Report a high hedge
Find out what you should do if you feel someone's hedge is blocking light or reducing the enjoyment of your home or garden.
Information about high hedges
Learn what defines a hedge problem, and how you can find a solution on the GOV.UK website
Requirements of a high hedge complaint
You must be the owner or occupier/ tenant of the property affected by the hedge.
You also need to have tried to resolve the situation yourself before contacting the council.
Making a complaint to the council costs £265.
To make a complaint the hedge needs to be:
- more than two metres in height
- on residential property
- growing on land owned by someone else
- made up of a line of two or more trees/shrubs
- mostly evergreen or semi-evergreen
- obstructing light or views - even if there are gaps in the foliage or between the trees/shrubs
See what powers the local authority has, and what you can make a complaint about on the GOV.UK website
How to make a high hedge complaint
If you've read all the requirements and you can show you've tried to resolve the issue yourself, you can report the hedge online.
It costs £265 to make a complaint.
This fee is non-refundable, even if you're successful, or you don't fulfill all the criteria for a formal complaint.
You'll be contacted within 5 working days of your application.
There is no legal time requirement for decisions, but we try to investigate and give you feedback within 3 months.
