Overhanging neighbours tree

[The big yin]

My mothers house backs onto a large house which has lots of large trees.
The trees are overhanging her garden and becoming a pest as they are nearly hitting her house and she now has a large branch which has come off the tree in her garden.(from the storm last week)
The neighbours are trying to sell the house and cottages so don't stay there any more.
Looking for advice regarding contacting the owners and asking /getting them to get someone to sort the overhanging branches.
If I contact the selling agents and ask them to contact the owners do you think they would , or alternatively ask them for contact details so I can contact them direct obviously after getting their permission.
If they turn out to be not interested is there any legal route I could take to get them to maintain their trees ?
Thanks

[Pica-Pica]

The big yin said:

My mothers house backs onto a large house which has lots of large trees.
The trees are overhanging her garden and becoming a pest as they are nearly hitting her house and she now has a large branch which has come off the tree in her garden.(from the storm last week)
The neighbours are trying to sell the house and cottages so don't stay there any more.
Looking for advice regarding contacting the owners and asking /getting them to get someone to sort the overhanging branches.
If I contact the selling agents and ask them to contact the owners do you think they would , or alternatively ask them for contact details so I can contact them direct obviously after getting their permission.
If they turn out to be not interested is there any legal route I could take to get them to maintain their trees ?
Thanks

As I understand,you can cut off any overhanging vegetation and branches, but you have to hand them back. We had a small tree and our next door (who had bought it as a new egg) cut the twigs off and dropped them over the fence. I was not neglectful, the prior occupant liked the tree, visually. However, I guess you are wanting to know if you can charge back any costs - I am not sure.

[Fady]

The big yin said:

My mothers house backs onto a large house which has lots of large trees.
The trees are overhanging her garden and becoming a pest as they are nearly hitting her house and she now has a large branch which has come off the tree in her garden.(from the storm last week)
The neighbours are trying to sell the house and cottages so don't stay there any more.
Looking for advice regarding contacting the owners and asking /getting them to get someone to sort the overhanging branches.
If I contact the selling agents and ask them to contact the owners do you think they would , or alternatively ask them for contact details so I can contact them direct obviously after getting their permission.
If they turn out to be not interested is there any legal route I could take to get them to maintain their trees ?
Thanks

Wrong forum so will be moved by the mods.

Loads of stuff on Google but bottom line is you can generally cut back any over hanging branches yourself. Usually polite to let them know you are going to do so and you can't compel them to do it for you. You can can also chuck that broken branch back over the fence.

Can also turn into a pita if you start going down a legal route so hopefully let common sense and dialogue prevail.

[Bill]

Fady said:

You can can also chuck that broken branch back over the fence.

You should offer it (or any trimmings) back but it's yours to dispose off if they don't want it.

[Fady]

Bill said:

Fady said:

You can can also chuck that broken branch back over the fence.

You should offer it (or any trimmings) back but it's yours to dispose off if they don't want it.[/quote

It's not a 'trimming' though is it!

[Bill]

Fady said:

Bill said:

You should offer it (or any trimmings) back but it's yours to dispose off if they don't want it.

It's not a 'trimming' though is it!

Hence the "or". Although I suspect I'm wrong and there's no need as it fell off. Otherwise you'd have to go round with a leaf that fell to offer it back.

[TA14]

Assuming that there isn't a TPO...

Near to me there are plenty of people with wood burners who would be glad of some free fuel.

Naturally, talk to the owner first who may do the decent thing and have the whole tree(s) trimmed neatly.

[dave123456]

Bill said:

Fady said:

Bill said:

You should offer it (or any trimmings) back but it's yours to dispose off if they don't want it.

It's not a 'trimming' though is it!

Hence the "or". Although I suspect I'm wrong and there's no need as it fell off. Otherwise you'd have to go round with a leaf that fell to offer it back.

I’d suggest it fell off and bounced their side personally.

On the other my view would be if they are selling the house to not dally around. They won’t want a dispute to have to disclose so just make it clear that you would like it sorting.

There’s too many on here who will suggest buying a bottle of wine, some expensive chocolates and a bouquet of flowers before asking ever so nicely if they would be awfully kind and just trim their tree when they get the chance.

Ask for what you would like politely and make it clear you expect it done.

[bennno]

The big yin said:

My mothers house backs onto a large house which has lots of large trees.
The trees are overhanging her garden and becoming a pest as they are nearly hitting her house and she now has a large branch which has come off the tree in her garden.(from the storm last week)
The neighbours are trying to sell the house and cottages so don't stay there any more.
Looking for advice regarding contacting the owners and asking /getting them to get someone to sort the overhanging branches.
If I contact the selling agents and ask them to contact the owners do you think they would , or alternatively ask them for contact details so I can contact them direct obviously after getting their permission.
If they turn out to be not interested is there any legal route I could take to get them to maintain their trees ?
Thanks

Ask the owners politely to address, on the basis they are causing a nuisance and as you’d like to avoid any kind of neighbourly dispute, which could potentially impact their sale

[Silvanus]

bennno said:

The big yin said:

My mothers house backs onto a large house which has lots of large trees.
The trees are overhanging her garden and becoming a pest as they are nearly hitting her house and she now has a large branch which has come off the tree in her garden.(from the storm last week)
The neighbours are trying to sell the house and cottages so don't stay there any more.
Looking for advice regarding contacting the owners and asking /getting them to get someone to sort the overhanging branches.
If I contact the selling agents and ask them to contact the owners do you think they would , or alternatively ask them for contact details so I can contact them direct obviously after getting their permission.
If they turn out to be not interested is there any legal route I could take to get them to maintain their trees ?
Thanks

Ask the owners politely to address, on the basis they are causing a nuisance and as you’d like to avoid any kind of neighbourly dispute, which could potentially impact their sale

What dispute? Just cut back the offending overhanging branches. As long as the work done doesn't cause any serious health issues to the tree, crack on.

If the tree is protected in any way, that changes things.

[bennno]

Silvanus said:

bennno said:

The big yin said:

My mothers house backs onto a large house which has lots of large trees.
The trees are overhanging her garden and becoming a pest as they are nearly hitting her house and she now has a large branch which has come off the tree in her garden.(from the storm last week)
The neighbours are trying to sell the house and cottages so don't stay there any more.
Looking for advice regarding contacting the owners and asking /getting them to get someone to sort the overhanging branches.
If I contact the selling agents and ask them to contact the owners do you think they would , or alternatively ask them for contact details so I can contact them direct obviously after getting their permission.
If they turn out to be not interested is there any legal route I could take to get them to maintain their trees ?
Thanks

Ask the owners politely to address, on the basis they are causing a nuisance and as you’d like to avoid any kind of neighbourly dispute, which could potentially impact their sale

What dispute? Just cut back the offending overhanging branches. As long as the work done doesn't cause any serious health issues to the tree, crack on.

If the tree is protected in any way, that changes things.

Read the OP’s initial question, he’d like the neighbour who has all the trees (and is selling) to cut them back.

[Silvanus]

bennno said:

Silvanus said:

bennno said:

The big yin said:

My mothers house backs onto a large house which has lots of large trees.
The trees are overhanging her garden and becoming a pest as they are nearly hitting her house and she now has a large branch which has come off the tree in her garden.(from the storm last week)
The neighbours are trying to sell the house and cottages so don't stay there any more.
Looking for advice regarding contacting the owners and asking /getting them to get someone to sort the overhanging branches.
If I contact the selling agents and ask them to contact the owners do you think they would , or alternatively ask them for contact details so I can contact them direct obviously after getting their permission.
If they turn out to be not interested is there any legal route I could take to get them to maintain their trees ?
Thanks

Ask the owners politely to address, on the basis they are causing a nuisance and as you’d like to avoid any kind of neighbourly dispute, which could potentially impact their sale

What dispute? Just cut back the offending overhanging branches. As long as the work done doesn't cause any serious health issues to the tree, crack on.

If the tree is protected in any way, that changes things.

Read the OP’s initial question, he’d like the neighbour who has all the trees (and is selling) to cut them back.

And if the neighbour says no? If you buy a house with trees around you, expect them to grow and require maintenance, even if they aren't on your property. That's just how it is. Don't like it, don't buy a house near trees.

This issue is not something that should end up as a neighbourly dispute. If that does happen, it's not because of the tree owner.

If was some old dangerous tree that might be a different matter, but the OP hasn't suggested that, other than a single branch dropping.

[bennno]

Silvanus said:

And if the neighbour says no? If you buy a house with trees around you, expect them to grow and require maintenance, even if they aren't on your property. That's just how it is. Don't like it, don't buy a house near trees.

This issue is not something that should end up as a neighbourly dispute. If that does happen, it's not because of the tree owner.

If was some old dangerous tree that might be a different matter, but the OP hasn't suggested that, other than a single branch dropping.

Again, op wants the neighbour to sort the trees, tree owning neighbour wants to sell the house which is difficult to do with an open dispute, easy to join the dots up here, op has a bit of potential leverage due to property being for sale, if required.

It’s good form to maintain trees on your land, so as not to unreasonably impact neighbours. Especially as required by legislation if evergreen and more than 2 in a row. If you don’t do that then you become an inconsiderate tree owner and run the risk of causing a dispute, but that’s separate from the main point here - namely the vendor or agent won’t want an open dispute to impact any potential sale.

[Silvanus]

bennno said:

Silvanus said:

And if the neighbour says no? If you buy a house with trees around you, expect them to grow and require maintenance, even if they aren't on your property. That's just how it is. Don't like it, don't buy a house near trees.

This issue is not something that should end up as a neighbourly dispute. If that does happen, it's not because of the tree owner.

If was some old dangerous tree that might be a different matter, but the OP hasn't suggested that, other than a single branch dropping.

Again, op wants the neighbour to sort the trees, tree owning neighbour wants to sell the house which is difficult to do with an open dispute, easy to join the dots up here, op has a bit of potential leverage due to property being for sale, if required.

It’s good form to maintain trees on your land, so as not to unreasonably impact neighbours. Especially as required by legislation if evergreen and more than 2 in a row. If you don’t do that then you become an inconsiderate tree owner and run the risk of causing a dispute, but that’s separate from the main point here - namely the vendor or agent won’t want an open dispute to impact any potential sale.

There has been zero mention of a row of evergreens so utterly irrelevant.

OPs mother should just get the trees trimmed.

I don't know why you think this would become a dispute when there is absolutely nothing stopping the work being done. What exactly do you think the dispute would be?

[TA14]

Silvanus said:

OPs mother should just get the trees trimmed.

Speak to the owner/agent first because branches are often best cut back to close to the trunk.

[Silvanus]

TA14 said:

Silvanus said:

OPs mother should just get the trees trimmed.

Speak to the owner/agent first because branches are often best cut back to close to the trunk.

That totally depends on multiple things. Without seeing at least a photo a few other details, I wouldn't even consider advising on what work should be done.

[bennno]

Silvanus said:

There has been zero mention of a row of evergreens so utterly irrelevant.

OPs mother should just get the trees trimmed.

I don't know why you think this would become a dispute when there is absolutely nothing stopping the work being done. What exactly do you think the dispute would be?

A dispute can effectively be over anything between neighbours. Should the OP’s mother complain to the agent and or vendor multiple times about all the non maintained trees overhanging their garden and putting their property at risk, it would create a legally disclosable dispute with a neighbour, which they’d clearly want to avoid given they are selling.

I agree one option is to simply personally cut them all back or pay somebody to do it, another is to nicely ask the neighbour to get somebody in to trim their nuisance trees, the third (if neither is possible after requesting the situation is addressed) is to raise it as a dispute.

We don’t know the height, whether they are evergreen or semi evergreen or how many there are at this point.

[Dog Biscuit]

TA14 said:

Silvanus said:

OPs mother should just get the trees trimmed.

Speak to the owner/agent first because branches are often best cut back to close to the trunk.

Why should she incur the cost of pruning when the neighbours are responsible and their tree(s) are the issue?

[essayer]

If it’s a conservation area she’ll need to get permission from the council first

[Silvanus]

Dog Biscuit said:

TA14 said:

Silvanus said:

OPs mother should just get the trees trimmed.

Speak to the owner/agent first because branches are often best cut back to close to the trunk.

Why should she incur the cost of pruning when the neighbours are responsible and their tree(s) are the issue?

If it's just pruning you cannot force the neighbour to carry out the tree work. This is why you are entitled to trim back over hanging branches or cut back hedges 'right to abate a nuisance'. It's considered that overhanging foliage, dropping leaves and fruit and a reasonable amount of smaller diameter deadwood to be part and parcel of normal tree behaviour and you do not have legal right to demand the neighbour carries out work. This wouldn't lead to a neighbourly dispute as there is a perfectly reasonable solution available to dealing with the issue.

If the trees are causing serious disruption, damage to your property, or are in a dangerous condition, then it would be reasonable to open a dialogue and hopefully reach an agreed solution where the owner carries out some tree work. If no agreement can initially be made it might lead to attempting meditation and failing that going down a legal route using appropriate professionals.

Without more details and photos, I'm assuming it's the first example. No issues with asking the neighbours, but in this case I can't see them getting very far (absent neighbours and dealing with an agent), so it would be a case of just cracking on.

Without more info I'm gonna leave it there.