Fences

Barnet Homes will not repair any fences that do not border a public highway. It is therefore your own responsibility to repair fences that separate your garden from your neighbours garden.

Which fence is mine?

Barnet Homes properties are not land registered, and so we do not have records of which fence belongs to which property.

If your neighbour is a leaseholder or a freeholder, you can ask them to show you their Deeds which will outline if the fence bordering their property belongs to them. If it does not, you can assume it belongs to you.

If the fence is between your property and another council tenant, you can discuss this with your neighbour and make a decision as to who will repair the fence. You are not legally obligated to put up a fence.

For more detailed information on fences and boundaries, please visit http://www.boundary-problems.co.uk/boundary-problems/fences.html

Gardens

Tenants are responsible for maintaining their gardens. If a customer complains about their neighbour’s overgrown garden, this can be referred to the Neighbourhood Housing Officer to talk to the tenant about maintaining their garden as this is a requirement of their tenancy agreement. Not every resident has the time or ability to do a lot of gardening and we will only intervene when a garden is considered to be very overgrown or untidy.

Vegetation from your neighbour’s garden is encroaching into your garden

You can cut off vegetation that encroaches into your property up to the boundary line.

You should try to talk with your neighbour first to discuss any issues and try to find a suitable resolution before cutting back vegetation.

In many cases the problem can be resolved by talking to your neighbour.

It may be that they are having difficulty coping with the garden and would appreciate some support, for example from charities or local volunteer groups.

Trees

Responsibility

As per the standard Barnet Homes tenancy agreement, you are responsible for trees in your garden, making sure they are kept at a reasonable height and size. You must not plant or remove any trees in your garden without first obtaining permission from Barnet Homes. Trees that are situated within a communal area, such as a green or a parkway, are maintained on a cyclic programme of works.

Barnet Homes will only carry out works on trees that are considered dead, dying or dangerous. This does NOT include trees that are:

  • Blocking light to your property
  • Blocking television signals
  • Overgrown/in need of a crown reduction
  • Dropping leaves into your garden or surrounding areas

If you believe a tree is already dead, dying or is posing a danger to you, your property or surrounding properties then you should report it to Barnet Homes. Trees that would fall under this category include:

  • Fallen trees
  • Trees with large branches that have snapped off or may snap off
  • Trees on a public highway that are overgrown and blocking the streetlights/traffic lights
  • Trees that are overgrown and are touching property or electric wires

How to report

If the tree is dead, dying or dangerous you must contact Barnet Homes and provide details of the location of the tree and the issue. If the tree is damaging a structure (such as a house or driveway), you should also include this in your description. We rely heavily on photos to help us and our contractors to assess if there is a problem.

Helpful pictures include all the below

  • Photos of the tree from a distance so we can see the whole tree; if not take a couple.
  • The tree close up, focus on the tree trunk or branches that you think are the problem.
  • The area where the damage is on the tree and the damage that the tree is doing.

If you cannot take a photo then please ask a friend or family member to help you. If this is not possible then our staff will have to attend to take photos which can make the process longer. Please let us know how we can get access to the tree, if we need to contact anyone for access and the most convenient times for this.

You may send an email to Talk2Us@Barnethomes.org including the below information:

  • Your Name
  • Full Address
  • Phone number
  • Exact location of tree
  • Description of issues
  • Access route to the tree
  • Pictures of the tree

You will receive a response from us confirming that we have received your report.

You can also fill in this form:

Tree query

  • Please be as specific as possible, and provide a full address.
  • Please be as detailed as possible
  • Drop files here or
    Max. file size: 1 MB.


    Resolving

    Once Barnet Homes has received your report, the inspecting officer will decide if works need to be carried out. If it is decided that works are required, it will be passed on to a separate contractor to carry out the works. From this point it can take up to 90 working days for the works to be carried out. For dangerous trees, the process can take up to 14 days but we will endeavour to have these works completed as quickly as possible.

    You will receive a response from Barnet Homes confirming whether the works will be carried out or not, and an explanation will be provided if the works are not required.