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Neighbour’s Leylandii Too Tall? The High Hedges Law Explained

We hear about it all the time while we are out on jobs. A neighbour’s conifer hedge has grown to five or six metres, the garden is in shade for half the day and conversations over the fence have got frosty. It is one of the most common neighbour disputes in the country, and there are rules that can help.

Start with a conversation

It sounds obvious, but the best outcome is nearly always a friendly agreement. Many people do not realise how much shade their hedge is causing, or they simply cannot afford or manage the work themselves. Offering to share the cost of a professional cut can go a long way. If talking face to face is difficult, a polite letter is a good next step, and keep a copy.

Your right to cut overhanging branches

You are generally allowed to cut back branches that overhang your side of the boundary, as long as you do not go past the boundary line and do not kill or seriously damage the hedge. Technically the cuttings belong to your neighbour, so it is polite to ask whether they want them back. We go into this in more detail in our post on what you can do with trees or hedges overhanging your garden.

Cutting back your side will not deal with the height, though, and that is where the high hedges law comes in.

The high hedges law

Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 gives councils powers to deal with problem hedges. A hedge counts as a high hedge if it:

  • is made up of two or more trees or shrubs in a line,
  • is mostly evergreen or semi-evergreen, such as Leylandii, laurel or privet,
  • is over 2 metres tall, and
  • acts as a barrier to light or access.

If the hedge meets these rules and is affecting your reasonable enjoyment of your home or garden, you can complain to your local council. In our area that would be Stafford Borough Council, Cannock Chase Council or South Staffordshire Council depending on where you live.

How a complaint works

You will need to show that you have tried to sort it out with your neighbour first. Councils usually charge a fee to look at a complaint. An officer will visit and weigh up both sides. If they agree the hedge is causing a problem, they can issue a notice requiring the owner to reduce it to a set height and keep it there. They cannot order the hedge to be removed altogether.

Questions we get asked

My hedge is the problem. What should I do?

If you are the one with the tall hedge, getting it reduced before it becomes a dispute is the easiest option. We can usually reduce Leylandii in height quite a bit. The sides are trickier because it will not regrow from brown wood.

Can you work on a hedge from the neighbour’s side?

Only with their permission. On most jobs we speak to the neighbour in advance, and most are very happy to let us through because they get a tidy hedge on their side too.

Is it cheaper to remove a hedge than keep cutting it?

Sometimes. If a hedge has got very big, removing it and grinding out the stumps then replacing it with a fence or a more manageable hedge can work out cheaper over a few years.

Get a hedge sorted

M Bissell Trees and Hedges has years of experience reducing and maintaining large hedges across Staffordshire. We clear all the waste away and leave both sides tidy. Call Matt on 07968 421 434 or 01785 82 44 10, or get in touch here.