Surly Neighbour

[atalanta]

can I stop my surly neighbour coming onto my front garden to trim his hedge, which he can quite easily do from his side ? This evening he was quite nasty at having to get himself and his equipment off my drive so I could get my car out. He hadn't said a word to me in advance of this.

[boxtops]

He ought to ask to come onto your property, otherwise he is trespassing.

[weecalf]

Surly this cant be fair tell him to respect your privotacy.

[boxtops]

You can ask him to let you know when he intends to do it - he can't just walk into your garden, it's your land.

[Mamyalynne]

Why would he do that if he can easily reach the other side of the hedge from his side, which I must admit sounds a bit hard to picture.

[boxtops]

I can't image how he'd do it either, when you say equipment I guess you mean electrical cutters etc - it's risky to lean over to use them to cut the other side.

[atalanta]

The hedge is quite low, actually. I was surprised he needed to cut it at all. The equipment seemed to be a huge ( industrial ?) extension lead on a big roller. Quite unnecessary, as he could have run his cable from a nearby socket indoors - his house is the same plan as mine, so I know how it is arranged internally.

[Mamyalynne]

Want an honest answer? If it were me I'd let him cut it and all would be well in neighbour land.

[boxtops]

Our neighbour lets us in to trim our bushes from their side, but we do always ask first. I guess like mamya I'd be grateful he's doing it at all - as long as he's not trampling on anything precious.

[Cloverjo]

What a ridiculous man! Jeez. Next time, just tell him politely to ask you if it's convenient for you if he comes onto your property.

[ludwig]

// Want an honest answer? If it were me I'd let him cut it and all would be well in neighbour land. //

No it wouldn't. He sounds like an *rsehole. If he wants to cut the hedge, fine, but he shouldn't be coming onto your property unless he's going straight to the front door and ringing the doorbell to talk to you first.

If you let it slide, he'll be doing something worse next time.

[Connemmara]

Oh Gawd - yous all have horrible neighbours - our neighbours let each other cut each other lawns hedges without all that hoo ha over a bit of greenery. Some people need to get a life.

[ELVIS68]

"Some people need to get a life"....

Bit rude Connemarra, not everyone has friendly neighbours.

[Mamyalynne]

//
If you let it slide, he'll be doing something worse next time//


What , he might wash your windows.

[tamborine]

call the police, he's disturbing the peace. They will warn him off & if he does it again he risks being arrested.

[Cloverjo]

The problem seems to be not that he's cutting the hedge- Atalanta doesn't seem to mind that. It's the fact that he got huffy about having to move his stuff off her drive when she wanted to get her car out. That's why the guy is an irritation wosname and should be spoken to - quietly and politely.

[tonywiltshire]

You may be able to stop your neighbour entering your property to cut the hedge; he may have the right to enter your land to maintain his property but should do this with your agreement. The law reports are full of unseemly disputes between neighbours which have led to court cases between warring neighbours, which can be very expensive.
The best, but often not welcome advice, is to try to stay on good terms with neighbours, which I know is not always possible.