This is a very common question. A
person cannot make an adjoining property owner cut the trees per se but please
see my later comments about trespass and nuisance.
Consent is needed to trim
deciduous trees which are protected by a Tree Preservation Order and a licence
may be needed to fell trees which are not protected by a TPO.
Evergreens cannot usually have a
TPO.
Regarding evergreens, a complaint
can be made to the council and they will deal with them under the nuisance tree
legislation but only with regard to the height. They want £300 fee to start the process and if they
find that the trees are a nuisance, they can compel a tree owner to cut them
down to 2 m high.
With regard to branches and roots
growing boundary, these are nuisance and trespass. The overhanging pieces can
be chopped off as can roots growing underground but they do not belong to
anyone other than the tree owner, so the pieces should be given back although
if they are unceremoniously dumped over their hedge without warning, it is not
good for already fraught neighbour relation
The following are links will give
you some reading with regard to high hedges and nuisance trees. Don't worry
about where the sites are geographically because the rules apply nationwide.
http://www.richmond.gov.uk/home/environment/planning/high_hedges/high_hedges_frequently_asked_questions.htm
http://www.tameside.gov.uk/planning/highhedges
http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/trees.html
As this cost is incurred through no fault of your own, there is no reason why you cannot claim it back BUT you do have to warn the neighbour that if you do go to the council he will incur that cost.
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