Cutting neighbour's tree without permission

[Underwhelmed]

Our neighbour is unhappy about the height of our trees which cast shade on some of his garden. We planted mature trees that are now about 3 metres tall but don't overhang his side at all.  Without the trees, he can look into our garden and into our house.

He's not the sort to go through the legal process (District Court) to get the trees trimmed so what's the likely criminal charge (if any) if he decides to jump the fence and lop them off himself? It would be useful to have something to mention to him before he does anything. We do have security cameras aimed at the boundary and we will go to the Disputes Tribunal if he kills them (they cost a bit). 

No posts encouraging me to be a good neighbour, please. If you lived next door to this guy, you'd be planting big trees too.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

It is a difficult one, because while having a bastard next door is a challenge, so is losing your garden to someone else's plantings. But no, entering a neighbouring property to damage trees is illegal, but, if it happens the brunt of the trouble will be yours, because you have to pursue the matter. I think for the sake of the trees and to save future hassles I would have trained arborists do a judicious trim on them, and I would make sure those cameras were not causing a breach of the neighbours privacy.

And I do understand the feelings involved. Our first ever home had silver birches lining the fence between ours and a rental property next door, that had been there for years without issue. Till new tenants arrived, and one day when we were out they took a chainsaw to their side and unbalanced the entire line. It was a complete tragedy, but at least they had the grace to remove the branches they took down as well.

Forty years later it still rankles...

[Magoo]

i would start a clandestine program of harassment. i call it pre-emptive revenge.
start with a few tennis balls on his roof. they roll into the downspouts and cause catastrophic damage during a storm.
get a squirt gun and spray a bit of turps on his loaded washing line. dont need much, it stinks to high heaven. permeates everything.
wait til the wind is right and chuck some old scallops and fish heads into bucket near the boundary fence. it will smell like an abattoir lickety split.
im sure you can come up with lots of ideas of your own.
get the kids onto it, theyve all seen home alone.
i would shoot for two or three times a week and ramp it up from there.
keep us updated.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I am so glad I do not live next to magoo. Lovely man that he is.

[mike]

Is the neighbour in a two storey home or up on a hill or something, why do you need 3m trees ?

Everyone deserves sun. How bad can your neighbour be if they are not the type to threaten you with court action ?

No doubt if your neighbour prunes your trees from their side the police will do nothing, they will just say it's a civil matter.
Do you really want to face off with your neighbour in court ? Things could get ugly real quick and your lack of privacy will be your least concern. Always keep in mind that your neighbour or associates could make your life a misery remotely and give you no proof that it's them causing you The Misery.
I have a neighbour like you and asked him 12 years ago if he could prune his trees and still not done. Think it's downright rude when people block your sun. I might have to try some of magoo's tricks on him.

[jim157]

Is the neighbour in a two storey home or up on a hill or something, why do you need 3m trees ?

Everyone deserves sun. How bad can your neighbour be if they are not the type to threaten you with court action ?

No doubt if your neighbour prunes your trees from their side the police will do nothing, they will just say it's a civil matter.
Do you really want to face off with your neighbour in court ? Things could get ugly real quick and your lack of privacy will be your least concern. Always keep in mind that your neighbour or associates could make your life a misery remotely and give you no proof that it's them causing you The Misery.
I have a neighbour like you and asked him 12 years ago if he could prune his trees and still not done. Think it's downright rude when people block your sun. I might have to try some of magoo's tricks on him.

i have a neighbour who is a complete arsehole, i planted several trees that grow to 7 meters, they are also well away from the boundary so he wont be trimming anything, long story that goes back a while he has cost me a couple of grand in lawyers etc, i have had 7 visits from local council because of complaints, all with no basis, they now ignore him, f him

[Magoo]

Is the neighbour in a two storey home or up on a hill or something, why do you need 3m trees ?

Everyone deserves sun. How bad can your neighbour be if they are not the type to threaten you with court action ?

No doubt if your neighbour prunes your trees from their side the police will do nothing, they will just say it's a civil matter.
Do you really want to face off with your neighbour in court ? Things could get ugly real quick and your lack of privacy will be your least concern. Always keep in mind that your neighbour or associates could make your life a misery remotely and give you no proof that it's them causing you The Misery.
I have a neighbour like you and asked him 12 years ago if he could prune his trees and still not done. Think it's downright rude when people block your sun. I might have to try some of magoo's tricks on him.

i have a neighbour who is a complete arsehole, i planted several trees that grow to 7 meters, they are also well away from the boundary so he wont be trimming anything, long story that goes back a while he has cost me a couple of grand in lawyers etc, i have had 7 visits from local council because of complaints, all with no basis, they now ignore him, f him

that was me

[king1]

Is the neighbour in a two storey home or up on a hill or something, why do you need 3m trees ?

Everyone deserves sun. How bad can your neighbour be if they are not the type to threaten you with court action ?

No doubt if your neighbour prunes your trees from their side the police will do nothing, they will just say it's a civil matter.
Do you really want to face off with your neighbour in court ? Things could get ugly real quick and your lack of privacy will be your least concern. Always keep in mind that your neighbour or associates could make your life a misery remotely and give you no proof that it's them causing you The Misery.
I have a neighbour like you and asked him 12 years ago if he could prune his trees and still not done. Think it's downright rude when people block your sun. I might have to try some of magoo's tricks on him.

i have a neighbour who is a complete arsehole, i planted several trees that grow to 7 meters, they are also well away from the boundary so he wont be trimming anything, long story that goes back a while he has cost me a couple of grand in lawyers etc, i have had 7 visits from local council because of complaints, all with no basis, they now ignore him, f him

you should be able to have some kind of recompense against waxxers like that -  some folks just seem to like drawing it out as long as possible so it costs you as much as possible...

[mike]

Is the neighbour in a two storey home or up on a hill or something, why do you need 3m trees ?

Everyone deserves sun. How bad can your neighbour be if they are not the type to threaten you with court action ?

No doubt if your neighbour prunes your trees from their side the police will do nothing, they will just say it's a civil matter.
Do you really want to face off with your neighbour in court ? Things could get ugly real quick and your lack of privacy will be your least concern. Always keep in mind that your neighbour or associates could make your life a misery remotely and give you no proof that it's them causing you The Misery.
I have a neighbour like you and asked him 12 years ago if he could prune his trees and still not done. Think it's downright rude when people block your sun. I might have to try some of magoo's tricks on him.

i have a neighbour who is a complete arsehole, i planted several trees that grow to 7 meters, they are also well away from the boundary so he wont be trimming anything, long story that goes back a while he has cost me a couple of grand in lawyers etc, i have had 7 visits from local council because of complaints, all with no basis, they now ignore him, f him

Yeah two wrongs always make a right.

[jim157]

Yeah two wrongs always make a right.

he is way ahead of me in the wrongs dept, anyway i hope he gets hit by lightning

[Magoo]

forked or sheet?

[jim157]

forked or sheet?

either im not fussy

[snacks]

As I understand it they can remove overhanging branches and as it is your tree they can put the trimmings on your side of the fence for you to remove.

[Ferrit47]

Yes you are Right Snacks.
If Neighbours Trees Branches are overhanging over Boundary Fence you have The Right to cut them off & throw them back over onto their property as they belong to them.
In past if theres only a few branches I have just picked them up & put them in my bin. I try to compromise to be a considerate neighbour.
Normally I ask first anyway.
They have never said No.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

One of our local villages has trees on the boundary. They overhang a neighbours fence. The place changed hands and the new owner got out the chainsaw and tossed everything back over the fence, onto washing lines and tenants washing. Caused a hell of a stink. LL sent a community manager over to speak to him and give him contact details so he could get them to trim whenever he wanted, and got a flea in her ear for doing so. The trees cannot be trimmed from the village side and the neighbour won't allow contractors onto his property.

Some people are just their own worst enemy.

[Magoo]

tis easier to ask forgiveness later than permission first.