Overgrown trees and hedges can be a nuisance, blocking out light and causing stress and extra work if they’re encroaching onto your property. As a local authority, we have powers to investigate high hedge complaints.
Before you make a high hedge complaint
Before making a complaint, you need to assess whether the following applies:
- does the hedge act, to some degree, as a barrier to light or access – even though it might have gaps in it? We can only act where a hedge is adversely affecting the reasonable enjoyment of your property which must be a house and not a barn, garage, summerhouse or greenhouse
- are there two or more trees or shrubs in the hedge, which are roughly in a line? Complaints cannot be made about single trees or shrubs
- is the hedge comprised wholly or mostly of evergreen trees or shrubs? The legislation applies to leyland cypress, conifers and laurel. It does not apply to beech, hornbeam or climbing plants such as ivy
- is the hedge over two metres high? The legislation does not require all hedges to be cut to two metres in height and you do not need permission to grow a hedge above two metres. Action will not automatically be taken if a hedge grows above two metres high
It is not an offence to have a high hedge and you are not guaranteed access to uninterrupted light. We also cannot make anyone completely remove a hedge.
Make a high hedge complaint
If you’re seriously affected by high hedges on neighbouring properties and have answered yes to the above questions, you can complain to us to get an independent judgement on the problem.
If your neighbour has a hedge which you think is too high, we recommend that you first speak to them and explain politely that you are being troubled.
Before investigating a complaint, it will be expected that you have exhausted all avenues in trying to settle the matter yourself. If you have not made sufficient efforts to resolve the problem, we may refuse to look at the case.
Telephone: 01636 650000
Fees for high hedges complaints
As a high hedge complaint is a dispute between neighbours, we charge an initial fee for dealing with the issue. The initial application fee allows us to assess the complaint and see whether it can be investigated:
- first stage fee – £260
- second stage – £440
If the complaint is valid, you’ll then be asked to pay a second fee to complete the investigation and to take appropriate remedial measures if required. There’s a 50% reduction in the charges if you’re in receipt of means-tested benefits.
After you make a complaint
The aim of our investigation is to strike a balance between your and the hedge owner's interests.
We will not mediate in the dispute.
If after assessing all of the information and submissions by both sides in the matter, we’re satisfied that a hedge is too high, we’ll issue a remedial notice on the hedge owner to reduce its height to a more acceptable level.
If the owner refuses to act upon the notice, the case may be referred to the courts.
There is a maximum fine of £1,000 for non-compliance and we have the power to carry out the work that’s needed.