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This is mostly a rant, about neighbors and responsibility.
One neighbor has trees that threaten his own home as well. The other has trees that threaten mine. These are maybe 80+ year old massive oaks and some pines. They NEVER pruned them and the canopy crosses over my house thickly, causing moss and mildew and ruined my lawn and roof. I trimmed branches at my expense a few years ago but it does not touch the issue. Now it appears the trees have root rot and they WILL destroy my house if and when they fall. Neighbor 1 I have not dealt with yet. Neighbor 2 knows of course since it is not a secret my house is disappearing under his trees, and takes care of the trees close to his home but not the ones that affect me.
Looking at google earth it looks like a small jungle in the middle of normal lots.
I am appalled that neighbor 2 does absolutely nothing about this. He is friendly if we see him but seems to expect me to take care of this. I do my own yard work so he sees me struggling with leaves, bark, debris, acorns, etc. ALL from HIS trees. He sees the moss on my roof. I will NOT be cutting his dying trees down or sharing the cost as they are hazard trees he neglected while taking care of his special trees. He got a new swimming pool last year and uses a landscape company for his yard.
I have no idea what will happen with neighbor 1 as I don't know him. He doesn't seem to care that it affects him too.
I guess I will approach them with the work that needs to be done as soon as I have a professional assessment, and if it doesn't happen I will start legal proceedings. It is just sad neighbors don't care if they kill you and destroy your house. It's bad luck for me to be surrounded by them, because others here do take care of such things.
Please, please take care of your trees, shrubs, fences and anything that directly affects your neighbors.
It's STILL you're responsibility to cut the branches on your side. Not neighbor # 2. And if neighbor #1's tree falls on your house THEN he will be responsible. You'll be wasting money trying to solve this with a lawsuit.
It's STILL you're responsibility to cut the branches on your side. Not neighbor # 2. And if neighbor #1's tree falls on your house THEN he will be responsible. You'll be wasting money trying to solve this with a lawsuit.
Pretty much. Trim at your expense (but you can't trim in a way that will kill the tree) to protect as best you can. Then send a certified letter to neighbors expressing your concern in very concise and logical form, CC your insurance company and the local zoning board showing that you have acted in a responsible and proactive manner to the extent allowed by law. State that if there is no attempt at mitigation of the situation you will seek maximum damages in any aftermath. Suggest that a copy of your concerns be forwarded to THEIR homeowners insurance.
In essence, you are forcing an awareness of the situation by the companies that will pay if there is damage. There is a difference between acts of g*d and culpable negligence.
I would try to handle it in a manner that does not destroy the relationship with the neighbors, which is to start by having someone out to trim back to the extent you desire on your side of the property line. That should get some better sun to your lot. A good tree trimming crew should be able to knock them back fairly quickly.
Many people,before air conditioning was common, would plant trees close to the house to canopy and provide shade. The house I grew up in had several trees very close to the house that canopied the roof. We never had one fall on the house, but we did trim branches back periodically.
It seems like they may be aware you might be a little cantankerous about this and they are not doing anything for that reason. If that is the case, might be best to trim them back to the extent you can legally do so. Might get further by spending your money on a tree trimmer rather than a lawyer.
If the tree falls on your house, you would be responsible for the bill cleaning it up. It would be an act of god. Have you spoken to either neighbor about your concern?
If the trees at your neighbor’s house are truly dying, get proof. Your neighbor has an obligation to take care of them, if they don’t and the tree falls, the expense would lie on them.
If the tree falls on your house, you would be responsible for the bill cleaning it up. It would be an act of god. Have you spoken to either neighbor about your concern?
If the trees at your neighbor’s house are truly dying, get proof. Your neighbor has an obligation to take care of them, if they don’t and the tree falls, the expense would lie on them.
The trees are so large they are a hazard to life, not just property, and every year people in this area are killed by fallen trees like these. I'm not sure what the others are talking about "trimming" trees with root rot. They are rotted inside and need to be clear cut. It will be expensive. I answered the question about talking to them in my OP. They will get one chance to take them down, and then legal action is appropriate, as well as notifying the town, because some of the trees would impact a busy road if they fall in that direction.
It is my responsibility to keep branches of my trees trimmed so they don't encroach on the neighbor and I do so I expect neighbors to do the same, but we are way beyond anything about trimming.
The neighbors needed to care for their trees, during the droughts, to monitor them, to prune them for their health and they didn't, now beautiful old trees became something ugly, expensive and dangerous.
Well right now the neighbor one house down is felling his trees, which is right next door to ***hole who does nothing. I will have to check if those trees were sick as well. That yard had also been neglected due to an elderly person living there. It's a shame, these were beautiful oaks but tree ownership is a responsibility.
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