Property Line Trees...Who would have thought a neighbor would do this?

[4hooves&featheredfriends]

We have lived in our home for 12 yrs, in our little neighborhood surrounding the common of our little home. Our neighbors have been here for about 5 years -a nice couple that moved up from the southern states in a corporate transfer. Life has been nice in our little neighborhood.

About 3 months ago our neighbor approached us about having a couple of large pine trees taken from the property line. They would pay for the project, as we were fine with the trees being there but they wanted more sunlight in their backyard. All was agreed to - three pines would be taken down and then they asked about a large locust that my husband and I adore. It is old and has some dying branches - but it blossoms every year and provides shad for our dog run. Over the last weeks, we discussed this 3 more times always stating that the locust stays - they agreed.

So this morning the tree service arrives and begins the project. My husband and I reviewed the project with the foreman, including the fact that the locust was to stay and that if anything were damaged as far as hardwoods on our property that they would cut it up for free. I cautioned my husband to respect the fact that the neighbors were the clients and to make sure he spoke to our neighbor before starting.

As the day went on I realized it was going to be hard to get one of the pines out without removing a limb from the locust. So I noticed that he started to cut two limbs off of the backside of the locust. I thought gosh I hope they trim those back so it looks nice....I went on scraping my house and looked up to see he is cutting the limbs off the tree and getting ready to cut another main section from the tree. OMG ....what are they doing?

Apparently, my neighbor called the foreman in to the house, told him the tree was on their property and how much would it cost to cut it down. So the young foreman started cutting!

I went out an salvaged the remaining tree, got his story and then neighbor came out - I was so disappointed that she did this behind our back and while I was on the other side of the house. She said," I tried to call". I responded that I was on the other side of the house and she could have taken the time to walk over to discuss this.

I am so outraged at the fact that she totally devalued our relationship as neighbors and went behind our back, with deceipt and did this.

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[Julie08]

is the tree on their property or yours? Im sorry that they were so disrespectful

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

On the plus side, now that exact area is PERFECT for a very large chicken coop and run and a whole bunch of roosters. Yay for you!!

I'm very sorry your tree was butchered. I too get very upset when so called "arborists" start whacking up the trees. The power company hires are bad enough. There is some old man in my parents' neighborhood who really likes to top all the trees. They look horrible and often die soon after. Makes me so mad!

If the tree is on your property, the neighbors need to pay for a new tree to go there. AND it shouldn't be one of those $19.95 1 gallon bucket twigs either. They need to get the biggest, prettiest one you can find (likely in the $150-200 range) and should pay to have someone plant it. It is unconscionable to cut the tree down after you had all discussed it. BAD NEIGHBORS!

 

[preppy*hippie*chick]

I just had it out with the power company over a tree related issue. I would be furious! They sell some pines that get super big, super fast. I would plant those where the old pines were just for spite. A bit petty, but tit for tat & sooo satisfying!

 

[illinichick]

We've had similiar "issues". Our 3 acres is surrounded by a field farmed by a large family operation. They are famous for buying farm land and bringing in their dozers and getting rid of all trees.
One year we planted a windbreak on our north side between us and their field. This made one of the brothers mad and he wanted us to move them, made several threats, tried to get a lawyer to make us cut them down etc.. Nothing happened until the next spring when most of the trees "mysteriously" were dead, obviously sprayed from the field side, killing over half of the trees. He and DH have had several heated arguments over the years. He walks the property line and will throw sticks at my DH intentionally. This past fall he fell off of the top of a grain bin and was severely injured but is back in business. Karma.

I cant tell you the amount of hours I spent for 2 summers dragging buckets of water to those trees when they were small sprouts to keep them growing.

 

[sparkles2307]

We were the first builders in a new subdivision 15 years ago. WE planted 300 cottonwoods and evergreens around the perimiter of our 2 acre front yard and left the tall pines int he pasture that were already there. We hand watered those dang trees every day, I hated summers as a kid there! 3 years later, new neighbor moves in across the road. He could see that we had tall trees before he bought the parcel, but he bought it anyways, then proceeded to try suing us for blocking his view of Mt St Helen and Mt Rainier with our trees.... stupid jerk. We moved out 2 years later and he conned the new owners into topping all the trees about 3 months after they moved in...

 

[sparkles2307]

preppy*hippie*chick :

I just had it out with the power company over a tree related issue. I would be furious! They sell some pines that get super big, super fast. I would plant those where the old pines were just for spite. A bit petty, but tit for tat & sooo satisfying!

I like the rooster coop idea...​

 

[SarahBeth9394]

I know different areas have different laws but I did see a case on People's Court where a couple was suing the neighbor over a tree they planted on their property when their father died. They were awarded the cost of the tree at the size it was cut down plus punitive damages. It was a $3000 decision.

I think in this case the arborists could be liable since they were told that the tree was on your property by you and then the opposite by the client. That should have made the foreman think twice before cutting the tree down. They should pay you for replacement of the tree and it would then be for them to go after the lying client for reimbursement.

 

[chickenpea]

forget the rooster coop get guineas!

 

[toletiquesbysam]

From the way I read her posting, the trees were all on the neighbors property, they just allowed shade in her yard. If that is the case then they have every right to cut them down or trim them how they please. They did offer you the courtesy of knowing what they were doing since it impacted your yard in some way. I don't think they went in with the onset that the locust tree was going, they tried to save it and you admit they only cut sections off as needed but then they must have determined they needed more removed and made a judgement to remove the entire tree. It's a shame that happened but it happened. For you to be upset with them is not the way to handle it, you have good neighbors and they did what they had to do, move on!