Trees can be a great source of conflict between neighbours.

In all cases of dispute we find that honest dialogue never does harm and often solves all problems. If you feel threatened by a neighbour's trees and initial dialogue has failed, it is advisable to employ a qualified arboriculturist to find evidence to back your case.

Your neighbour has legal obligations (see the responsibilities of tree owners page) and you also have some rights.

Can you cut your neighbour's trees?
Yes if they overhang your land but you can only cut the pieces that overhang your land and you must offer the wood back to your neighbour.

If your neighbours hedge is growing over your boundary you are allowed to cut it back.

Leyland cypress hedges do grow fast! There are rules about the height of hedges near houses.

What can I do about a neighbour's high hedge?
There is some legal help offered by the 2005 high hedges section of the anti social behaviour act.
This only applies to evergreen or semi -evergreen hedges.
Most importantly, under this legislation you must attempt dialogue with your neighbour before the law can help. If this fails, you can contact your local planning authority and seek more information. For a fee (this varies but £400 is fairly normal) they will interpret how the law applies to the hedge in question and prescribe what height it should be cut to. An arboricultural consultant can help assess whether you have a case before you pay your fee.

Can I gain access to my neighbour's land to work on my own trees?
Yes under the Access to Neighbouring Lands Act, provided that it is necessary for the work.