Hedge rage hitting house prices

Sharon Thompson • Published 17 Sep 2009 16:05 8 Comments

Share this

Are YOU affected by a neighbour's tall hedges? Give us your views

HOMES in Helensburgh and the surrounding areas may lose up to 20 per cent of their value because of unruly neighbours' hedges.

That's the claim from Scothedge, who are handing out questionnaires this month in a bid to boost public consultation on the matter.

Only this week a reader approached the Advertiser complaining that a Leylandii hedge is making her life a misery.

She said she has completely lost the view from her patio of the seafront, and although she still has a view from the front of the house, is readily losing the view from yet another side of the property.

There have been a few heated exchanges with the neighbour who owns the hedge, yet there has been no progress in what she refers to as a "nightmare situation".

The reader - who wishes to remain anonymous - said: "These hedges grow so quickly that they need to be kept under control otherwise they just keep going and before you know it they are unmanageable."

Not only do they block out the view, which in the area comes with a hefty price tag, but they can also interfere with television receptions, causing chaos for some homeowners who feel at a loss on how they can approach the subject.

The Scothedge campaign is seeking legislation to secure fair resolution for people facing loss of reasonable enjoyment of their homes through careless or malicious growth of excessive hedges.

According to the campaign leader, more than 1,000 Scottish homeowners are battling with the problem and find themselves thrown into better dispute with neighbours.

Scottish Law provides no right to challenge the growth of hedges and trees, despite garden fences over two metres requiring planning permission.

The frustration and distress are often so severe that health is compromised and antisocial behaviour takes the place if sensible resolution.

Are YOU affected by hedge rage? Send us your comments using the form below.

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

william Naylor
Unregistered User
Sep 18, 14:26
Report comment

I think that it is a total disgrace that we are not in line with the English law when it comes to this type of dispute ,as this causes no end of missery to the people dircetly affected and can become a proble when trying to sell on your property ,people should raise their concern and help get a new law passed asap

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
BRIANGOUDIE
Unregistered User
Sep 18, 20:01
Report comment

NEIGHBOURS AND MYSELF ARE VICTIMS OF LOSS OF VIEW OVER GARE LOCH HAVE TRIED WITHOUT SUCCESS LEGAL METHDRS NO LUCK

RESULT ARGYLL & BUTE PUT A TREE PRESERVATION ORDER ON NUSIANCE TREES

NEIGHBOUR IS A NASTY PERSON ITS A CASE OF PUT UP

OUR HANDS ARE TIED

BUILDER MOVED THE GOALPOSTS BY WHAT WAS SOLD AS AN AREA OF LANCSCAPED GROUND AND PASSED OWNERSHIP TO OWNER OF THIS GROUND

RESIDENTS HAD NO SAY ON THE MATTER I.E WE WE WERE CONNED

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
cbell
Unregistered User
Sep 18, 21:10
Report comment

Legislation in England only allows leylandi and other hedges to reach 8ft. This should be the legislation here in Scotland. I bought my house because it had a beautiful view of the Clyde, only to be spoiled by a neighbour spitefully growing his leylandi trees to at least 40ft!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
JMurray
Unregistered User
Sep 21, 17:26
Report comment

We have watched the laurel 'hedge' grow and grow opposite our house. The hedges which are mostly Laurel are now about 60/70' high and within about 30' of the house. They restrict the light to two rooms particularly and require us to now have lights on in our kitchen throughout the day. They overhang the narrow road outside so high sided vehicles could be damaged by branches. They totally obscure one lamp post and are in danger of interferring with wires particulary phone wires. The situation for our neighbour is even worse as there are trees farther up the road are even higher. We have already tried mediating with the owner of the hedges, who is willing for them to be cut back, but is not willing to take any responsibility for doing so or for paying.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Hazelkaye
Unregistered User
Sep 21, 21:45
Report comment

Sharon Thompson. Is it the actual neighbours or their overgrown hedges which (that) are 'unruly'?

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Ian Simpson
Unregistered User
Sep 22, 21:34
Report comment

We agree, legislation to help control the situation is sorely needed and would help diffuse many a disagreeable conflict.

It does need to cover both hedges and individual nuisance vegitation.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
F Short
Unregistered User
Sep 23, 07:46
Report comment

I am appalled that this has been continually brushed aside by the government when clearly this type of behaviour leads to nasty disputes that will not be settled amicably you only have to take on board the type of information shown on numerous TV programs and documentaries to see how this adversely affect the property value and the health of some of the individuals cought up in such a dispute inevitability leading to the neighbour from hell syndrome

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
stempleton
Unregistered User
Sep 23, 07:52
Report comment

i have been involved in a dispute with my neighbour for some time now in relation leylandi growing approimetly 40 ft totaly blocking my vew from my loundge window ,i have approches my nighbour only to be informed that they will grow what they want thus leading to confronatation that we can all do without we need the law to clearly identify what is reasonable and clearly what is not ,this will stop people thinking that they can grow these type of trees to any hight they like without consideration for others views or light

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0

Follow @helensburghadv

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.