Dispute with Neighbor on the Horizon

[on-ramp]

jmshepard,

make sure you keep us all up to date with what transpires. we're all involved now...

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Dueller

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

Yeah I know but that's getting into headache math territory for me right now.

Half way done with a nice bottle of Cab and the thinking cells are sleeping.

Was just a baseline. Obviously the taller (older) they are the more they have cost the grower in inventory and maintenance per linear foot.

I think you'd have a real difficult time replacing 30 footers.

I'd call a builder for a lead on a real price.

[Gogar]

I'm with Dueller. Those trees are worth AT LEAST $100K apiece.

[jmshepard]

I will post an update tomorrow with pixs of the offending shrubery.
Jim S.

[jmshepard]

Originally Posted by Gogar

I'm with Dueller. Those trees are worth AT LEAST $100K apiece.

Oh boy, new GT2 coming!

[DARISC]

jmshepard,

Your neighbors are despicable.

I'm thinking along the same lines as others here:

1. Notify the police that the neighbors have threatened to vandalize your property by cutting down your trees (do you have documentation re the trees they had cut down in the past?). They didn't threaten that? Sure they did! Your word against theirs! Demand that your public servants serve you and put it on record that you've been threatened.

2. As mentioned in previous posts, send registered letter, regular mail and hire a lawyer to write them a warning letter.

3. Publish your warning to them in your local papers to further make their threat a matter of public knowledge.

4. Look into getting the trees insured for as much as you can. Then, worst case, if the *********s cut down or poison the trees, you'll be reimbursed a big sum of money and the insurance co. will know who to go after to recoup their loss.

Where I live, neighbors have the right to trim back, only to the property line, any foliage on my property that grows onto/overhangs their property.

Good luck - don't pull any punches with these creeps!

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by DARISC

jmshepard,



3. Publish your warning to them in your local papers to further make their threat a matter of public knowledge.

4. Look into getting the trees insured for as much as you can. Then, worst case, if the *********s cut down or poison the trees, you'll be reimbursed a big sum of money and the insurance co. will know who to go after to recoup their loss.


Good luck - don't pull any punches with these creeps!

ohh, 2 really good pieces of advice.

[Evans, Marv]

Put the printout Dueller so kindly supplied in an envelope and send it to them registered mail, return receipt requested with a letter. Of course keep copies.
Notify the police department about their phone call to you threatening to destroy your property and past illegal cutting of the former owner's trees. If you know where the former owner is, he/she may be a good resource in case of a dispute.
Accompany Dueller's printout with a short note acknowledging the phone call to you (stating the content and intent of the call on their part). Let them know you have notified the police department of the threat to destroy your property, and tell them you will have them and their agents prosecuted if any part of your property is damaged.

[mikester]

They sound like the kind of folks who subscribe to the idea that it is easier to "ask for forgiveness than permission."

I hate those kind of folks.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by mikester

They sound like the kind of folks who subscribe to the idea that it is easier to "ask for forgiveness than permission."

I hate those kind of folks.

Wow! I never realized you hated me.

OTOH, I'd never cut down a neighbor's trees without permission even if the damn thing obscured my ocean view and left friggen pine needles all over my yard. Nope, I'd never do that. Not in San Diego, where I used to live. Unh-uh. Never.

[gerard vaglio]

I use to be the president of the home owners association at my old community. We had one neighbor that bullied others in similar ways. These people became more aggressive when treated well and ran like mice when threatened by a lawyer.

[livi]

The Leyland Cyprus are beautiful trees. I wish they could be grown in our climate.

If anything they would dry out the ground, not the opposite. It is very unlikely they have anything to do with it.

[onZedge]

I don't understand how your neighbors think your trees are causing mold IN their crawl space.

Call a (large) landscaper and ask how much it costs to dig really big holes and install 30' trees. I've seen this done on "This Old House" or some other home improvement program not too long ago.

[dewolf]

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.

Had a dispute with our neighbour over a fence they decided to remove whilst we were out. Anyway became very heated by them with verbal abuse etc. Installed a couple of cameras and he did the rest himself. Called the cops and he was arrested for trespass and abusing my kids. Didn't hear boo from them again.

[Super_Dave_D]

Originally Posted by mikester

They sound like the kind of folks who subscribe to the idea that it is easier to "ask for forgiveness than permission."

Funny - that almost got me fired once!!! Haven't used that since

Once you back them down with a lawyer - plant 5 more trees just like them!!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Her claim that the mold is because of your trees/irrigation is speculation. She can't prove it.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by jyl

...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.....

I'm "old school", and not an attorney... but having lived in NC most of my life, I would handle it the way my grandfather would have. The neighbors would have no doubt of the ramifications, and should come to the conclusion that they could not afford the "potential damages" if they cut down my trees. It would not be pretty if they did...

[unimog406]

wow, where do you folks live?
up here in NH, cutting on someone elses property is a shooting offense. no if's but's or why's, you take the tree, I take you.

This actually happened to someone who lives near us. A neighbor decided that one of their trees was obscuring his view of the river. He walked onto her property with a chainsaw and tried to get it started. by the second pull she was standing next to him with a shotgun. She's 86 btw...

sirously, just post a sign next to the trees in question: "protected by smith and wesson"

[URY914]

Around here you can cut the branches off IF they hang over the property line.

But you walk on someone else's property and you're looking for buckshot.

[notfarnow]

One day I came home to find that my neigbors had cut down two of my trees, without notice.

In their defense, they are incredibly stupid. I had put up the fence because of ongoing issues with them. I explained to them that it was 3' inside my line, but the concept was lost on them and they cut down 2 trees that were 1' on their side of the fence.

I was furious, and called my Lawyer/Father In Law. He drafted up a letter explaining the clear consequences of any such action.

1) They are not to cut down any trees or even trim branches
2) If they do cut down trees or trim branches, the police will be called
3) Any damage done to my trees will be addressed in court, and full compensation will be sought. Replacement of a 40' maple can be done, at a cost of ~10-25k.

On my Lawyer/Father In Law's advice, I went over and explained this to them very clearly, firmly and politely. Then, a couple days later he sent his letter by registered mail.

My father in law is also a mediator, and he strongly suggested that I always speak to them politely and never, ever lose my cool. Basically, never do or say anything you may have to apologize for, or answer to in a courtroom. You don't want ANY strikes against you if it ends up with the police or in court.

I also keep a small diary of any interactions or problems I have with them.