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What are your rights to chopping a neighbour’s overhanging hedge or tree in your backyard

The urge to repair this drawback could really feel like a authorized gray space – however it needs to be easy if owners know once they’re in the precise

Trimming timber and bushes that grasp into your backyard can result in points (Picture: Getty)

Because the climate improves and other people spend extra time of their gardens, they could wish to spruce up their outside areas and make adjustments. They could discover sure vegetation rising close to their fences from their neighbours facet, which if not maintained, may trigger unslightly overhang.

It may be irritating to deal with an overgrown tree or bush – particularly when it is not rising in your backyard. Owners who’ve had sufficient of any overhang that makes their very own gardens look ugly may very well be tempted to repair the difficulty themselves.

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However you will need to know whenever you legally can and may’t cross a line. In any other case, you threat opening up a world of hassle.

Legally, there isn’t any drawback with trimming branches from timber or bushes that cross into your property from a neighbour’s property or a public street, in response to Gov.uk. However, folks do want to pay attention to how far they will go earlier than this straightforward gardening job results in larger disputes.

A press release on Gov.uk reads: “You may trim branches or roots that cross into your property from a neighbour’s property or a public street. You may solely trim as much as the property boundary. Should you do greater than this, your neighbour may take you to court docket for damaging their property.”

Authorized specialists warn that owners ought to take care to not overstep and full the work from their very own facet of the fence. Blythe Liggins Solicitors mentioned: “There’s a proper to chop overhanging branches with out the necessity to give any discover to the proprietor, though this have to be carried out with out happening to the adjoining land, since in any other case this is able to be to commit trespass.”

One other factor to think about is guaranteeing that timber are usually not protected by a ‘tree preservation order’. You may want your council’s permission earlier than both home-owner can trim them.

Easy methods to strategy the issue

Owners can take easy steps to resolve this situation earlier than the native authority or solicitors must become involved, Residents Recommendation claims. Begin by speaking to the neighbour and make a remark of what was mentioned or agreed.

A press release on the Residents Recommendation web site reads: “It’s usually greatest to discover a compromise, for instance sharing the price of pruning a hedge even in case you suppose your neighbour owns it. It may assist you to maintain a very good relationship and may be cheaper than paying a solicitor to resolve the disagreement.”

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It additionally says that, in case you nonetheless can’t agree, you may get assist from a mediator who doesn’t know both of you and is educated to assist folks resolve disagreements. Individuals can search for a mediator on Gov.uk, however this will price cash.

Owners can discover themselves on the finish of a variety of various neighbourly disputes – from points over bins, parking and extra. Not too long ago, a property lawyer defined easy methods to decide which of your backyard fences you personal.

It may be useful to know both means, as folks can discover themselves in hassle for damaging property in the event that they do one thing to a fence they technically don’t personal – even whether it is in their very own backyard. Analysis exhibits that six in ten Brits have skilled garden-related disputes with a neighbour that might land you on the incorrect facet of the legislation, and a type of causes may very well be portray your fence.

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