Value of branches?

[Whisker]

Hello,

My next-door neighbour has been cutting my trees and taking the branches for his wood-burner. One time I saw him removing overhanging branches and asked him to put them back over my fence, which he didn't like, so now if course he does it when I'm not there and has also entered my garden on several occasions.

I understand that technically this is theft and that I am entitled to claim recompense for the loss, but how do you value branches? I'm guessing that some wood is more expensive than others, so is it only what would be considered as useable? The branches are up to 8 inches diameter and 30-odd ft in length.

What about the damage to the trees? Ten have had branches clumsily cut back to the trunk in several attempts with a pruning saw, so obviously they have been completely spoilt, as has that whole area of the garden.

Any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated as I'm considering all options before deciding what action to take.

Many thanks in advance.

[devon TWiG]

He is legally obliged to "offer" the branches back to you .....so accept them !!  you then deny him of the wood , if you feel that is his motivation for cutting them off ...or ...he may be doing you a favour by pruning the excessive trespass of your trees , or you may have to do it yourself , or pay to have it done ....never a good idea to get in to disputes as it has to be declared if / when buying / selling house ...

[Mark J]

19 hours ago, spudulike said:

Your neighbour has the right to remove any growth that is on his side of the boundary and any roots that pass under the boundary. If he makes the tree unstable or kills it, you can sue. This should be "Offered back to you".

 

If he is coming on to your property without your permission, this is trespass which is a civil law so you could take him to court. The police may get involved if it looks like it is getting a bit saucy.

 

Good luck with charging him for the stolen timber, he will just ignore you I would think.

 

Legals may cost you £250-350 per hour and most legal types will advise you not to take legal action.

 

If it was me and you are significantly hacked off about it, I would get the proof together, seek legal advice and see if you can get a "Cease and Desist" letter sent to him. If he ignores it, you can do him in the manner the letter states. Rough initial cost £350 consultation plus £100 for the letter etc.

 

Other options are man traps, taking up shooting or just clump him, freeze, chip and then feed to pigs. It is a typical IRA clean up process I am led to believe and should sort the issue out but may get police attention.

 

It is my understanding that you can sever tree roots on your side of the fence but you have to make the tree owner aware that the tree may suffer as a result. I might be mistaken, so please don't take this as gospel. 

 

[GarethM]

8 minutes ago, Mark J said:

It is my understanding that you can sever tree roots on your side of the fence but you have to make the tree owner aware that the tree may suffer as a result. I might be mistaken, so please don't take this as gospel. 

 

Wouldn't that make them more liable to actually fall your way tho ?.

[Dan Maynard]

1 hour ago, GarethM said:

Wouldn't that make them more liable to actually fall your way tho ?.

No, they work mostly in tension so more likely to fall his way.

[Dan Maynard]

To answer the original question, the value of the branches is zero and irrelevant, and the cuts can easily be tidied up to look decent.

 

The most important thing is to work out a compromise of how you can live together with your neighbours, which almost certainly doesn't mean the trees having free reign to get as big as they would want to. At some point they will need cut, else being beech they will get huge.

[Whisker]

On 07/01/2025 at 15:51, Steven P said:

I get the feeling from your post that you aren't best buddies just now. You could ask him for the value of the wood but would that make your relationship with him tricky - you have to live next door - or would it make no difference.

 

As for value, depends on the species. Softwood, dried and split for firewood, delivered commercially £75 a 'tonne' - builders bag full.

 

If you are onto asking him for money then you also want to emphasise the trespass onto your garden. Might be prudent for neighbourly relations though to chat to him, see which branches are offending him and do it yourself in the future - saves trespass and any charging for the wood he has kept. He might go the other way, mega petty and any fallen twig or branch gets shot back over into your garden - as is his right - for you to deal with.

 

 

If it was me I'd let the branches go but be very clear you will not accept him entering and trespassing in your garden.

 

 

 

And yes, photos would be handy to make a judgement!

 

A friendly chinwag would not be an option. We've never been on speaking terms - simply because we'd never actually spoken until the overhanging branches episode last year, when he was aggressive and abusive. In the 17 years since he moved in there have been untold incidents which I have ignored as pathetic attempts to provoke a reaction from me and I would've let this go too, thought he'd had his fun, but no, he was out there at 9 o/c the other evening sawing away at my ash tree in the dark. So I reckon it's only a matter of time before the prospect of 60 beech trees-worth of firewood becomes a little too tempting...
 

[Whisker]

On 07/01/2025 at 18:35, spudulike said:

Your neighbour has the right to remove any growth that is on his side of the boundary and any roots that pass under the boundary. If he makes the tree unstable or kills it, you can sue. This should be "Offered back to you".

 

If he is coming on to your property without your permission, this is trespass which is a civil law so you could take him to court. The police may get involved if it looks like it is getting a bit saucy.

 

Good luck with charging him for the stolen timber, he will just ignore you I would think.

 

Legals may cost you £250-350 per hour and most legal types will advise you not to take legal action.

 

If it was me and you are significantly hacked off about it, I would get the proof together, seek legal advice and see if you can get a "Cease and Desist" letter sent to him. If he ignores it, you can do him in the manner the letter states. Rough initial cost £350 consultation plus £100 for the letter etc.

 

Other options are man traps, taking up shooting or just clump him, freeze, chip and then feed to pigs. It is a typical IRA clean up process I am led to believe and should sort the issue out but may get police attention.

 

 

Thanks for your advice.

 

😂 The other options are very appealing, although as an animal lover I wouldn't want to be responsible for giving the pigs indigestion!

[Mark J]

5 hours ago, GarethM said:

Wouldn't that make them more liable to actually fall your way tho ?.

Again, this might be bollocks so please don't act on it, but my understanding is that It doesn't really matter which way the tree might fall, you have made them aware of the peril and it's up to them to resolve it. If it falls on your house that'll be their insurers problem if they haven't addressed the peril.

[spudulike]

Some people confuse being nice or pleasant with being soft so with people like your neighbour, I would suggest telling him to fu$k of your property otherwise you will take him to court and sue his arse off for criminal damage and trespass, If he wants to get agressive, tell him again to f$ck off and speak only to you through your solicitor...he may get the message then.

You have to understand that some neighbours are pretty obnoxious people and need putting together in a small community with other obnoxious neighbours so they can all piss each other off and leave the decent people alone.

I have had three properties in adult life and have experienced pretty toxic neighbours in all of them so speak from experience.

Sorry for your current predicament, it isn't easy, good thing we have gun law in the UK!!!