Hedge on the property boundary (in NRW)

Hello everyone,

Plants are located directly on the property line with the neighbor, and we currently have a dispute about how much the plants can be trimmed in height. What is the legal situation? Unfortunately, Google mostly provides results about maintaining distances, but these plants have already been standing for more than 10 years. So we no longer have a claim for removal. Also, unilateral removal is probably no longer possible.

But what about trimming the height? Am I allowed to do that simply? Or is the shrubbery considered joint property that I am not allowed to cut?

Thank you all
Tassimat

We had a similar case in MeckPom. The hedge was protected after 5 years and no longer needs to be cut back.

Am I allowed to do that? Or does the thicket count as joint property that I am not allowed to cut?

No, you are not allowed if it is not your property… even if it stands on a shared boundary.
The ownership situation should be clarified. After that, you can still discuss who is responsible for the maintenance. It is not uncommon that the owner does not want to take care of their property and does not care how high their hedge becomes. In that case, it is rather a win-win situation if the person who is interested takes care of the hedge (you?).
How high the thicket may or will become can be agreed upon. Officially, this is regulated in the neighborhood laws.

Google § 42 Neighbor Law NRW. You might also find relevant case law there.

It is not uncommon that the owner does not want to maintain their property and does not care how tall their hedge grows. It’s more of a win-win situation if the person who is interested takes care of the hedge (You?).

That would be nice, but my neighbor wants to let it grow wild so that the privacy screen becomes higher and denser. Because of the terraced middle house, the garden is only 6m wide. Understandably, he does not want to replant on his side or anything like that.
I want it to be neatly trimmed. It can certainly grow taller, but it should be tidy.

I agreed with my neighbor on 2 m. He planted them and also takes care of them. Otherwise, I would not have agreed to the planting on the boundary.