🌳 Can you cut a neighbour's branches that hang over the boundary?

With conditions

Quick answer

You can — but not immediately and not for nothing. Under the Law of Property Act an owner has the right to cut off and keep the roots, branches and fruit that extend from a neighbouring plot onto their land, but only on two conditions: they harm the use of the property, and the neighbour has not removed them within a reasonable time despite being warned. Harm means an actual obstacle: branches blocking the light or roots making it impossible to plant a bed — not simply that you dislike the tree. So the order is: warn → give a deadline → only then cut. And one pleasant rule: fruit that falls onto your land from the neighbour's tree belongs to you.

📋 The rules

You may cut what crosses the boundary
Condition 1: it harms the use of your land
Condition 2: the neighbour has been warned
And has not removed it in a reasonable time
Fallen fruit belongs to the landowner

🔓 Exceptions

A tree growing on the boundary belongs to the neighbours in equal shares, as does its fruit
If you let the branches remain, you are entitled to their fruit within your boundary
Felling a tree may require a permit from the municipality

⚠️ Penalties & fines

Cutting without a warning turns you into the wrongdoer. The law requires you to give the neighbour a deadline first, within which they can remove the nuisance themselves. Skip that step and strip their tree, and they can claim damages from you — and you will have lost the moral high ground as well. Do it this way: send a written warning (an email is fine), record the harm with photographs, and set a reasonable deadline. And two rules worth knowing: a tree on the boundary is the neighbours' joint property — you may not fell it alone; and felling a tree may need a municipal permit, even on your own land.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Can I cut the branches straight away?

You cannot. You must first warn the neighbour and give them a reasonable deadline to remove the branches themselves. Only if they fail to do so does your right to cut them arise.

When are branches considered harmful?

When they hinder the use or management of your land — for example branches blocking the light or roots making it impossible to plant a bed. Simply disliking the tree is not enough.

Who owns fallen fruit?

Fruit that falls onto your land from a neighbour's tree belongs to you. If you allow overhanging branches to remain, you are also entitled to the fruit on them within your own boundary.

Who owns a tree on the boundary?

A tree growing on the boundary belongs to the neighbours in equal shares, as does its fruit and the tree itself if felled or fallen. You may not fell it alone without the neighbour's consent.

Do I need a permit to fell a tree?

Often yes. Felling a tree may require a permit from the municipality, even for a tree growing on your own plot. Check the local rules before reaching for the saw.

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