Any tree surgeons out there?

Luke · 31 May 2006 at 11:20

Got a bit of a problem. In my back garden is a tree. A bloody big tree. I think it's a leylandii
A fortnight ago, my neighbour asked me to look into getting someone in to cut the tree back, as it was overhanging his garden. I said I would but in the last two weeks have been too busy to organise anything.
The other day, a neighbour further down the road asked me if I'd seen what had been done to the tree. I hadn't, so went to have a look. What I was greeted with is this:

It seems that the neighbours had some building work done and at the same time asked the builder if he would trim some branches off. He willingly did this.
I can understand them wanting some branches down, as I can appreciate that it was causing them nuisance with debris messing up thier garden, but what they have done to the tree, to my mind, is nothing short of kill it. I am also worried that now that all the weight is on one side of the tree, and the other side is flat, the tree is now prone to being caught by wind like a sail and could come down on someones house.

I know the law allows them to cut overhanging branches, but is their a height limit on this? They have gone up the entire tree. I've been told that 7 feet is the maximum they can cut up to, but I can't see this written anywhere.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

VeNT · 31 May 2006 at 11:23

when you have somthing to say, say it with fire.

tbh, they are a pain, if you've taken some branches off its going to start falling over probably (all the weight on one side rather than even as you said).
I'd call up a local tree surgion and get em to cut it down and take it away, its going to cost lots (maybe as much as £300 depending) for them to do a good job of it (and not drop it though your house or someone elses).
we had 5 of these, and two fell over when next door took the branches closest to them off (straight up from their fence, leaving 5inches of branch there).
they can take it all the way up to the top if they want to, but should not kill the tree or cause it to become a hazard.

Luke · 31 May 2006 at 11:25

Strangely, I was expecting that. Shortly followed by punch the neighbour in the ovaries, and mustard somewhere in the mix!

I've had a quote of £400 so far, but I'm trying to find out if legally they should foot at least some of the bill for making it necessary due to their actions.

LeperousDust · 31 May 2006 at 11:26

Unfortunately i've got no sympathy, huge trees are not ment for backgardens when houses are packed so tightly together. Why couldn't you just grow a small tree or keep the existing one under control?

emailiscrap said:
but I'm trying to find out if legally they should foot at least some of the bill for making it necessary due to their actions.

I'd have some choice words if you asked me to foot a bill your monstrosity.

Rich_L · 31 May 2006 at 11:26

This site might be of assistance

http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/trees.html

Luke · 31 May 2006 at 11:27

It was there since I moved in. I have no problem with getting rid of it, I just cannot afford to have it done at this moment in time. Unfortunately, they have just made it necessary.

Luke · 31 May 2006 at 11:32

Rich_L said:
This site might be of assistance

http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/trees.html

Brill. Just having a read through.

Luke · 31 May 2006 at 11:32

LeperousDust said:
Unfortunately i've got no sympathy, huge trees are not ment for backgardens when houses are packed so tightly together. Why couldn't you just grow a small tree or keep the existing one under control?

I'd have some choice words if you asked me to foot a bill your monstrosity.

There is a difference between pruning and killing.

PeterNem · 31 May 2006 at 11:34

I'm afraid I have little sympathy. I'm not sure where you stand in regards to the law, but as far as I'd be concerned, the neighbour asked you and waited two weeks without seeing any sign of action.

Someone was available he thought could do something about it, so why would he want to wait any longer?

The neighbour can chop the branches back to the boundary but he has to return the lopped branches to the owner of the tree together with any fruit that might have been on them.

Sounds to me like the was in the right, and that he should dump the rubbish in your garden!

LeperousDust · 31 May 2006 at 11:35

emailiscrap said:
There is a difference between pruning and killing.

I very much doubt the tree will die from that, they can take a fair bit of abuse. Even when it comes to root posioning in my experience

p).

VeNT · 31 May 2006 at 11:36

LeperousDust said:
I very much doubt the tree will die from that, they can take a fair bit of abuse. Even when it comes to root posioning in my experience p).

but its almost definetly going to pull itself out of the ground in high winds.

Humpty · 31 May 2006 at 11:40

I have every sympathy with the neighbour but in this case he has acted like a total idiot. You told him you would get it sorted and he has just gone and acted without talking to you any further. He was well within his rights to do it and I can certainly sympathise with him, but this is not the way to go about things.

I would suggest that you now look into taking the tree down and apologise to your neighbour for the problems it has caused him (yes, I know it is he that should be apologising to you!). This should diffuse any tension in the situation and try to ensure that you maintain a good relationship with him; getting on well with neighbours is worth a lot. Just my 2p worth.

LeperousDust · 31 May 2006 at 11:40

VeNT said:
but its almost definetly going to pull itself out of the ground in high winds.

I still doubt it really, unless were talking storms at which point it wouldn't matter. I wouldn't want to bet on it, but that tree would probably recover itself in 6 months to a year, and i don't think it's going to fall over anytime soon, if it does it saves him paying to get rid of it?

Anyways the guy on his side of the fence has not done anything wrong, as was pointed out he waited for a response and did something about it when he got the chance further down the line.

The OP has to foot the bill for his problem, it may have been there when he bought the house, but when he bought the house it bacame his problem. Get rid if it's causing you problems it will be cheaper in the long run.

VeNT · 31 May 2006 at 11:41

Humpty said:
I have every sympathy with the neighbour but in this case he has acted like a total idiot. You told him you would get it sorted and he has just gone and acted without talking to you any further. He was well within his rights to do it and I can certainly sympathise with him, but this is not the way to go about things.

I would suggest that you now look into taking the tree down and apologise to your neighbour for the problems it has caused him (yes, I know it is he that should be apologising to you!). This should diffuse any tension in the situation and try to ensure that you maintain a good relationship with him; getting on well with neighbours is worth a lot. Just my 2p worth.

or we could nuke him from orbit.
problem solved

riddlermarc · 31 May 2006 at 11:42

Get a tree surgeon to cut it back to a third of the height and even it up, it should be fine.. as previous posters have said, trees can take some serious stick/fire/mustard etc. My other half's place of work has a huge centre courtyard and they had a few proper tall trees in it, the tree surgeons came in and seriously chopped them back and they were 100% fine

VeNT · 31 May 2006 at 11:42

LeperousDust said:
I still doubt it really, unless were talking storms at which point it wouldn't matter. I wouldn't want to bet on it, but that tree would probably recover itself in 6 months to a year, and i don't think it's going to fall over anytime soon, if it does it saves him paying to get rid of it?

Anyways the guy on his side of the fence has not done anything wrong, as was pointed out he waited for a response and did something about it when he got the chance further down the line.

The OP has to foot the bill for his problem, it may have been there when he bought the house, but when he bought the house it bacame his problem. Get rid if it's causing you problems it will be cheaper in the long run.

those type of trees don't grow back once you take the branches off like that.

LeperousDust · 31 May 2006 at 11:43

VeNT said:
those type of trees don't grow back once you take the branches off like that.

I've seen it happen? If they didn't grow surely tree surgeons would be cutting themselves out of business?

//Edit:Oh sorry i see what you mean, when they've been hacked rather than looked after. They will still survive and grow back it how trees work, a bit of hacking actually spurs them on (works the same as a bush fire).

Luke · 31 May 2006 at 11:45

riddlermarc said:
Get a tree surgeon to cut it back to a third of the height and even it up, it should be fine.

Would you suggest Pritt-stick or staples to attach the branches back on to the now bare side? :confused:

VeNT · 31 May 2006 at 11:45

LeperousDust said:
I've seen it happen? If they didn't grow surely tree surgeons would be cutting themselves out of business?

leylandii do not grow back lower branches when you cut them off, I have seen this (left for over 3 years, 0 growth back)

LeperousDust · 31 May 2006 at 11:48

VeNT said:
leylandii do not grow back lower branches when you cut them off, I have seen this (left for over 3 years, 0 growth back)

Sorry your right, the lower branches probably wont grow back properly.