1. The owner is responsible for repairing the hedge and clearing the ditch.
  2. If a hedge exists on the boundary line, the owner of each half is responsible for trimming and repairing his half, and can do what he likes with it.
  3. When a hedge belongs to both parties jointly, it is assumed to be divided down the middle and each party is responsible for maintaining his half.
  4. When digging or clearing out a ditch along a hedge, the owner must not cut into his neighbour’s land, and must throw all soil upon his own land. The same applies to hedge trimmings.
  5. If any poisonous hedge trimmings or plants are cut and left on the neighbour’s land, and the neighbour’s stock eats them and dies, the neighbour can claim damages from the owner of the hedge. However, if stock reach through to eat cuttings on the neighbour’s side, the owner of the stock has no claim.
  6. The owner of a ditch can erect a fence at its edge, along the boundary line, to protect his ditch. He is then responsible for repair and maintenance of the fence.
  7. Hedges alongside roads (motorways excepted) are generally the responsibility of the frontager, that is the owner of the land fronting the road. Under the 1980 Highways Act, the local authority can arrange to manage roadside hedges on behalf of the owner. Motorway hedges and fences, which are supplied as part of the motorway works, remain the responsibility of the Highways Agency. New hedges or fences required by alterations to trunk roads are supplied by the Agency, but the responsibility for maintenance is then normally handed over to the landowner. Check individual cases with the local authority, or the Highways Authority for trunk roads.

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