High hedges guidance and complaints

How to make a high hedges complaint

If you have tried and exhausted all other avenues for resolving your hedge dispute, you can only then make a high hedges complaint to the Council.

We have powers to deal with complaints about high hedges. The law relates only to hedges that are composed mainly of evergreen trees, often these are conifer hedges. The government website has some useful guidance on what complaints we can consider and how we might deal with them.

There is no rule setting a maximum height for conifer hedges across the country. We can only set a height for a hedge if the formal complaint procedure is undertaken. Each hedge is assessed on its own merits and in relation to the properties around it.

A High hedge complaint costs £800. The fee is non-refundable. 

This covers the cost of site visits and surveys which help us to remain impartial so that we can act as an independent decision-maker. 

As part of your complaint you will need to clearly provide the following evidence:

  • the steps you’ve taken to try to settle the dispute
  • the problems that you are having in your home and/or its garden or yard because the hedge is too tall
  • why these problems are serious
  • how you think the hedge is adversely affecting the reasonable enjoyment of this property.

Further information of what is needed can be found on the government website

To make a complaint please use our form.

high hedge complaint

 

What happens after a complaint?

  • If we consider the circumstances justify it, we will issue a formal notice to the hedge owner which will set out what they must do to the hedge to remedy the problem, and when by.
  • If the neighbour doesn't agree with our decision, both the complainant and the hedge owner have the right to appeal against our decision and to be heard by an independent inspector.
  • Failure to carry out the works required by the final decision is an offence which, on prosecution, could lead to a fine of up to £1,000.

Questions

If you have a question about high hedge regulations, email us about high hedges or call us on 01543 308000.