Forum Topic

Who is responsible for pruning tree in alleyway?

In our alleyway, there is a large beautiful oak tree. It is not outside my garden but a house away. It has grown so big now that it needs pruning and the branches hang over 5 gardens including ours.I contacted the council this morning and asked if they would prune the tree and she said it is not a council matter and does not belong to the council and it is belongs to the neighbours. She said i will need to check my land deeds to see who it belongs to. Now my dilema is all i want is for the tree to be pruned. No one is going to search their land deeds to know who the tree belongs to as neighbours nowadays dont really talk to each other. So what do i do?who owns the tree? who is responsible for pruning?

Asha Smith ● 4232d4 Comments

Over growing tree and shrubs are a problem in 'private' back-alleyways. Also when they overhang narrow public pavements - more so after a rain shower. We have quite a few intruding bushes in the quieter side streets in our neighbourhood - one hesitates to knock on the door of an offender to ask them to do some pruning.

Gerry Tan ● 4231d

If it is beautiful why seek to butcher it?why not just enjoy it's natural beauty?You are blessed to have such a lovely native tree so close to you.

Tony Colliver ● 4232d

The alleyway ownership is usually split between the corner houses on the alleyway, that is the houses where the alleyway joins the street itself. The ownership typically wraps around the back of that particular house and extends down the alleway approximately half-way along the alley running behind the gardens to the next alley connecting with the road itself. Ownership splits down the alleyway.Therefore, to determine the ownership you only have to look at the freehold records for the houses that have street-connecting alleyways alongside them. This costs about £3 from the land registry website to download it.

Neil F. Weber ● 4232d

If it's on you neighbour's land they own it and are responsible for pruning. If the alleyway is a public right of way and the growth prevents access then the council can prune, if the owner refuses, and bill them.You also need to check if there is a tree preservation order (quite common on old oaks). If not, you can pay to get the tree professionally pruned back as far as your boundary as long as to return the prunings to the owner.

Nigel Brooks ● 4232d