UK households with apple trees in their gardens could be slapped with a whopping £200,000 fine following a court dispute. A gardener has been left with the hefty bill after her rotten apples fell into a neighbour’s garden.
The gardener faced this eye-watering court bill after her neighbour took legal action over the fallen apples and she subsequently lost an attempt to appeal the decision. The pair ended up in court after a series of disagreements, including the issue of hundreds of rotting apples from a 40ft tree falling onto the neighbour’s lawn each year.
The neighbour had previously been hospitalised after being stung by wasps attracted by the rotting fruit, claiming that she couldn’t use part of her garden due to swarms of the insects. She felt “like a prisoner” in her own home due to the situation and accused the gardener of a campaign of “creepy” harassment during the dispute.
The row over the tree was resolved during the trial, with the gardener agreeing “to have the tree professionally pruned so that it is well away from the boundary”.
However, as apple season draws to a close and people see the rotting fruit beneath their trees, old tensions could spark new disputes. The case concluded in 2021, and the appeal was denied in 2022, but the fallout continues to reverberate.
Gardening gurus at Toolstation told BirminghamLive: “If one neighbour wishes to remove or heavily prune a tree that the other neighbour values, disputes can arise over the impact on the view, shade, or privacy. “.
“But, some trees may be protected by a Tree Protection Order which makes it an offence to uproot, top or destroy them,” the experts caution.
You can find out by contacting your local council for a map that shows this information. “Most of the time, it’s easy to determine who owns the fence as the fence posts will usually be on the owner’s side,” they add.
“When branches, vines, or roots from one neighbour’s tree or plant extend into the neighbouring property, it can lead to disagreements over potential damage to structures, blocked views, or the burden of maintenance,” reveal the pros.
“If you’re not sure, have a chat with your neighbours to let them know what you’re planning and, if there’s an issue, get in touch with your local council who can give you more guidance,” advise the gardening experts.
They say: “Additionally, the height of fences or hedges can cause disputes between neighbours if one party feels the height has exceeded the two metre guidance.
“Hedges and fences should be no more than two metres high, and you could be asked by the council to take them down if a neighbour complains about the height.
“Luckily, standard fence sizes are less than two metres tall so you shouldn’t have a problem.”
