Aussie homeowner cops $600 power bill hike after neighbour’s backyard decision
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Neighbour disputes can be frustrating, but when they start hitting the household budget, tensions can quickly escalate.
One Australian homeowner has found herself in a costly predicament thanks to an unexpected issue growing right next door.
What started as a simple privacy measure has now turned into a financial headache, with little recourse available through official channels.
A New South Wales homeowner found herself battling skyrocketing power bills after her neighbour’s unchecked bamboo plants plunged her solar panels into shade.
Melanie McMahon, from Port Macquarie, said the towering bamboo along their shared boundary had doubled in height over the past year, now reaching 15 metres.
While she understood her neighbour’s desire for privacy, she was frustrated that the thick, fast-growing plants had rendered her 24 solar panels almost useless.
‘They planted it there for privacy, they didn’t want to see the pergola and solar panels and I understand that. But the bamboo is out of control, it becomes extremely thick and continues to grow,’ she said.
When Melanie first moved in, her property was completely off the electrical grid, thanks to the solar panels installed by the previous owner.
Now, however, they were generating only ‘5-10 per cent of their full capacity’, forcing her to rely on the electrical grid for power.
‘During daylight hours my house should be off the electrical grid but the sun is blocked by the bamboo…originally our power bill was $400-500 a quarter but now I’m at $1,000 because my solar isn’t working,’ she said.
The extra cost was adding up to around $2,000 per year.
On top of the financial strain, Melanie also had to deal with bamboo leaves regularly clogging her gutters, as her neighbour did ‘zero maintenance’ on the plants.
When she tried to discuss the issue, tensions flared, and her neighbour allegedly refused to trim more than 50 centimetres off the bamboo.
‘Melanie, I don’t need to care about that,’ the neighbour allegedly told her when she explained the impact on her home.
Frustrated, she sought help from her local council but was told they did not intervene in disputes between neighbours.
‘I called council but they flat out said they don’t get involved in disputes before neighbours, so my first port of call was no help,’ she said.
With no assistance from authorities, Melanie looked into legal options and discovered a loophole in existing regulations.
The NSW Tree Act, introduced in 2006 to address neighbour disputes, classifies trees or hedges over 2.5 metres as a ‘public nuisance’.
However, because bamboo is neither classified as a tree nor a weed, it falls outside these rules, leaving affected homeowners with limited options.
Residents facing similar issues are advised to seek mediation through a Community Justice Centre, with the possibility of escalating the matter to the Land and Environment Court.
Melanie was prepared to take the issue further but acknowledged that not everyone had the resources to pursue a legal battle.
‘Whether you’re elderly or whether you’re just not well versed in your own rights and responsibilities, it shouldn’t be this lengthy process…there should be more governance,’ she said.
She hoped that her situation would bring attention to the need for better protections for homeowners dealing with unregulated plant growth on neighbouring properties.
In a previous story, a Sydney homeowner found herself caught in a shocking neighbour dispute that took an unexpected turn.
The feud escalated over a controversial act that left the community stunned.
Read more about the unthinkable incident here.
With neighbour disputes like this on the rise, do you think stricter regulations should be in place for overgrown plants?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
One Australian homeowner has found herself in a costly predicament thanks to an unexpected issue growing right next door.
What started as a simple privacy measure has now turned into a financial headache, with little recourse available through official channels.
A New South Wales homeowner found herself battling skyrocketing power bills after her neighbour’s unchecked bamboo plants plunged her solar panels into shade.
Melanie McMahon, from Port Macquarie, said the towering bamboo along their shared boundary had doubled in height over the past year, now reaching 15 metres.
While she understood her neighbour’s desire for privacy, she was frustrated that the thick, fast-growing plants had rendered her 24 solar panels almost useless.
Neighbour’s bamboo leaves a homeowner with soaring bills. Image source: Facebook/MelanieMcMahon
‘They planted it there for privacy, they didn’t want to see the pergola and solar panels and I understand that. But the bamboo is out of control, it becomes extremely thick and continues to grow,’ she said.
When Melanie first moved in, her property was completely off the electrical grid, thanks to the solar panels installed by the previous owner.
Now, however, they were generating only ‘5-10 per cent of their full capacity’, forcing her to rely on the electrical grid for power.
‘During daylight hours my house should be off the electrical grid but the sun is blocked by the bamboo…originally our power bill was $400-500 a quarter but now I’m at $1,000 because my solar isn’t working,’ she said.
The extra cost was adding up to around $2,000 per year.
On top of the financial strain, Melanie also had to deal with bamboo leaves regularly clogging her gutters, as her neighbour did ‘zero maintenance’ on the plants.
When she tried to discuss the issue, tensions flared, and her neighbour allegedly refused to trim more than 50 centimetres off the bamboo.
‘Melanie, I don’t need to care about that,’ the neighbour allegedly told her when she explained the impact on her home.
Frustrated, she sought help from her local council but was told they did not intervene in disputes between neighbours.
‘I called council but they flat out said they don’t get involved in disputes before neighbours, so my first port of call was no help,’ she said.
With no assistance from authorities, Melanie looked into legal options and discovered a loophole in existing regulations.
The NSW Tree Act, introduced in 2006 to address neighbour disputes, classifies trees or hedges over 2.5 metres as a ‘public nuisance’.
However, because bamboo is neither classified as a tree nor a weed, it falls outside these rules, leaving affected homeowners with limited options.
Residents facing similar issues are advised to seek mediation through a Community Justice Centre, with the possibility of escalating the matter to the Land and Environment Court.
Melanie was prepared to take the issue further but acknowledged that not everyone had the resources to pursue a legal battle.
‘Whether you’re elderly or whether you’re just not well versed in your own rights and responsibilities, it shouldn’t be this lengthy process…there should be more governance,’ she said.
She hoped that her situation would bring attention to the need for better protections for homeowners dealing with unregulated plant growth on neighbouring properties.
In a previous story, a Sydney homeowner found herself caught in a shocking neighbour dispute that took an unexpected turn.
The feud escalated over a controversial act that left the community stunned.
Read more about the unthinkable incident here.
With neighbour disputes like this on the rise, do you think stricter regulations should be in place for overgrown plants?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
