Who is responsible for cutting hedges and boundaries in Ealing? Residents’ and Council duties explained

In Ealing a common question arises: who should cut a hedge that overhangs the pavement or blocks a neighbour’s light? The answer depends on who owns the land and what kind of problem it is.

1. Private gardens and hedges – resident’s responsibility
If the hedge or trees grow on private land (house, garden, property), the owner or tenant is responsible.

Homeowners must keep their vegetation from overhanging the pavement or creating a hazard. Council tenants are also required under their tenancy agreement to maintain their own gardens, including trees and hedges. Vegetation that grows over a public pavement and obstructs pedestrians (especially visually impaired people or wheelchair users) should be cut back by the property owner.

The Council does not routinely cut private hedges. It can, however, require the owner to take action if the vegetation endangers public safety on the highway.

2. High hedges between neighbours
There is a separate procedure under the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003. The Council can intervene only when:

the hedge is evergreen or semi-evergreen,
it is more than 2 metres high,
it seriously affects the reasonable enjoyment of a property (usually loss of light),
the complainant has first tried to resolve the matter amicably with the neighbour.

The Council cannot order the complete removal of the hedge, force it to be cut below 2 metres, or deal with single deciduous trees.

3. Council land (estates, parks, roadside verges)
Hedges, shrubs and grass on land owned by the Council (council estates, parks, roadside green strips) are the responsibility of the Council and its contractors (including Green Ealing). Work is carried out according to a schedule. If something is neglected, it can be reported.

Where to report problems
If a private hedge is overhanging the pavement or road – report it via the form on ealing.gov.uk (“Report a problem about grass verges or shrubs”) or through the Love Clean Streets app.

If a neighbour’s high hedge is blocking light – you need to make a formal High Hedges complaint. There is a fee and you must first try to resolve the issue with the neighbour.

If the problem concerns a neglected hedge or shrubs on Council land – use the same form as above or report it via the estate.

Enforcement team phone for high hedge matters: 020 8825 6600.

In short:
Your garden = your responsibility.

Public pavement and Council land = the Council can act.

Neighbour dispute over a high hedge = formal High Hedges procedure.

It is always best to speak to the neighbour first – most cases are resolved without a formal complaint.

Sources: Official Ealing Council pages (High hedges, Report a problem about grass verges or shrubs, Tenant’s Handbook).