The relevant legislation is Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003.
A qualifying hedge comprises two or more evergreen or semi-evergreen trees or shrubs.
The hedge must exceed two metres and form a barrier to light or access.
Councils can require reduction and maintenance, but cannot require removal.
What the high hedge legislation actually covers
Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 provides the complaint framework. It is not a general ban on tall hedges, nor an automatic right to demand a two-metre boundary. The council considers whether the height of a qualifying hedge adversely affects reasonable enjoyment of a domestic property, including its garden or yard.
The statutory definition concerns a line of two or more evergreen or semi-evergreen trees or shrubs exceeding two metres above ground level and forming a barrier to light or access. Gaps matter: a row does not qualify if those gaps significantly affect its overall effect as a barrier. A single tall tree does not qualify.
Height alone does not decide the complaint
The two-metre figure is an eligibility threshold, not a universal permitted height. A taller hedge may remain acceptable, while another hedge may justify action because of its position and effect. The council assesses the circumstances rather than simply measuring the hedge and ordering everything above two metres removed.
Explain the practical impact on your home or garden. Identify affected windows, shaded sitting areas and the relationship between the hedge and your property. Photographs taken from consistent positions can help demonstrate the issue. Avoid relying only on statements that the hedge looks untidy or that you would prefer a different view.
This procedure is not designed to resolve every tree dispute. Root damage falls outside Part 8, and overhanging growth raises separate boundary issues. For those questions, read the neighbour's overhanging tree guide rather than treating a high hedge complaint as permission to cut someone else's plants.
Try reasonable resolution before contacting the council
Start with a calm conversation or a clear written request. Describe the problem, suggest a realistic reduction and discuss future maintenance. Give the owner a reasonable opportunity to respond. A practical proposal is more useful than an unsupported demand that the entire hedge must disappear.
Keep copies of letters, messages and any proposed agreement. Consider mediation where appropriate. The council can reject a complaint if it considers that you have not taken all reasonable steps to settle the dispute first. There is no single required number of conversations that guarantees acceptance.
If agreement remains impossible, contact the council responsible for the land containing the hedge. Ask for its current complaint form, evidence requirements and fee. Councils may charge for considering complaints, so check the local arrangements rather than assuming that the process is free.
What a council decision can require
Where action is justified, the council can issue a remedial notice specifying work to address the adverse effect and prevent recurrence. This may involve reducing the hedge and keeping it at an appropriate height. The result depends on the assessment, not solely on either neighbour's preferred outcome.
A notice cannot require removal of the hedge or reduction below two metres. It is therefore important to distinguish reduction from clearance when requesting quotations. If either party disagrees with a qualifying council decision, an appeal route exists; check the decision paperwork and official guidance promptly.
Plan a reduction that can be carried out properly
Before commissioning work, establish ownership, access and the agreed specification. Check tree protection and wildlife constraints rather than assuming a neighbour agreement overrides them. Where a remedial notice exists, provide the complete document to the contractor so the proposed work can be checked against its requirements.
For conifers, a severe cut may leave bare areas that do not recover as expected. Discuss the likely appearance and whether staged work is appropriate. See Leylandii hedge cutting for the related service, and request hedge reduction when retaining the hedge is the intended outcome.
Need it sorted?
Need it sorted? Book hedge reduction and use the quote form. Include photographs, approximate dimensions, access details and any council correspondence. This guide provides general information for England, not legal advice; obtain independent advice where ownership, boundaries or enforcement are disputed.
