Can my Neighbour reduce the height of my hedge?

Rights and Responsibilities. If you're fortunate enough to find that the hedges reside solely on your property, you are within your rights to cut, trim or remove the hedges as you see fit.

What is the legal height of a hedge between Neighbours UK?

Require homeowners to get permission to grow a hedge above 2m (6½ft) When a hedge grows over 2m (6½ft), the local authority does not automatically take action, unless a justifiable complaint is made.

What is the legal height of a hedge UK?

High hedges are described as an evergreen or semi evergreen line of two or more trees, at least 2m in height and are capable of blocking out light. There is a common misconception that growing a hedge above 2m in height is illegal. This is in fact incorrect - there is no legal maximum height for a hedge.

Can my Neighbour cut my hedge UK?

If you own the tree or hedge

Your neighbour can cut any branches that are overhanging into their garden as long as they only remove the bits on their side of the boundary. If they want you to cut your tree or hedge just because they don't like the way it looks, it's up to you whether you do the work.

Can you make hedges smaller?

If a hedge is old and seriously overgrown, you'll need to do some rejuvenation pruning using the three-year rule. Remove up to one-third of the thickest stems down at the base of the plant, stimulating new growth; repeat the next year, and the year after.

Conifer Hedge Reduction job: It's Not as Difficult as You Think

How do you lower the height of a hedge?

Reduce the height by up to one-third in April. Thin out the side branches, removing selected branches right back to the trunk but leaving the others intact. This will allow more light and air into the area around the hedge. Mulch and feed in spring to encourage vigorous re-growth.

How much can you cut a hedge back?

You can cut both the height and width of your overgrown hedge back by up to 50% in one single cut, however we recommend staggering this process over at least two years, preferably more.

Does my Neighbour have to cut my side of his hedge?

Both you and your neighbour should be trimming each other's respective side of the hedge. You are free to cut back roots or branches that are within your property's boundaries. However, you're only allowed to trim the growth on your property.

Is there a legal height for Neighbours trees?

In general, there is no specific limit to the height that a tree is allowed to grow, but if the trees form a vegetative screen that is limiting a neighbours usage/enjoyment then it could be a High Hedge issue which Planning Enforcement would potentially get involved with.

What is the law on boundary hedges?

How This Relates To Boundary Hedges. There is no law that compels your neighbour to cut their side of the hedge should they not want or be able to. If the boundary is in the middle of the hedge, this will technically be their property so they will not have to trim it if they do not want to.

What is the maximum height of a Neighbours hedge?

permission is not required to grow a hedge over two metres high. action may not be taken when a hedge grows over two metres high. your neighbour may not be ordered to reduce the height of their hedge.

Is there a law on the height of conifers?

The most common question I'm asked is whether there is a law on conifer tree height. While there is no legislation restricting the height of any individual tree, legislation does exist to restrict the height of evergreen hedges.

How close to a boundary can I plant a hedge?

In situations where you cannot agree with your neighbour to jointly plant a hedge on your property boundary, it is prudent to leave a gap of at least two to three feet between the boundary and your hedge.

What can I do if my Neighbours trees are too high UK?

You can only trim up to the property boundary. If you do more than this, your neighbour could take you to court for damaging their property. If you live in a conservation area, or the trees in the hedge are protected by a 'tree preservation order', you might need your council's permission to trim them.

What are my rights if a Neighbours tree overhangs my garden?

Under common law, a person may cut back any branch (or root) from a neighbour's tree that overhangs or encroaches onto their property. In cutting back any overhanging branches (or encroaching roots) the following must be observed: you must not trespass onto the land on which the trees are growing.

Can Neighbour lean things on my fence?

It's simple: you can only do this if your neighbour says you can. If you lean something against or hang something on your neighbour's fence without permission and the extra burden on the panels causes damage to the fencing (which is very likely to happen sooner or later), you will have to pay for the repairs.

Can I make my Neighbour cut his trees?

You have a common law right to prune back parts of a tree or hedge growing over the boundary into your property (subject to any legal restrictions being overcome first such as Tree Preservation Orders or conservation areas) but you cannot compel the owner of the trees or hedge to carry out this work or pay for it.

What is the 7 year boundary rule?

Some believe that there is a 7-year limit on adverse possession, meaning that a squatter can take ownership of land after they have been using that land without the owner's permission for a certain amount of time.

Can I cut down a boundary hedge?

You are allowed to trim or maintain your side of the hedge to the boundary in this instance as long as that doesn't kill the hedge, but it is considered to be shared property, so you'll need to come to an agreement with your neighbour in order to remove it legally.

Can my Neighbour grow plants up my fence?

This means that if you erect a fence in your garden, your neighbour must ask for permission before painting or staining their side of it. Similarly, they may not grow trailing plants up it or any similar activity which may cause it damage.

Can my Neighbour grow ivy on my fence?

ANSWER: The ivy will belong to the neighbour as its roots appear to come from the neighbouring property. If the end-terrace wall is structurally sound, then the ivy is unlikely to cause damage as generally ivy roots are not strong enough to penetrate a structurally sound wall.

What is the maximum height for a leylandii hedge?

Natural leylandii trees may grow up to a whopping max height of 100 feet (sometimes even more) out in the woods. In some neighborhoods, the maximum legal height of leylandii hedges is 6.6 feet (2 meters) though, so they rarely see such tall heights as their forest counterparts.

When can you cut hedges legally?

You should not cut or trim hedges or trees between the dates of March 1st and September 1st without a derogation. You may only apply for a derogation if you plan to cut hedges before any new grass ley or oil seed rape is sown in the Autumn.

When to trim a hedge that is overgrown?

Ideally, late winter and early spring are the best times to cut back an overgrown hedge. Summer is best for trims that maintain their shape and height.

When can you cut hedges to avoid nesting birds?

What's the law, and how can I avoid harming nesting birds? As a general rule, try and cut most of your hedgerows in January or February. If ground conditions and cropping patterns make this difficult, then cut as late as possible in the autumn.