Council owned tree

[chattykathy]

I'm asking this question for my sister
Outside her house, on the pavement, is a council owned sycamore tree that is over hanging the pavement and into her front garden. It has also damaged her wall and lifted some of the block paving on the drive. Three years ago she complained to the Council about it impinging upon her property and she received a letter in which they stated they would 'crown' the tree in the next financial year as the budget had been spent.So far this has not been carried it out even after numerous phone calls. She knows she can chop off the branches hanging over her property but this could cause the tree to be lop sided and possibly unstable. What are her rights and what she should do?

[buildersmate]

I guess you can't have it both ways. You can chop the branches off that overhang and, yes, the tree will be lop-sided. Not sure why that should cause an issue - the lopsided weight would be away from the house.

[terambulan]

The Council dont have money to spend as they're busy investing our assets in foreign banks etc.

Get a Polish man with a saw to cut it down & clear it. Make sure he's not traceable.........job done - and you have no knowledge of anything.

[voltr4m4x]

The answer provided to you by Buildersmate (see above) is the most relevant and certainly the most sensible, but there is one further option: you can complain to your locally elected Councillor, who should, if (s)he is worth their "salt", make some representation on your behalf to the Council concerned. If that fails, you can make an insurance claim against the Council (which should cost you nothing) for the damage done to the property. Simply to "threaten" the Council with this type of action usually spurs them into doing something positive. Good luck !

[chattykathy]

Thanks for the answers. But does it have to be a Polish man??? Lol!!
She doesn't want to make the tree lop sided because it could be a danger to the public/road users but I guess that's not her problem!
Maybe the local councillor route will be the right thing to do
Thanks again