taste, and to be frank if i could swap them for another tree I would, but they were there when I bought the house and I enjoy the privacy. It is also worth mentioning that although the hedge is about 12-14 ft high, it is only about two to three feet thick. I have checked the other side of the hedge with the other neighbours and the branches have never encroached more than a foot over the boundary. Which makes no difference whatsoever at the end of a 40ft garden behind a shed.

My main point is that in fact where they have cut the trees back most harshly is an area which they cannot see from their house or garden because it is obscured by a tall birch tre which was already taller than my trees!?

Thus if they were really looking for more light then surely they would be cutting their trees too!? It is also worth mentioning that whilst the trees are 10 feet or so away from my house, it is a goof 40 feet or more away from the neighbours house at the bottom for their garden where they have their own high trees and a large shed butted up agains the hedge and boundary, so it is not as if the branches were encroaching into space they were using.

I feel that I have just as much right to stick a saw two feet over the boundary and fell their 30 foot high trees to a height I so desire - that right is none!

I would not even have minded if they had contacted me first to explain thier plans or even ask if I could reshape or reduce the height and I would have got a professional to do it properly.

I have read the laws with regard to this, and it is indeed trespass in encroaching onto my property to cut the trees, theft of the branches, and criminal damage. I will only go anywhere near that route however if all amicable solutions cannot be found. However I will stand my ground if the damage is not repaired.

Thanks very much for people who have posted links or emailed me personally with offers of help, I really appreciate it, also if anyone has anything else as useful to add, thanks in advance!

7db

6,058 posts

231 months

Monday 26th June 2006
quotequote all
Good luck!

treehack

997 posts

240 months

Monday 26th June 2006
quotequote all
depending on how poorer job they did then your hedge should be able to be made good.get a tree surgeon to come and have a look and give you an opinion.get some quotes then invite the nieghbour round to see what they have done then show the quotes to make good their damage see what there reaction is.
then point out you've got a loverly view straight into there bedromm window you now have and that the man has a wiener

gazzab

21,112 posts

283 months

Monday 26th June 2006
quotequote all
What do you want as an outcome. As far as I am aware the 'topping' of such hedges is pretty permanent?