Soldato
Apologies for going in half cocked, but I expect someone has come across this before - so thought I'd fire off a thread before I get home and dig out deeds and whatnot. TLDR at the end!
Anyway.....
Our house is mid-terrace, from our allocated parking, there is a pathway that leads to a gate on our back garden - along this path it also serves access to the back garden of two other houses.
Over the last few years that pathway has become overgrown, and inaccessible - the other two houses are rented, and neither the past or present tenants bothered to help clear it, so this weekend (owing to needing access via our back gate once again) I set-about clearing it at the weekend.
Problems have now arisen with one of the neighbors!
The issue isn't so much that I cleared this path, but that I trimmed an overhanging bush, which was spilling into our back garden from a house that backs onto our own backgarden - this bush had completely covered our gate, and made opening our gate impossible until cleared!
Whilst cutting this bush, our immediate neighbor (now complaining) voiced her concerns about me cutting this bush - saying that she wished to see it flowering, and that it offered her privacy from being overlooked by the houses backing onto our terrace; at that stage we got on really well with her and my wife had even been to several social events with her - so I politely explained that unfortunately it was preventing us from using our gate.
Though she was clearly not happy, she said "well, you are home owners" and left it at that - until today, when she has not only complained that I cut this bush too high, but that she has demanded that I now leave it to grow back; at least in line with her garden.
I don't have our deeds to hand (still at work) - but would have assumed that this pathway was common access for all three houses, and as such, it should be the responsibility for all to keep it clear and accessible? So, as this bush that tends to overgrow its adjacent garden fence, and prevent us using our gate - I assume that I have a right to keep it trimmed back?
Apologies if this description isn't clear, I guess the TLDR version is:
Live in terraced house with rear pathway to get to our back garden.
Pathway overgrown for years - cleared by me.
Adjacent house's bush keeps overgrowing our rear gate.
Next door neighbor now complaining about me cutting overgrowing bush.
Thanks folks!
Anyway.....
Our house is mid-terrace, from our allocated parking, there is a pathway that leads to a gate on our back garden - along this path it also serves access to the back garden of two other houses.
Over the last few years that pathway has become overgrown, and inaccessible - the other two houses are rented, and neither the past or present tenants bothered to help clear it, so this weekend (owing to needing access via our back gate once again) I set-about clearing it at the weekend.
Problems have now arisen with one of the neighbors!
The issue isn't so much that I cleared this path, but that I trimmed an overhanging bush, which was spilling into our back garden from a house that backs onto our own backgarden - this bush had completely covered our gate, and made opening our gate impossible until cleared!
Whilst cutting this bush, our immediate neighbor (now complaining) voiced her concerns about me cutting this bush - saying that she wished to see it flowering, and that it offered her privacy from being overlooked by the houses backing onto our terrace; at that stage we got on really well with her and my wife had even been to several social events with her - so I politely explained that unfortunately it was preventing us from using our gate.
Though she was clearly not happy, she said "well, you are home owners" and left it at that - until today, when she has not only complained that I cut this bush too high, but that she has demanded that I now leave it to grow back; at least in line with her garden.
I don't have our deeds to hand (still at work) - but would have assumed that this pathway was common access for all three houses, and as such, it should be the responsibility for all to keep it clear and accessible? So, as this bush that tends to overgrow its adjacent garden fence, and prevent us using our gate - I assume that I have a right to keep it trimmed back?
Apologies if this description isn't clear, I guess the TLDR version is:
Live in terraced house with rear pathway to get to our back garden.
Pathway overgrown for years - cleared by me.
Adjacent house's bush keeps overgrowing our rear gate.
Next door neighbor now complaining about me cutting overgrowing bush.
Thanks folks!
