Advice
High hedges in Scotland: the rules and what you can do
How the High Hedges (Scotland) Act works, what counts as a high hedge, and practical steps for dealing with an overgrown neighbour hedge.
Tall boundary hedges, especially leylandii, are one of the most common causes of neighbour disputes in Fife and Tayside. Scotland has its own law for this, and most problems can be solved without ever using it.
What counts as a high hedge
Under the High Hedges (Scotland) Act 2013, a high hedge is formed wholly or mainly by a row of two or more trees or shrubs, rises to more than two metres above ground level, and forms a barrier to light. Single trees do not count.
Talk to your neighbour first
Councils expect you to have tried to resolve the problem with your neighbour before applying. A friendly conversation, followed by a polite letter, is usually enough. Offering to share the cost of a professional cut often helps.
Applying to the council
If that fails, you can apply for a high hedge notice to Fife Council, Dundee City Council, Angus Council or Perth & Kinross Council. There is a fee, and the council will assess the effect on light to your home and garden before deciding whether to require work.
What you can cut yourself
You can usually cut back branches that overhang your side of the boundary, up to the boundary line, as long as the hedge is not protected and you do not kill it. Cuttings technically belong to the hedge owner, so it is polite to offer them back.
- Cut only up to the boundary
- Check for nesting birds from March to August
- Do not cut into the neighbour's side without permission
Reducing a leylandii hedge
Leylandii does not regrow from old brown wood, so cutting too hard can leave bare patches. A staged reduction over two seasons, or replacing a hopelessly overgrown hedge with a fence, is often the better answer. We advise on this at the quote.
Need this doing?
We carry out hedge maintenance across Fife, Dundee, Angus and Perthshire. See our hedge cutting page or call for a free, no-obligation quote.
Common questions
- How tall can a hedge be in Scotland?
- There is no fixed legal height, but a hedge over two metres that blocks light can be the subject of a high hedge application to the council.
- Can I cut my neighbour's hedge on my side?
- Generally yes, up to the boundary, as long as you do not kill the hedge and it is not protected.
- Can you cut a hedge that belongs to both of us?
- Yes. We can cut both sides with both owners' agreement and remove all the waste.
Your garden, considered
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