A man in High Wycombe has said his neighbour has refused to trim the hedge growing into his garden for years.

Paul Rees, 64, says his complaints to Buckinghamshire Council about the situation have fallen on deaf ears, although the authority says it does not get involved in such disputes.

Paul, who lives in a Red Kite home in Terriers, claims the landlord of the house next to his does not trim the hedge on their boundary.

The retired merchandiser says that overgrowing foliage at the rear of his neighbour’s garden is also allowed to spill out onto a public alley behind the row of houses.

Paul, who is originally from Wycombe, told the Bucks Free Press: “I’m just fed up. I can do a certain amount and that is all I can do.”

The landlord of the property next to Paul’s house has been there around three years, but the resident says the previous occupant also let the hedge overgrow.

He added: “I would say it is about eight years and I have fought and fought. I just feel like I am hitting a brick wall. He just doesn’t care. He tries to cut the grass and that’s about it.”

Paul, who has severe health difficulties, says he is able to do some work on his own garden, and that all he wants is for his neighbour to trim the hedge on the other side of the fence to a certain level so that it does not grow into his garden.

The resident has spoken to his neighbour and contacted the council, sent photographs and emailed its officers, but says he has not had an adequate response from either.

Paul said: “All this is overgrown. I’ve got a big chainsaw coming round and that is all going to get swiped, and I don’t give two hoots.”

Mark Winn, the council’s cabinet member for homelessness and regulatory services, said: “Issues concerning the appearance of gardens is usually a private matter which the council does not get involved with.”

The councillor said an officer would contact Paul to provide him with some ‘specific advice’ about the issue with his neighbour’s hedge and including potential support for his property maintenance.

He also confirmed that he had contacted Red Kite to see if it could help address the issue.

Red Kite’s head of communications and brand Julie Gamble-Kempe said: “We want all our tenants to be happy where they live and while we hadn’t heard directly about the challenges Mr Rees has, we want to ensure that he feels supported and comfortable in his home.

“We have since visited Mr Rees to offer advice and explore potential solutions, and he expressed his gratitude in a follow-up call later that day.”

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