My next door neighbours tree overhangs my garden and is poorly maintained, in the high winds large branches have snapped off the tree and landed on our decking, just lucky know one was in the garden at the time. I've asked him on numerous occasions to get a tree surgeon in to tidy it up a bit. Someone told me they think if the tree is within 6 feet of the boundary then he has a legal obligation to maintain the tree. Is there any truth in this? Thanks for reading.

I have heard that is somewhat correct but only if they actually own the property.

write him a letter hun asking 'officially' and giving him say 10 days to sort arrangements out or you will to trim the branches yourself. And make a copy of the letter for your notes.

Yeh they own it mate, I did my fooking back in last time I climbed up it to cut some branches off. Thanks Ste.

Bad news about your back but good news they own it as there's no beating around the bush now faffing around contacting landlords etc.
Get straight to the point with the owner but in a polite manner.
If all else fails drill holes in it and poison it.

Hammer some rusty nails in it

Pepper i think it`s costick soada in a shringe bye bye to the tree

then just get rid off it!

Clicky

Caustic soda in a syringe isn't going to touch a tree that size.

Get in touch with the council (streetscene should know the department), if there is a history of the tree being dangerous then they can demand that it is made safe amongst other reasons.

"Dangerous trees

In England and Wales, local authorities have powers to deal with trees on private property which are on the point of causing damage. A local authority can:-
make the tree safe, if it is on the point of causing damage and are asked to do so by the owner of the land on which the tree stands. The local authority will recover the costs of doing this from the owner
make a tree safe on someone else’s land, if asked to do so by a neighbour whose property is in imminent danger from the tree and the owner of the land on which the tree stands is not known
serve a notice on someone who has a tree which is on the point of causing damage to the property of a neighbour and that neighbour asks the local authority to take action. The owner of the tree must comply with the notice. If they do not, the local authority will do the necessary work and recover the costs from the owner. The owner can appeal to the county court against the notice.

If you want the local authority to take action, you will need to find out which department deals with dangerous trees as this varies from one local authority to another. You can then ask this department to check the condition of the tree.

It is up to the local authority to decide if the tree is on the point of causing damage. If they consider it's not on the point of causing damage, they don't have to take any action.

In Northern Ireland, local councils only have powers to make a dangerous tree on private property safe if it is overhanging a public footpath or road. If a dangerous tree is overhanging a neighbour's property, you will have to try and come to an agreement with the tree's owner. You could also think about going to mediation or, as a last resort, taking legal action against your neighbour."


SOURCE

A copper nail driven fully home into a tree will kill it within a short time - so I'm told ! Sap reacting with copper sulphate? I wish I'd stayed awake more during Chemistry lessons !!

Didn't need to mate - this is an Urban Myth

Thanks for everyone's advise with this, much appreciated.

Quite! I have tried several means to encourage a tree to die. Recent attempts have met only with failure. And I AM a chemist!

Back a few years I did accelerate the demise of 3 very large sycamore trees by drilling 1/2" holes into which a noxious substance was introduced and then the holes bunged up with putty/ corks. THAT took 2 years to work, nearly 3 - by which time the trees looked real sick. The substance I used is unfortunately no longer available - but I think I have found a source of an alternative



Snod

The only problem with dealing with it yourself is the fact that you'd be leaving yourself open to a Criminal Damage charge

From a personal point of view, it's also not fair on the tree but then I've been a "tree hugger" for many, many years.

Hi criskay ,We have done this to a very large weeping willow ,still got the 2ft high stump . We used enough costic soda and we repeated it several times in to the trunk believe me it does work

Maybe the tree needs a girdle.

Now that looks cool, think my neighbour would notice it though, lol.

Ring barking is very effective eventually - but is also very obvious. The tree I have in mind as a target (only ONE tree - honest) will need to be treated in a non-obvious way. I LIKE the tree but the roots are invading my garden something rotten and there is a lot of branch overhang. I also worry about the drains because the drain run is only some 3M from the tree trunk.

Snod

if the branches are protruding in to your garden, you are allowed to cut them your self, as long as you return all the bits you cut off back to your neighbour, if you dont he could get you done for theft.

Sounds like you need the assistance of an act of god.

Beg, borrow or steal an air rifle, get a couple of 2 litre pop bottles, paint them a matt colour to make them unobtrusive when next to the trunk on the tree.

Fill bottle with petrol and secrete on the tree so they are only visible from your property, next thunderstorm shoot bottles with airgun so petrol runs down tree, light and watch bonfire.

Of course congratulate your neighbour on his good luck with a lightning strike that missed his house and only got the tree.

[quote=Silverback

Sounds like you need the assistance of an act of god.

Beg, borrow or steal an air rifle, get a couple of 2 litre pop bottles, paint them a matt colour to make them unobtrusive when next to the trunk on the tree.

Fill bottle with petrol and secrete on the tree so they are only visible from your property, next thunderstorm shoot bottles with airgun so petrol runs down tree, light and watch bonfire.

Of course congratulate your neighbour on his good luck with a lightning strike that missed his house and only got the tree.

[/quote]

And hope he's not a wiki member having read this ........

If it was on my side then I'd cut off the overhang and be done with it. I wouldn't think twice and I doubt the tree owner would give a rats arse anyway