Can I Cut My Hedges That Give Neighbors Privacy?

Legal Concerns

• Homeowners are entitled to cut their hedges growing on their property even if the result is that their neighbor's lose some privacy. Homeowners should not interfere with their neighbor's rights or create nuisances or hazards, but they are not required to maintain privacy on behalf of their neighbors. Homeowners cannot deprive their neighbors of being able to enjoy their property but that differs from being compelled to create the means by which neighbors enjoy their property.

Neighborliness

• Homeowners may want to keep hedges that border their neighbor's property intact for the sake of maintaining good neighbor relations. While there is no legal obligation to provide neighbors with privacy, it may make sense to do so if the neighbors are unwilling or unable to provide their own privacy solution. As a courtesy, notify your neighbors of your plans to give them an opportunity to make alternate privacy arrangements.

Complete Removal Issues

• You can cut your hedges to remove them completely. There are times when a specific hedge or type of hedge no longer works in your landscape. While it may provide privacy, hedges should be able to perform more than one function, in particular, when you do not have a very large yard. Remove hedges that are too difficult for you to maintain, interfere with other more desirable plants, or that create a hazard.

Pruning Issues

• Develop a pruning strategy based on the type of hedge when you are cutting it to reduce its height, width or depth. You can permanently damage some hedges if you cut their branches incorrectly or if you take off too much growth at one time. Pruning hedges damaged by disease or storms improves the hedges' health. To preserve the hedges for the long term, you may need to sacrifice privacy in the short term.