Neighbours' trees

[Gannet]

Not really sure where this should be posted so we'll try here. Does anyone have any tips for persuading neighbours to reduce the height of trees?

My neighbour has some 8.5m Leylandii (roughly equal to the height of my house) - they were 3m higher but they took some height off last year at our request. They sit right next to the roof (touching the side of the house) so provide shade to the roof until about 12 noon every day i.e rubbish for the PV I would like to install. I have asked them to take the trees down to about 4m height i.e. gutter level, but they are not keen to do so (they want to maintain privacy to their B&B - despite the fact we have no windows on that side of the house, let alone that at gutter level you can't even see the side of the house!). I have offered to share the cost or help them out be trimming them for them, but no joy so far.

[dhaslam]

I suppose the first thing to say is that no  energy saving project is worth having a serious  fallout with neighbours.  However you might try a slightly different approach.    You could say that you are concerned about the roots damaging your house.   

[Justme]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4596685.stm

They can order it (but you have to pay a fee to the council) reduced to 2m BUT they law also limits the reduction by 1/3rd only.

So in your case to 5.66m. I am not sure if the previous reduction would also count towards the 1/3rd reduction.

If so then 7.66m is how tall they would be.

You can without notice cut off any thing that overhangs your boundary, just ensure you return all the cuttings to them or its theft.

[desperate]

Hiya

It's not an easy one to deal with, I think there are some bylaws about Leylandii, but the last thing you need is a legal tussle with your neighbour, if you cant persuade them with a freindly chat and a bottle of wine or three, it may be your only option. How about offering to take them out and replant with something more appropriate, it could be expensive but may be worth it if there is PV involved??

Good luck

Desperate

[Outtasight]

Or talk them into getting PV or solar thermal because they can save £000s on their electricity and power bills for their B&B plus make money on the FITs and suddenly the trees will disappear without you having to do anything else. 

[renewablejohn]

Did you say you needed a copper ground source heat pump circuit installing at the side of some neighbors conifer trees.

[Gannet]

Thanks for your replies - there is some sage advice there.

I am hoping they will take up the offer to come round for a coffee so I can explain all about renewable energy - they did seem interested when I raised it. It just seems such a waste having this large south facing roof crying out to beused.

I agree that the legal route absolutely be the last resort, but even then I will think very carefully. It appears to be a rubbish piece of legislation with a lot of loopholes (and of course, where I live the council has one of the highest fees in the country).

[Gannet]

Did you say you needed a copper ground source heat pump circuit installing at the side of some neighbors conifer trees.

 

Actually, I am thinking seriously about GSHP (or ASHP), but a few unresolved questions to answer first.

[martin]

Now FAR be it from me to suggest such a thing, but I would suspect that the mention of COPPER underground coils has more to do with the toxicity of copper to tree roots.........
And have heard that people faced with similar problems have resorted to knocking large copper nails into the roots where they've intruded onto their property, which has in relatively short order killed the trees stone dead...........
Sadly, Leylandii have caused a great many bitter disputes between neighbours, and solicitors have made a killing!

Copper nails? - boatbuilder's supplies shop probably.................

[renewablejohn]

Martin

How could you.   

The secret brigade are already on their way 

[noelsquibb]

And have heard that people faced with similar problems have resorted to knocking large copper nails into the roots where they've intruded onto their property, which has in relatively short order killed the trees stone dead...........

Didnt work on my neighbours Leylandii   
It was messing up the visibility coming out of a field gate and they wouldnt let me touch it.
Its still there 20 years later but its now big enough for me to see under the lower branches

Perhaps I should have put in more than the half dozen I used.

Also keep em down at ground level i.e.more into the roots, otherwise you will seriously pi55 off the chainsaw operator who eventually removes the dead tree and your neighbour will find out about the copper nails.

[Amy]

You have to shell out a bit of cash first.

Buy a couple of weekend health spa tickets and send them anon to your neighbours.


Get the team on standby for that weekend.
Neighbours go away, team moves in, cut down and pull up roots, dump all the trees on neighbours garden, as the law says and bill them for the emergency tree surgeon and clean up team, plus damages, expenses etc to get back the cost of spa break tickets.,

 

[johnrae]

My understanding is that anything of your neighbours trees that's on your side of the boundary is for you to manage - ie trim or cut out, including branches and roots.  However they belong to your neighbour so you should return them, ie dump them on their drive.  In the interests of good neighbourly relataions I suggest that you give them say 4 weeks notice of impending operations so that they may beat you to it.
jack

[rhys]

Copper is a nasty chemical 
http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/showthread.php?t=187116

[peter999]

  Drill hole in trunk on your property and pour in some battery acid or "Onestop" drain cleaner by the end of this growing season they will have very brown dead trees droping hundrens of needle in their garden    they then will be more than happy to have them removed 

Not that I would ever do this of cause