Birmingham amongst the worst locations in the West Midlands for garden disputes

Almost 100 complaints about vermin in neighbouring gardens have been reported to local authorities in the West Midlands over the past year.

While Hereford tops the list for the location where the most complaints about vermin have been made, Birmingham ranks in fourth place overall for total garden disputes in the West Midlands.

The findings come off the back of Airtasker’s ‘Garden gripe report' which revealed almost 12,000 enraged Brits nationwide have made an official complaint about the dire state of their neighbour’s garden over the last year.

Over the last year, 70 disgruntled residents in Birmingham have made an official complaint about the unruly nature of their neighbour’s garden.

The most common cause of friction in Birmingham has been overgrown gardens, accounting for 60 (86%) complaints.

This is followed by rubbish which was responsible for three complaints and invasive weeds/plants which was also responsible for three complaints.

Overall, Wolverhampton is the location in the West Midlands where neighbours have the most garden disputes.

A total of 140 complaints have been made to the local authorities here. Overgrown gardens are also the most common cause of complaint, as is the case in Birmingham.

The top five locations for complaints made against neighbours in the West Midlands:

When looking specifically at vermin complaints, a total of 92 have been made across the West Midlands - the highest of all regions in the UK.

Following in second place is the East Midlands with 85 complaints and Wales with 13.

The UK regions with the most complaints about vermin:

Hereford is the location in the West Midlands that tops the list with 52 complaints about vermin in neighbouring gardens.

This accounts for a whopping 57% of all vermin complaints across the region.

Commenting on the research, CEO and Founder of Airtasker, Tim Fung said:

“As a platform we pride ourselves on helping hundreds of people fix up their gardens every year and keep them under control. But, with summer having ended, many gardens across the UK will have grown out of control if they’ve not been managed.

“For those that don’t have the time or feel unable to tackle key jobs in the garden it seems outsourcing these tasks to an expert is becoming an increasingly popular choice. Our own data further highlights this - in July we saw a 763% year-on-year increase in gardening tasks posted to our site.

“We hope our investigation can help to shine a light on the unruly gardens’ causing friction amongst local residents, and encourage those in power to take the appropriate action in addressing this issue.”

The experts at Airtasker also offered advice on how people in Birmingham can resolve three common garden disputes:

Pruning overhanging trees/bushes

You are allowed to prune branches that overhang into your property up to the boundary line. However, always communicate with your neighbour first, as improper pruning leading to damage could result in a costly property damage claim.

Light being blocked by high hedges and bushes

A neighbour’s high hedge or shed blocking light can lead to disputes due to the ‘right to light,’ which entitles a person to a certain amount of natural light. Ignoring this right may result in legal action or compensation claims.

Invasive plants and weeds

If invasive plants like Japanese knotweed are in your garden, take immediate steps to prevent them from spreading, as this can be a criminal offence. Seek professional advice for removal and consult a dispute lawyer if needed, as landowners may seek an injunction or compensation for damages.