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Neighbour growing plants up my garage wall

ChocgeorgieChocgeorgie Posts: 7
in Problem solving
My neighbour grows a Virginia creeper up my garage wall. I don’t particularly mind that however they do not maintain it and let it grow up over my garage roof tiles and into my guttering. When I ask them to maintain it so that it does not get so overgrown and, if they couldn’t manage maintaining it if we could discuss it being removed, they said they would get round to it and if I touched it in any way it would not be tolerated and I would be dealt with appropriately. I presume they mean in legal terms as opposed to physical harm! Where do I stand on this? It’s a plant on their land but growing up (and over) my garage wall/roof? Thanks in advance
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Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    it's your garage, you can remove it at your convenience. 
    they have no "right" to grow anything on it.
    Devon.
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    edited July 2020
    But if you have to do it from their side and that would be trespassing.
    With such an aggressive response from your neighbour perhaps it's best to leave things as they are?
    Does the garage have a pitched or flat roof and could you reach the area from your side if so perhaps you could cut it off below your gutter or spray it with weed killer but you do run the risk of the situation with your neighbour  escalating.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Some people have a bloody nerve don't they?  :/
    @Hostafan1 is right. Your garage, so they have no right to grow anything on it, but these things can escalate, which makes it very difficult to solve. They seem to be very aggressive in their response to what was a very simple and reasonable request.
    I had a similar situation here, where my neighbour's garage forms part of the garden boundary. I erected an extra piece of fence to the inside [my side] so that I could build raised beds along the whole stretch of fence to grow stuff.
    I wouldn't dream of letting anything encroach, and I make sure the clematis that's in the raised bed is kept out of the guttering etc.


    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ChocgeorgieChocgeorgie Posts: 7
    K67 said:
    But if you have to do it from their side and that would be trespassing.
    With such an aggressive response from your neighbour perhaps it's best to leave things as they are?
    Does the garage have a pitched or flat roof and could you reach the area from your side if so perhaps you could cut it off below your gutter or spray it with weed killer but you do run the risk of the situation with your neighbour  escalating.
    Yes I would have to go onto their land to cut the creeper easily. It’s a pitched roof but I do have ladders that could create a platform to cut it from above. From the tone of their response you can gather that they aren’t the most pleasant of people so I’m not concerned about upsetting them. I’m a little tired of their bullying attitude. I wasn’t sure if there was any legal repercussions if I cut it back myself such as property damage
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    contact Citizens' Advice for clarification.
    Devon.
  • ChocgeorgieChocgeorgie Posts: 7
    Hostafan1 said:
    contact Citizens' Advice for clarification.
    Good idea! Thank you
  • ChocgeorgieChocgeorgie Posts: 7
    Fairygirl said:
    Some people have a bloody nerve don't they?  :/
    @Hostafan1 is right. Your garage, so they have no right to grow anything on it, but these things can escalate, which makes it very difficult to solve. They seem to be very aggressive in their response to what was a very simple and reasonable request.
    I had a similar situation here, where my neighbour's garage forms part of the garden boundary. I erected an extra piece of fence to the inside [my side] so that I could build raised beds along the whole stretch of fence to grow stuff.
    I wouldn't dream of letting anything encroach

    That’s a lovely and thoughtful set up you have there! Unfortunately my neighbours are more the ‘we’ve been here for years and rule the roost’ types. They happily walk onto my driveway and move my bins / plant pots without a second thought, goodness knows why, so doing what you have done would not have crossed their minds!
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Fairygirl said:
    I had a similar situation here, where my neighbour's garage forms part of the garden boundary.
    Technically the wall can't be the boundary otherwise their guttering (and the foundation of the wall) is trespassing on your property. It might be the same in this situation where OP's garage wall is actually 10-15cm inside their boundary to allow for the guttering. If their plant is blocking your guttering or causing a threat to the integrity of the roof then it's potentially a fairly serious issue for you and they need to be made aware of that.

    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    That's a good point @wild edges. I'd never really thought of it like that. 
    When we lived round the corner, we had a garage which essentially was the boundary of the neighbour's garden, whose house was slightly elevated. I think it's a common situation here. Saves them building a fence or summat. 
    They never planted anything that I know of, and we certainly had no issue with any neighbours with it. I think the grass grew right up to the garage wall.
    These things do tend to be straightforward, as long as people don't behave like the OP's neighbours. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066
    If you think that's bad my friends NDN drilled her house walls and hung his ladders off brackets.  He was really offended when she told him to take them down.  Some people are unbelievable.
    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
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