Can I cut my neighbour's branches overhanging my plot in Sweden?
Yes — you may remove branches and roots that grow in from your neighbour's plot and cause a nuisance. It follows from chapter 3, section 2 of the Land Code. But if the removal risks seriously damaging the tree, the neighbour must first be given the chance to deal with it himself. Cut only up to the property line — never further in, never the trunk itself, and never fell the whole tree. The nuisance must be more than trivial, for instance roots cracking the asphalt or branches blocking the light. The trap most people fall into is the cost: you pay yourself to cut what hangs across and cannot invoice the neighbour. Cut too much and the matter turns against you — damages are calculated on the value of the whole tree. And a protected tree (ground works permit, detailed development plan) may not be removed despite the neighbour rule.
📋 The rules
- You may remove branches/roots that grow in and disturb
- Cut only up to the boundary line, never the trunk
- If it risks serious harm: the neighbour gets the first chance
- The nuisance must be more than trivial
- You pay yourself — cannot bill the neighbour
🔓 Exceptions
- Where significant damage is risked, the neighbour's first right to act applies
- Failing to remove a hazardous tree can also breach the consideration rule
- Protected trees (permit, detailed plan) may not be removed despite the neighbour right
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Cutting too much — the trunk, past the line, or so that the tree dies — brings liability in damages for the value of the tree. There is no fixed amount, and big cases have reached hundreds of thousands of kronor, because an old tree is not replaced by a sapling. It can also be judged as unlawful dispossession, that is, a criminal offence and not merely a civil dispute. The liability runs both ways: failing to remove a dangerous tree can breach the duty of consideration, and a protected tree may not be touched at all, however much it bothers you.
📎 Official sources
- Land Code (1970:994) ch. 3 · Riksdagen →
- Villaägarna · Relations between neighbours →
- Swedish EPA · Trees and plots →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I cut branches that hang over my plot?
Yes, if they cause a nuisance that is more than trivial, for instance roots cracking the asphalt. But if the cutting risks seriously damaging the tree, the neighbour must first be given the chance to deal with it himself.
How far can I cut?
Only up to the property line, not a centimetre further in. You may neither attack the trunk nor fell the whole tree — do that and you become liable in damages for the value of the tree instead.
Must I ask the neighbour first?
Only if the cutting risks significant damage to the tree; then the neighbour has first right to deal with it himself. For small measures, such as a branch hanging over the plot, you can cut straight away without asking.
Who pays for the cutting?
You pay yourself to remove the parts that hang over your plot, and you cannot invoice the neighbour. The fact that the tree is the neighbour's does not change who bears the cost.
What happens if I cut too much?
You can become liable in damages for the value of the tree, and big cases have reached hundreds of thousands of kronor. It can also be judged as unlawful dispossession, that is, a crime and not just a dispute.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I cut neighbour branches sweden”
- “roots onto plot cut sweden”
- “neighbour tree blocking light”
- “cut up to boundary line”
- “who pays branches neighbour”
- “land code ch 3 neighbours”