Dispute with Neighbor on the Horizon

[svandamme]

i'de give the neighbours a written notice that you told them not to touch your trees, and make em sign a duplicate of that notice, as proof that they read it...
that way you have proof that you told them not to , instead of them saying that you said it was ok verbally...

no point sticking any laws to any tree , if you're not there, they can remove it and deny it

camera's would not prove that you didn't agree to removing the trees at all

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Interesting.

How do you establish a monetary for a (xxx) year old Cypress tree, anyway?

4-6 footers = $80

So call it $13 per foot on the low side.

30 ft x 13 = $400 per tree x 2x's the value = $800 per tree.

Explain the cost to them.

http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/LeylandCypress.htm?source=sitesearch

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by svandamme

i'de give the neighbours a written notice that you told them not to touch your trees, and make em sign a duplicate of that notice, as proof that they read it...
that way you have proof that you told them not to , instead of them saying that you said it was ok verbally...

no point sticking any laws to any tree , if you're not there, they can remove it and deny it

camera's would not prove that you didn't agree to removing the trees at all

Ask them to sign it as an indication that they agree with you.

If they refuse to sign it ask them to please write why they disagree.

That way you have evidence that they read it.

Old HR trick for when you write someone up.

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

4-6 footers = $80

So call it $13 per foot on the low side.

30 ft x 13 = $400 per tree x 2x's the value = $800 per tree.

Explain the cost to them.

http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/LeylandCypress.htm?source=sitesearch

don't forget the emotional attachment, i think jmshepard is a hardcore treehugger
goes to each tree , multiple times a day for a hug or cuddle
seeing the old logs gone would break his heart

[on-ramp]

Originally Posted by svandamme

i'de give the neighbours a written notice that you told them not to touch your trees, and make em sign a duplicate of that notice, as proof that they read it...
that way you have proof that you told them not to , instead of them saying that you said it was ok verbally...

no point sticking any laws to any tree , if you're not there, they can remove it and deny it

camera's would not prove that you didn't agree to removing the trees at all

how in the world will he make them sign that? He doesn't need to prove that he didn't agree to have his trees cut down. It's the opposite.

[Dueller]

Two words: "CERTIFIED MAIL"

In most jurisdictions refusal of certified mail constitutes constructive notice. Include a copy ofthe statute.

Where do I send the bill?

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Ask them to sign it as an indication that they agree with you.

If they refuse to sign it ask them to please write why they disagree.

That way you have evidence that they read it.

Old HR trick for when you write someone up.

i never trust HR people for anything
i'm still busy chasing their tail for arrangements that should have been done allready, they said it was going to be done 1 sept, but i've got my own sources and keep busting their balls till they miss the last deadline as stipulated in the contract, and then i take em to the cleaners... the second time

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by on-ramp

how in the world will he make them sign that? He doesn't need to prove that he didn't agree to have his trees cut down. It's the opposite.

what dueller said...it's a fire and forget missile
all you gotta do is prove that they were clearly told not to touch your trees
it's an insurance against a so called verbal agreement that you can't proove

any judge judy would be stuck when it boils down to a he said she said situation
and go for a middle way

this insures you against that , and would guarantee full coverage in your favour
including trespassing, theft, vandalism, and what not

[Noah930]

To add to on-ramp's comment: So what happens when you give them said paper (explicitly refusing to cut down said trees) and they don't sign it, don't "correct" it, and just toss it at your feet as they slam the door in your face? Still no proof. Heck, if anything, saving a copy of this thread may be proof enough that you're clearly not in agreement to the cutting down of your trees. Well, that and some sort of certified mail with return receipt.

Originally Posted by jmshepard

I knew this board would have the answers. Despite what our spouses think, this isn't a waste of time and we are brilliant.

Heh heh.

edit: I see Dueller beat me to it.

[svandamme]

yeah, but this thread would not prove they were told not to
they could still claim it was a setup to sucker them into paying money for damages

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by svandamme

i never trust HR people for anything
i'm still busy chasing their tail for arrangements that should have been done allready, they said it was going to be done 1 sept, but i've got my own sources and keep busting their balls till they miss the last deadline as stipulated in the contract, and then i take em to the cleaners... the second time

Neither do I. But they do have some tactics that can be applied to other situations that can be valuable to learn. Dealing with them has made me more cautious and forced me to scrutinize seemingly benign situations more closely.

Generally the less they make of something the more my defenses go up. When they come on strong they are usually bluffing cause they got nothing.

[jyl]

Your neighbors are *******s.

I would do this.

1. Find lawyer. Have lawyer write letter warning neighbors not to cut your trees or trespass on your property, or to cause others to do so. Have letter delivered to neighbors via certified mail, return receipt requested. Or better yet via process server. This will cost, say, $600. Well worth it.

2. Visit police. Explain neighbor stated intent to trespass on your property and cut your trees without your permission. Try to get an incident report, complaint report, whatever you call it. Ideally you want a police officer to go and warn them not to do it.

3. Post trees with large no cutting signs. "Trespassers will be prosecuted". Photograph same.

You see, the problem is that if they do illegally cut your trees, the potential damages you could get from them will not compensate you for the loss. Suppose you get $1,000 a tree. Would you trade $5,000 or so for your privacy and 30-y/o trees? I sure wouldn't. So you need to take every possible step to deter them from doing so, and of maximizing the trouble they will get into if they do..

Being "nice" is a waste of time. "Avoiding conflict" is stupid. These people are *******s and unethical, they get their way by bullying nice folks.

Hard to imagine their mold is actually caused by your trees, I suppose if they are super jerks they could sue you for it, so be it.

[Dueller]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

4-6 footers = $80

So call it $13 per foot on the low side.

30 ft x 13 = $400 per tree x 2x's the value = $800 per tree.

Explain the cost to them.

http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/LeylandCypress.htm?source=sitesearch

Not so fast there SM....you can buy 12" for $4. And if 6 footers cost $80 it seems to me that its an exponential function....subsequent growth costs substantially more than the first one. By the time you get a 30 footer those may be $100K trees

You math geeks figure it out

[Rot 911]

Here is your free legal advice.

1. Send your neighbors a letter telling them and any representative of theirs, including contracted individuals to stay off your property to include all of your trees. Send this letter both certified, return receipt requested, and by regular mail.

2. Verbally inform your neighbors to stay off your property and your trees are not to be touched. Put a pocket recorder in your pocket and record the conversation.

3. Post signs on your trees indicating they belong to you and are not to be touched, period.

Just the little bit you wrote about your neighbors past history makes me think they will just cut the trees when you are not around unless you put them on notice you are not fooling around.

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Generally the less they make of something the more my defenses go up. When they come on strong they are usually bluffing cause they got nothing.

so true
that's exactly what made me tell em no deal 3 months ago
and make em more then double it
they took it, no doubt i could have gotten more (fired illegally)
but i wanted to get the hell out of dodge(NL) quickly , and go back to Belgium

any prolonged fight would have been bad , as i would have been forced to stay in NL for the duration , at least now i had my summer in the home country, and got things done, can't put a price on mental wellbeing, i hated NL, and being stuck there , not working would have been far worse then anything i could have won...quick deal was better for me then a vindictive fight

[john70t]

Or just don't threaten them at all.

This post might serve as a timestamp for future subsequent legal matters, and get a letter from the previous owners regarding their experience.
After the trial you'll have a 933, with money left over for a spiked bamboo barricade, or a really cute pink fence.

[jyl]

P.S. to my earlier post - the camera idea is also good.

Here's a story. I once lived next to a crazy woman. She picked fights with all her neighbors, ranted about the noise made by our washer and dryer, called the police with invented stories, etc. She started trespassing onto our property and kicking the house. As I said, she was whacked. Own friends, the owners of our place (it was a duplex, they lived downstairs) got it worse than we did. Finally our friends rigged up X11 cameras, recording to a PC's hard drive, time-stamped. The next time she trespassed, they called the police. The crazy lady denied it, insisted our friends had been on her property. Our friends showed the police officers the security video. The officers went back over and had a very different conversation with crazy lady. That was the turning point, after that the police had her marked as a troublemaker, eventually the City Attorney prosecuted her and she was ordered to stay away from all her neighbors, and she was not a problem any more.

So, security cameras are great. Make sure they actually work, will capture faces even in low light, etc.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by john70t

Or just don't threaten them at all.
This post might serve as a timestamp for future subsequent legal matters, and get a letter from the previous owners regarding their experience.

After the trial you'll have a 933, with money left over for a spiked bamboo barricade, or a really cute pink fence.

This thread will not be useful in later proceedings.

[Hugh R]

I'm a Certified Industrial Hygienist and I used to deal with mold all the time. Trees don't cause in a house mold, your idiot neighbor wanted the space for the dish. Mold needs three things to grow, just like any other living thing; food, water and oxygen PERIOD!

[masraum]

Wow, sounds like a real set of whackos. At least you do have the trees. I'd not want to live close to them without having some sort of barrier.