If it's not on your property, yes, most likely you do. Otherwise you could be liable for potential damages & injuries. That's how it is here in New York anyway. I have to notify the Parks Department & they will send out a pro.

Usually the problem insues when the hedge is allowed to become too tall and in some way interferes with your neighbor's right to enjoy property such as obstruction of view or sun. Now say the leylandii trees on your property afford your neighbor the privacy that the neighbor needs for property enjoyment and one day down they go. Now, your timid neighbor feels that with them gone that the whole world is looking in and can not go out on the property without feeling tense, again a detriment to property enjoyment. For this reason too there could be a possibility of some type of action against you. There is a Leylandii law in the UK and you should examine it carefully before removal from your property. Lastly, if you are renting the property upon which they are on, as a former New Yorker I would say...Forgetaboutit.

if they are your trees then no you don't but if they belong to a neighbour then yes you do. if you need to go on the property of a neighbour to get at them then obviously you would need to ask permission. you never know they may even offer to help you with the task.

good luck its a dirty job to do.

If the trees are on your own property neighbours would have no grounds for complaint in UK law. If they feel exposed its up to them to erect their own privacy barrier.
The only problem with removing any trees on your own land would be if they were mature trees subject to a preservation order. So go ahead and get rid, you'll be so glad you did...

Lol...reminds me of near neighbours in our first home. They lived behind our next door neighbour who had a huge leylandii hedge. They never stopped moaning about that hedge. Then a new owner took the hedge down letting in loads of light and fresh air...and guess what...yup, they complained because they now had no privacy! Lol...they were like that. They wanted to sue us when our cat got locked in their house by them and allegedly scratched their furniture. We offered to pay for reparations but that wasn't enough for them, they wanted new carpet and new furniture! Some people eh?! Lol!

Double check that you're not in a conservation area but, even so, it would be a particularly odd local council that didn't agree to the removal of leylandii - especially if you replace it with something interesting.

If it's a mature tree/hedge you might want to get professionals in to do it.

All assumes this tree is your tree on your land.

Karen did they actually sue or try to get any kind of compensation? The law says its up to the householder to keep most small animals out. What a nerve to try it on to that extent!

No, we consulted a lawyer who told us to give them nothing. We would have paid for the wood renovation, but Scott went around to look at it and said the scratches were old! Chancers and not good neighbours. Yes, it is a householder's responsibility if a cat gets trapped in his house, not the cat owner.