Preliminaries required for using the Hedge Law  Updated April 05

You cannot access the new Law unless can convince the local authority that you have made every reasonable effort to settle the dispute yourself. There are two hoops you could well be required to jump through. Recent letters or recorded approaches to the grower You will have to provide evidence that you have asked to speak to the grower about reducing his hedge or have sent him at least one letter within a few weeks of complaining to the council. The letter will be to ask him to reduce his hedge and to explain why. Make sure it is a polite letter and keep copies of letters and replies and record all dates. These will have to be sent with the form. Mediation and the 'High Hedges Law' It looks as if most people will have to offer the grower to Mediation as a preliminary. This is not something we would have wished for. After all most of us have given the growers plenty of chances to discuss a solution. If you offer Mediation make it clear if you expect the grower to share or pay for any Mediation fees. See below * Warning the grower You are required to have warned the grower of your intention if you intend to make a complaint to the council under the 'High Hedges Law'. * To comfort you a little, Mediation only tries to help people come to an agreement. No outcome can be imposed. If no agreement is reached this will not make it more difficult to use the Hedge Law. It is usually fairly quick. Mediation is often free but if there are any fees and they are not affordable this would be a reason for saying you could not go to Mediation. If there are any fees and the grower will not share them, this would be another reason for saying you could not go to Mediation. It should be possible to make recurring maintenance one of the conditions of any ageement arrived at under Mediation. With 'High Hedges Law' in place your requests for height reduction are backed by the threat of possible legal enforcement. You just might get a satisfactory solution under Mediation. If you do, you will save yourself a lot of time, because getting a result under the Hedge Law will not be quick. Photos. You can expect to be asked to supply a photograph of the hedge.