Problems with my close Neighbours Bay Tree

Yvonne.hudson53

When my neighbour bought his house approximately 15 years ago he planted a Bay Tree in his small garden, which happens to be on the boundary of my garden.  It has not been controlled in height and today stands approximately 18’ high!
My garage is quite close by and I am worried this might be affected structurally in some way in the course of time.  Next door to the Bay Tree is another tree which was planted approximately three years after he moved in.  This is even higher and is growing against my garage roof.  I trim what I can if it grows onto my side, but more seriously I also don’t want it loosening any of the garage roof tiles.  Initially it looked ornamental but has been allowed to grow to this tremendous height and is not cared for.
Incidently, the houses/garages are Edwardian.

Lizzie27

Have you tried talking to your neighbour about the problem?

Yvonne.hudson53

They are in their 80’s and I don’t speak to them, they keep themselves to themselves. Therefore making life quite difficult.

Nanny Beach

Can we have a picture?

Greenbird

I find that large trees cause more problems in peoples minds than they do in reality. I worked South Kensington and most streets are lined with large tress (some London Planes get 100ft tall) outside town houses worth £10m.  



But I'm a tree lover and wouldn't ever be without one, regardless of garden size.

If he's planted it too close to your boundary and you have some anxiety about the size, maybe worth knocking the door and discussing. 

Be thankful it's not a leylandii 

Dovefromabove

Would they come to the door if you knocked ... and then stood back in a friendly but Covid-safe way?  And then you could explain in a neighbourly way that it would ease your mind hugely if the trees could just be trimmed back a bit on a regular ... say annual ... basis? You could offer to pay, or at least to go halves with the cost as it's you that wants it done 

If they don't come to the door then a nice friendly neighbourly way, explaining your worries and making a suggestion as above ... stress that you're not aiming to cause a problem, just to find neighbourly way to solve a problem.   Then if they can't deal with it perhaps a relative or visiting carer would help them.  

Good neighbourly relations are worth their weight in gold. 
Bad ones can make a home a living hell 😢

Chris-P-Bacon

Nanny Beach said:

Can we have a picture?

Yes, a photo would be handy.

Dovefromabove

Dovefromabove said:

...
If they don't come to the door then a nice friendly neighbourly way, explaining your worries and making a suggestion as above ... stress that you're not aiming to cause a problem, just to find neighbourly way to solve a problem.   Then if they can't deal with it perhaps a relative or visiting carer would help them.  

...

Sorry, I managed to delete the part where I suggested that you 'write a letter, in a nice friendly neighbourly way ...' etc