How can I deal with these overgrown hedges that aren't even ours?
By sjohnson628
@sjohnson628 (3197)
United States
August 29, 2007 7:04pm CST
It's terrible. Where I am living now there are neighbors on both sides of the yard. Each neighbor has hedges that they don't take care of. And they separate the property lines on both sides of our yard. So needless to say I have taken the chore of making our side look nice upon myself.
I have hauled away what seems like a ton of over grown branches and I am darn well getting sick of paying to get rid of THEIR brush!
The hedges are beyond being hedges anymore. They have turned into 15 foot barriers. They look ugly and it is just a lot of work to keep our side of THEIR hedges looking nice from our view of them.
(The pic attached is not the hedges in our yard as I have trimmed ours to a decent looking hedge by now and tomorrow I will take the real pic of the view and attach it to some responses.)
The neighbor on the left has been saying for 2 years that he is going to take his out all together and put up a nice fence. It will cost a lot of money to do this as he will need an excavator crew to do it.
The neighbor on the right just doesn't care at all and they are taking over her yard.
How can we deal with this issue without having the neighbors hold a grudge against us?
I was thinking the next time I cut any brush of theirs from OUR yard I will just throw it into their yard. But then again I don't want to start a Hatfield and Mccoy fight here.
Any suggestions on how to deal with the issue would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
2 people like this
7 responses
@Rollo1 (16677)
• Boston, Massachusetts
30 Aug 07
Well, my first thought would be that you should put up a fence but you say you can't do that. What if you set the fence in a bit, over your line by a foot or so? Would that curb the hedge growing under the fence?
If you can't do that and you don't get satisfaction by talking to them just look at it this way - the neighbors whose hedges are in such bad shape are probably not people you want to look out at that much anyway. So be glad that the hedge hides them from your view.
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
30 Aug 07
Fences can get very spendy as well. When we got our Beagle we had to install a few feet of fencing with a gate as well. That cost us $1,000 even through a friends company. This is a hard spot she's in really.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~.
1 person likes this
@sjohnson628 (3197)
• United States
30 Aug 07
If we should get a fence and set it back a foot or so then that would make our yard smaller and the hedges would grow over and under it by next summer. Seriously Our driveway is like 4 feet from their hedge line and I have no choice but to cut it and haul it because it grows right over our driveway. And has posion ivy and oak in the hedges.
And I agree with you on not wanting to look at them that's not the issue with us. The issue is the hedges are growing out as well as the are growing tall. I cut the width of them much more than I do the height.
I will post pics to the comments tomorrow so you can see what I am saying here and Thanks Rollo!
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16677)
• Boston, Massachusetts
30 Aug 07
Well, it is true that anything on your side of the line is yours to do with what you will, trim it back right to the line. It does leave you with the responsibility and the work of trimming and hauling the brush away though. If the hedge wasn't there, would you want something else there? A boxwood hedge or a line of small bushes or trees? Maybe instead of dealing with it as it is, your neighbor would be open to putting in a new hedge. Of course, the unsightly hedge is bringing down the value of both properties. I guess it depends on how open they are to suggestions and how much they care about being good neighbors. In my experience, these matters rarely get settled amicably, sometimes it even tears friendships apart.
2 people like this
@vanities (11395)
• Davao, Philippines
30 Aug 07
if i were in your shoes..i will inform both of my neighbors about it in a nice way and ask for them to trimmed it if not putting a fence..if they ignore it then maybe its the time that i will file a complain to the proper authorities about it...in our place that is my country we usually file a complain on the head of our barangay..called as brngy. captain...he settles all disputes before going to the court if unresolved..
@sjohnson628 (3197)
• United States
30 Aug 07
Well that's a great idea!! I never thought of filing a complaint with authorities. But first we should probably talk to them and see what happens. Thanks vanities!
1 person likes this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
30 Aug 07
I would find out who the actualy owner of these hedges is first. Then check with your city or whatever and find out what the laws are pertaining ot maintanence of ones yard etc. Find more info out before you srat that hatfield McCoy family feud. I am sure theres some type of ordinance/law pertaining to overgrown uncared for trees, shrubs, lawns etc. So check into this with the city and or Police Department.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
1 person likes this
@sjohnson628 (3197)
• United States
30 Aug 07
Thanks Grandpa Bob! And yes we have already looked into who owns the hedges and it is clearly not my mom as she didn't plant them they did!
LOL! Good idea to check out the laws first as talking to them just isn't helping at all.
1 person likes this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
30 Aug 07
Are they friendly at all? Do they ever stop and say hi to you? If so I'd invite them for coffee tea or whatever then try and explain your feelings. If they aren't the talkative type neighbors then it's all about law enforcement techniques I'd say.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
1 person likes this
@sjohnson628 (3197)
• United States
30 Aug 07
P.S that guys hedges also has poison ivy and poison oak growing out of them! And I am highly allergic to both and it could be that is where I got my bad case of it this year which landed me in the emergency room with a 200 dollar bill! But i can't prove where I got the poison from or i'd slap the bill on him too LOL!
1 person likes this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
30 Aug 07
There really is not much you can do, just trim them as best as you can.
I read some posts and you mention the people who planted them, but have you actually checked the survey..whose property they are on. I had a neighbor who hated a tree that was between our houses, it frequently dropped huge branches. Well one of them hit her car and she went to sue us--- surprise, surprise, when we looked at a land survey, it was just over her property line by about 6 inches and she was responsible.
The previous people had put up a fence, on the property line in the yard...and everyone assumed it was straight and accurate.
If the hedges are really on your property then you have the right to cut them down - no matter who planted them.
1 person likes this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
30 Aug 07
BTW We have removed shrubs with a 4 wheel drive truck and chains...just wrap the chain around the shrub and the truck and with some coaxing...out they came.
Can save some money that way.
1 person likes this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
30 Aug 07
wow, we are nearly neighbors..we go to stew leonard's all of the time...and use to go to Wesco (hockey store) regularly when my son played hockey.
Night neighbor
1 person likes this
@sjohnson628 (3197)
• United States
30 Aug 07
Good idea to check the land survey. Perhaps the shrubery has gotten so big over the years and is actually on our property line by now. That would be great if that is the case. The guy on the left also has two huge blue spruce trees that we would love to see go also.
ANd if we do have the right to remove the hedges then I will have my son try it with his truck first. And yes we are practically neighbors! Thanks Debs_place!
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
30 Aug 07
I would simply tell them. Just say something like 'I hope you don't mind but i've cut the hedge back cos it wants to come and live in my yard!' or something stupid and slightly funny like that. Maybe then they'll get the hint and you've told them without causing any tension. The last thing you want to do is cause tension with thepeople you live right next door to!
My elderly neighbour hinted to me to dig the weeds out from the strip of dirt beside my driveway that is right next to her garden. She said 'the last people who were hear never pulled the weeds out and the seeds would fly into my garden and cause weeds..so I poisoned it I did!" She said the neighbours would abuse her and tell her to mind her own business. SO out of respect for her I make sure the weeds are all out. Point is-she told me nicely and wasn't nagging me so becasue I like her and I know how much she loves her garden, I keep it clear. And I believe it is my responsibility anyway because I have no right to let my weeds take over her garden! Good luck
2 people like this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
30 Aug 07
You are doing the right thing by trimming the hedge on your side.
If the neighbours are not going to coperate over the hedges, which are theirs anyway, despite your polite requests, you can really on do one thiung.
Go to your local council. It is likely you can get them to firce the issue. Better still, many councils now have a free mediation service, for disputing neighbours. They are professional & no agressive.
