High hedge complaints

High hedges are covered by Part 8 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 to tackle problems associated with high hedges. 

In section 66 of this act a 'high hedge' is defined as 2 or more evergreen trees or shrubs which are of over 2 metres above ground level. They must be owned by someone else and be affecting your enjoyment of your home or garden (as a tenant or owner). 

Complain about a high hedge 

You may be able to complain to us if your neighbour has a high hedge and you cannot resolve the problem between you. This service costs £550.

Before you complain 

We are unable to become involved in a high hedge dispute unless you have tried to resolve the issue yourself. This may include talking or writing to the person responsible for the hedge or using a mediation service. Useful help and guidance can be found on these websites:  

• resolving neighbour disputes - explains all the steps you should take before contacting the Council, including mediation. 
• over the garden hedge - leaflet providing guidance on resolving high hedge issues without involving the local authority.  

If you have tried all methods to resolve the dispute you can complain to the council.  

• the leaflet High hedges: complaining to the council - explains the high hedge complaint process.  

To complain, you must have evidence to show you have tried to address the problem in the last 6 months and have failed. This could include records of letters, emails and any mediation undertaken by a third party. We may decline to investigate a complaint if we feel you have not taken all reasonable steps to resolve the matter.  

If you are not sure whether the hedge meets the criteria, please call us for advice. A Council Tree Officer may visit the site to assess whether or not the case meets the criteria for a high hedge application. 

What we can do 

When dealing with complaints about high hedges we have to work to the government’s regulations.

If you complain to us, it does not mean that we can automatically order your neighbour to cut their hedge. We can order the hedge to be cut if it affects your ‘reasonable enjoyment’ but we decide this based on lots of different things, and each case is different. This is calculated by using hedge height and light loss and a spreadsheet to calculate what the height of the hedge should be.

What we cannot do 

There are some things the law does not cover: 

• we cannot do anything about single trees or shrubs 
• we cannot do anything about trees or shrubs shedding their leaves   
• we cannot order a hedge to be removed 
• the law does not guarantee you access to uninterrupted light 
• we cannot issue Antisocial Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) for high hedges 
• we cannot deal with problems caused by hedge or tree roots 
• we will not compare the height of the hedge to other nearby hedges – if your other neighbours keep their hedges trimmed to a certain height, you cannot use this as grounds to complain that another neighbour doesn’t keep theirs the same height

Making a complaint 

We can only accept complaints about a hedge which is made up of at least two evergreen or semi-evergreen trees or shrubs, which are in a line with no big gaps in between. It must be at least two metres high and block out light to your home or garden. 

You can complain whether you own or rent your home, but make sure you let your landlord know that you are complaining to us. 

Make sure you tell us as much information as possible but keep it factual. A copy will be sent to your neighbour, and their landlord if they have one. 

What you need to tell us 

To complain you’ll need to include: 

• your name, address and contact details 
• your neighbour’s address (where the hedge is growing) 
• evidence that you have spoken to your neighbour and tried to resolve the problem informally first 
• the correct fee 
• a full explanation of how the hedge affects you 
• a photo of the hedge 
• a plan showing where the hedge is and the surrounding properties 
• any extra documents or professional reports that you have had done 
• details of any formal complaints you have already made about the hedge 

How to draw your plan 

Make sure that your plan: 

• shows the surrounding roads, and their names 
• shows all the surrounding buildings and properties, with house numbers/names 
• clearly marks exactly where the hedge is and how long it is 
• shows any measurements in metres 

If you are complaining that the hedge blocks your light, make sure your plan: 

• marks which way is north 
• shows the windows which are affected by the hedge 
• includes any relevant measurements, for example, the size of your garden and how far it is between the hedge and your windows 

Submit your complaint form

Start now

Other ways to apply

If you can't apply online you can:

• download the complaint form as a word document so that you can complete it on a computer and email it to us
• download the complaint form as a PDF so that you can print it, complete it and send it back to us by post (or scan it and email it to us)

If you need us to send you a hard copy of the complaint form email or call us.

Pay the fee 

A high hedge complaint costs £550. You must pay before we can investigate.

If you are in receipt of benefits call or email us before you submit your application. 

If submitting a hard copy call us to make payment over the phone. 

Complaining on behalf of someone else 

You can have someone complain on your behalf, such as a family member or friend, or you can use a professional adviser. This person will be our main contact, but they will still need to tell us your name and contact details - you cannot complain anonymously. 

If you don’t know who owns the land or property

Find out on the land registry website 

Government guidance 

Get more information about high hedges, including how to resolve differences with your neighbour and how to complain, on the GOV.UK high hedges page.

Hedgerow removal

Find out more about hedgerow removal.