My neighbour has asked me to clear away some ivy which has grown into his greenhouse.?

Question

He says the ivy has come from my garden. However, I cannot see the ivy as I have a large shrub in front of the fence. Am I legally bound to have the ivy removed from his greenhouse? Is it my problem if my ivy has grown over his greenhouse? Shouldn't he kept the ivy at bay himself? I think this may go to a Solicitor so any help would be VERY welcome.

Answer 1

Rod is right, he should clear it himself but return the remains as they are your property.

If you do anything on his property, you could be liable for any damage caused during removal, so again no, he does it!!

Answer 2

tell him to **** ***

if it's annoying him that much he would have cut it by now , he seems to be one of them people that just go looking for arguements !

Answer 3

This is really a small matter and it's not worth creating bad feelings when the two of you still have to live next door to each other after the ivy is cleared.  Explain that you couldn't see the ivy creeping onto his property, grab some shears and go cut it away.  

Then just check now and then to make sure it's not creeping onto his property again or since you can't see it, just pull it all out and be done with it.

It's ivy which grows fast so it will probably make its way back to his property again very quickly

Answer 4

It is your problem if your ivy has grown over his greenhouse.  

You need to be more neighborly and be responsible to clear out your ivy.

Answer 5

Aren't neighbours a pain in the ar$e!?

Just ignore them!  That's what I do.  They must be suffering some acute form of paranoia:

"Ohhh, some thing is invading me... they are doing it on purpose..." kind thing.

Answer 6

What ever happened to love they neighbour. Surely the best thing to do is invite him round,let him take a look and if the ivy is coming from your side work it out together,ivy is one persistent plant to get rid of. Solicitors, they are going to love you. You are being totally silly, forget solicitors and get digging and use weed Killier.

Answer 7

He, as the property owner, is responsible for whatever is on his property. It does not matter if it is coming from your side. He has the right to clear anything he sees fit up to your property including overhanging tree branches or bushes. You have no obligation to clear his land.

Answer 8

Why not just explain to him that the shrub is in the way and you can't see (or get to) the ivy.  Tell him that you are more than happy for him to cut it back.  Be neighbourly as it would be a very stupid and expensive thing to have sorted out at a solicitors.  Try going behing the shrub and chopping back the ivy on your side too.  You never know when you are going to need your neighbours.  Be civil.

Answer 9

Yup, althought the roots (allegedly) are coming from your side, the ivy is in his property. If you were to go and remove the ivy yourself you would therefore be trespassing.

he is very welcome to 'ask' you to move it but you are not obliged of course because you would then have to enter his property.

At the end of the day its up to you,

Answer 10

I think that if the ivy is proved to have come over the fence, from your garden and onto his green house, then you are liable for any damage caused.

I know that when we had garages at the back of our garden and alot of our shrubs were growing up and then onto one of the  roofs, we were advised to remove it.

I think you are supposed to keep your own plants at bay - the same applies for hedging , and tree branches which hang over to someone elses property.

I'm going to star this question so as to find out what others say.

Answer 11

if u really don't like this neighbour, just go onto his property and fall , then bring the solicitors in and i'd say he will never ask u again to set foot behind his walls ............. kidding, be nice though!

Answer 12

If the roots of the Ivy plant are in your property, then yes you are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the plant.

Therefore he is in the right to ask you to tidy it up.

Answer 13

I think legally he's not allowed to cut down a neighbours tree/plant.

Answer 14

why not just clear the ivy. Is it like a MAJOR problem. It's not worth stirring up aminosity over such a small thing. Why not just do it and be done. A solicitor would be way over the top..

Answer 15

he is right.sorry.

Answer 16

If he can prove that the ivy has originated in your garden and it is causing damage he can insist that you take care of it, you are legally bound to make sure that your plants do not damage his property. If you get a decent weedkiller it will kill all ,even the roots but take care not to get it on anything else as he will then likely want a claim for damaging his plants.

Answer 17

just were a glove and rip it out make shure u get the roots

Answer 18

Any plant that grows onto someone else property remains the responsibility of the grower, so yes. you should remove it if reasonably asked to do so.