What would you do? UPDATE 7/9/23

[dryhumor]

I won’t offer up any more than anyone else already has. But were it me, I’d foot the bill for some of what’s going to have to be done, but the trees are likely gonna die.

Years ago, my mother kept worrying over a huge 100 year old Elm tree on her side of the line. If it had fallen one way, the neighbors house. The other way, her house. The tree was unusual for an Elm nowadays. It was perfectly healthy. Long story short, I still have some blocks of wood from that tree for projects.

 

[rjtfroggy]

This limb was at least 8" in diameter, and fell from about 50' up, no apparent reason, no wind, no center rot. Big enough that throwing back over fence wasn't an option. only thing that saved my shed was that it got hung up on a couple other "branches" on the way down and twisted just enough to change its fall. Those branches are now broken but still hanging on about 20' up.
This guy has lived here for around 30 years, on his 3rd next door neighbor and I haven't seen his wife or kid in probably 10 years, just an all around miserable person.
After stewing over this for awhile I have decided to be the better person in this (for now), but hoping it falls square into the middle of his back yard because any right or left and it will take out the other neighbors shed because this tree is a minimum 75' tall.

 

[Dave M.]

You better check the laws in your state. Typically, it is legal to trim the offending tree/bush starting at your property line. But if someone takes action that kills the vegetation in the offending neighbor's yard, you may be liable for damages.

That very well could be true. Fairly hard to prove though without some in depth scientific testing, which the cheap ass neighbor would never pay for.

 

[Xerothermic]

Had two neighbors who were side by side. There were seven very old and tired pine trees planted on the property line that because of their age and growth, the trunks actually encroached on my property. every once in a while a limb would fall into my pool and it was always full of pine needles which clogged up my pool filter. For several years, I tried to reason with them but they completely ignored the situation and one told me to never bother him again.

Not one to talk a lot of crap from anyone and being a man of action, I decided to have a tree party. First I rented a good sized wood chipper bought a good chainsaw and invited six of my police partners and their wives over for crabs and asked them to make sure they brought their own chainsaws with them.

Four showed up on their Harleys and the other two drove cars. At ten sharp, the chainsaws started and we took down every branch on my side of the fence. As we fed the limbs into the shredder, I aimed it towards the tree owners property. Both of these families were avid church goers and spent four hours every Sunday in church and Sunday School.

Buy the time they got home, I had the picnic tables dressed up with steamed crabs, corn on the cob, potato salad and coleslaw and of course lots of beer. To say that they were livid with rage is an understatement. Never heard such language coming out of religious mouths, including their wives and children. threats were made and dares were tossed back at them. Then they called the police. Don't know what the reported, but 3 cars responded. The more these folks ramped up the harder we all laughed at them. That really pissed them off.

Of course I knew the police officers. After listening to their complaints and fighting not to laugh in their faces, they informed them that it was a civil matter and there was nothing law enforcement could do. The only illegal action I took was to direct the wood chips onto their property. They both threatened to sue me but I never hear anything more about it. One month later the one neighbor put his house up for sale. It stayed on the market for a long time and the only way he finally got the sale finalized was to take down the four dead trees in his yard. While the trees were being removed I sat on my deck and just laughed my fool head off.

Love the wood chipper discharge. What's the saying? You receive what you giveth.

 

[hoz53]

I'm an insurance adjuster by trade, if his tree falls on your property it is your insurance company that will have to cover damages! And you have to cover the deductible! I would ask an attorney about him (your neighbor) pruning his tree as to avoid damage to your property.

this is true in my state though if its a dead tree and the neighbor knows about it, it becomes the neighbors responsibility

If tree is dead or dieing he is liable. You should file claim against his insurance company
if falls and damage. If tree is healthy then act of nature and you are responsible.
30 years in insurance. Don't think this basic has changed since I retired 20 years ago,

 

[hoz53]

this is how it is in my state.

 

[robert8904]

Having a bad neighbor is bad enough, but getting into a dispute with a bad neighbor is much worse. As a property owner if I had a tree with branches that hung over any neighbors property, I would keep it trimmed of dead or precarious branches. Contacting the "bad" neighbor for permission to be on his property to do the trimming might well thaw relations.

 

[rjtfroggy]

Well here I am 2 weeks later and at 5:15 this morning I hear what sounds like a 22lr being shot. Nothing new a couple of neighbors shoot the critters in their gardens in the mornings but then it sounds like a pack of salutes going off, so as I look out the window I see another limb coming down. At least 10" in diameter, off the same tree, actually the same leg of the tree (1left on that leg).
So at lunch time I went over and knocked on his door and told him he has to do something about this tree, he says to me Do you know how much it will cost? and I said how much will it cost you if it comes down on someone or if it goes through my shed or pool. Told him I already spoke to my attorney (I didn't) and he has now been notified and he is now totally responsible if it falls. His attitude immediately changed, and he said he will contact his tree guys to see what can be done.
Now I guess we wait and see what happens. Tomorrow I'll be cutting more fire wood for my buddy.

 

[Skedaddle Shooter]

I have the same nieghbor. One of his oaks went down across our fence line took out my kennel and punched a big hole in the roof of our bedroom. I went over to tell him and he said “too bad, it’s an act of god and I have no responsibility. I cut it off my house and wife’s car and he didn’t lift a finger to help. I contacted my insurance company and they said take a bunch of pictures and get everything fixed and send them the paperwork. I did and about a year later I get a check for my $5,000 deductible from the insurance company. Apparently where we live you are liable for any damage that occurs to your neighbors property from a tree that is on your property. It is their responsibility to keep it pruned and maintained to no damage will come to you. My insurance company sent the bill to his insurance company and they reimbursed them and charged him the deductible. I had no idea but was pleasantly surprised by how it turned out. Needless to say it didn’t improve our relationship but I was happy to see him so mad. You might check with your insurance company.

 

[Lkwebb]

Just throw a roll of toilet paper In the tree Nd maybe he will take thr initiative to do some trimming lol