Aussie cops $600 rise in power bill thanks to neighbour and little known loophole
A frustrated Aussie homeowner said she now cops up to $600 more in her power bills every quarter thanks to her next-door neighbour’s infuriating lack of action with bamboo plants growing “out of control” along their boundary line.
NSW resident Melanie McMahon told Yahoo News the bamboo planted between their two homes in Port Macquarie has “doubled in height” over the last 12 months, with the fast-growing plant now standing about 15 metres tall. While she appreciates her neighbour’s right to privacy, the 24 solar panels stationed along her pergola are now almost completely in shade, rendering them all but pointless.
“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 complained.
Fast-growing bamboo costing family up to $600 in power bills
Melanie explained her property was “completely off the electrical grid” when she first moved in thanks to the solar panels, which were installed by the previous owner. However they’re now only “generating 5-10 per cent of their full capacity”.
“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, meaning the situation is costing her about $2,000 per annum.
On top of that, her gutters continue to be clogged by bamboo leaves as she claims her neighbour does “zero maintenance” on the bamboo plants.
Neighbour ‘doesn’t need to care’ about other side of fence
After reaching out to her neighbour to address the issue, the pair got into a heated exchange and the neighbour allegedly said they were only prepared to cut off 50 centimetres from the rising bamboo. When she explained the impact it was having on her and her family home, her neighbour allegedly responded with; “Melanie, I don’t need to care about that.”
Do you have a story about a backyard dispute with your neighbour? Contact sophie.coghill@yahooinc.com
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Frustrated, Melanie reached out to her local council but claims they offered her no recourse.
“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.
Yahoo News has reached out to Port Macquarie Hastings council for comment.
How neighbour’s bamboo act exploits ‘loophole’
In instances like these, residents are encouraged to get in touch with their Community Justice Centre and use the free mediation service to find a solution. If none is found, it can be escalated to the Land and Environment Court for further legislative action.
The process is lengthy and one Melanie is willing to take, however, she is mindful she has the “time, resources and means” to find a solution unlike many others.
“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.
In NSW, the Tree Act — established with neighbour disputes in mind in 2006 — considers a tree or hedge over 2.5 metres tall to be a ‘public nuisance’. However, as bamboo is not classified as a tree or a weed, which comes with its own guidelines, many who face this issue with bamboo find themselves with little options due to the “loophole”.
“It’s so frustrating… more needs to be done for people in this situation,” Melanie said.
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