Adventures in the Driveway

One note on trimming branches from your neighbor's tree that hang over your property.

If your trimming does permanent damage to your neighbor's tree, like killing it, you would be liable and the neighbor would have a cause of action against you.

To protect yourself, don't just go hacking off limbs with a pruner and chainsaw. Protect yourself and hire a professional (insured/bonded) tree service to do it.

Maybe even talk to the neighbor and go in halfs to have the whole thing trimmed down.

in some states the owner can be held liable for the damage and the cost of the trimming if you want to push things. Hell if anything go to Judge Judy. Would like to see that.

Oaklevel wrote:
Glad we do not have to worry about that the neighbors trees are not even close to our camper. The advantage of the country............

Good luck trying to get the neighbor to do anything...... his insurance will pay but not until the tree falls...........LOL

His insurance won't pay if the tree drops in your yard. Your own insurance covers it. It is an "act of God" and isn't a libelous situation.

Glad we do not have to worry about that the neighbors trees are not even close to our camper. The advantage of the country............

Good luck trying to get the neighbor to do anything...... his insurance will pay but not until the tree falls...........LOL

Around here, if my tree damages your property it is my liability. Hurricane, for instance. Does your neighbor realize his tree is damaging your property? If he refuses to acknowledge this, perhaps a friendly letter from your attorney would change that little attitude.

I think it's fairly standard code in most cities that any branches of a tree in a neighbor's yard that overhang yours can be trimmed back to the property lines.

We did that last fall. The house behind us, a rental, has an enormous weeping willow tree. Its branches overhung our yard by a good 15', they overhang out next-door neighbor's yardby 20' and the house next to the rental on that street by probably 30'. The landlord lives 100 miles away and doesn't give a rat's.

We got a tree maintenance company, who was working in the neighborhood, to come in and cut off everything that overhung the fence lines of our property. What a difference - we even get the evening sun in areas where it never reached before. We're looking forward to actually being able to grow things in that corner of the yard this year. $350 well spent.

Yes I do have one of those looooong-handled brushes that attach to the water hose and that's how I do the routine cleaning.

So the neighbor has the right to ruin your property? My neighbors had magical trees that only grew on their side of the fence, we got along just fine.

You could also use the ladder and an extension pole with a hose attachment on a soft brush to clean the top. When I clean the top of mine I use my boat (Water Shoes) shoes and it seems to help from slipping too much. Luckily my neighbor is happy for me to cut his tree so he does not have to do it. JMO

This is why the roof of my Motor home gets mopped from time to time (Well brushed) with Spick & Span..... But never, ever, waxed.