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Dealing with a dispute about a high hedge
The right hedge can be an ideal garden boundary but the wrong hedge may bring problems. Find out what you can do if you think that a hedge on a garden boundary is too high.
Before you contact the council
Before you contact the council you should try to do the following:
- talk to your neighbour about the problem
- aim to get a better understanding of each other's concerns and try to work out a solution
- if this doesn't work invite them to talk to independent mediators who may be able to help you find a way forward
- if your neighbour won't talk or you are nervous about speaking to them, send a polite letter outlining the problems
Remember to keep a record of what you have done, such as copies of letters or a diary.
The Department for Communities and Local Government's (DCLG) leaflet 'Over the garden hedge' advises people how to approach their neighbour to resolve a hedge dispute. You can download the leaflet from the link below.
Making a complaint to your council
If none of this works, you should let your neighbours know that you are intending to make a formal complaint to the council. Involving the council should be a last resort if you are unable to agree a solution with the hedge owner.
The council is not able to intervene in disputes about deciduous trees or hedges. Find out what types of complaints the council can consider from the Department for Communities and Local Government's leaflet - 'High Hedges: complaining to the Council' which you can download from the link below.
Fees for the service
You have to pay the council for this service and the amount is not usually refundable. Your council will be able to tell you what the fee is and if there are any reductions for people on low incomes.
A fee is payable because:
- the service benefits an individual rather than the community in general
- a fee helps to ensure that complaints are genuine
- the fee is a payment for a service - not a penalty
- payment of a fee encourages people to try to settle disputes amicably
- most people who responded to a public consultation about high hedges thought it was fair that the person making the complaint should pay something for the council to intervene in their hedge dispute
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