This really gets me going!

[KickinD]

I don't know how many of you have your own place, but we have a nice house with a large lot (3/4 acre). We have had it for about 7 years now and worked very hard cleaning up the land and getting rid of brush. The previous owners cleared all the pine trees and left the nice hardwoods still standing. It has a lot of shade and plenty of privacy.

However, twice now I have had to go out and show different neighbors where the clearly marked, with a concrete and rebar pin, where their piece ends and mine starts. One was pretty cool with it, as he just didn't know it was there. He moved the start of his fence back to his side and went about his business.

Then tonight I noticed the neighbor backing up to my land was clearing out a lot of the property on his side. I decided to go out and 'clean' my yard to make sure he was aware I was around. We got to talking and he mentioned that tomorrow they are having all their trees wacked down. Damn! Most are hardwoods too. He proceeded to point out some rather large trees he was having cut that were a good 10' on my side of the line. I pointed out the pin, again clearly marked. He gave me some song and dance about the previous owner saying her property came way up into our side.

Well, I brought some rope out later to mark from pin to pin, my side vs his side. I'd hate to come home to trees missing on my land. He was nice about it, but don't people understand that's what surveys are for? We had one done before we bought ours. Is it me and my architecture background? Never mind the fact that now we can see all the way to their back deck and the complete loss of beautiful trees (the treehugger in me is groaning).

Ugh, I had to vent because I don't know what would have happened if they lopped off my trees tomorrow...of course they may still.

 

[Baldanders]

Good idea for every homeowner to have a survey done. I know it's helped me a few times when I had issues with neighbors over the years.

 

[Cornrow_Wallis]

You could stake out your property line, or try putting 'private property' signs on the trees he was going to have cut. Maybe hand draw some signs that say something like "Property of XXX, do not cut" and duct tape them to all the trees close to your property line.

edit. If they cut them, sue his ass.

 

[itallushrt]

I would have certainly mentioned the high monetary value of a mature hardwood and explained, in a nice way, that should YOUR trees come up missing tomorrow that a lawsuit would be sure to follow.

Know what you mean about losing your privacy too. My backyard was completely shielded from my back neighbor until that massive wind storm (from a hurricane that made landfall in Texas) wiped out a big silver maple that blocked his house from my mine.

 

[Zedman05]

We have to have the survey attached to all the other info when we buy houses here so that stupid sh...crap like that doesn't happen. It was a gong show with the last house I had, rude/ignorant neighbors make for a hard home life. At least you have a ton of room between houses, our last house was 8' from our neighbors...on either side!

 

[dowjr1]

Wow man I would FLIP if someone came onto my property and cut trees! For sure I would mark the boundary as well and make damn sure he knew where the line was...regardless of what the previous owner said. That's what the lines are for.

 

[orangedog]

orange spraypaint. definitely.

 

[coastalgriff]

I think I would stay home to make sure there were no mistakes. Moneys great, but I'd rather have the mature trees.

 

[GolfNut]

Good fences make good neighbors.......razor wire drives home the point!

 

[Alwayslit]

Good fences make good neighbors.......razor wire drives home the point!

.....LOL. I'd clearly mark the line and trees and take pics or video.

 

[KickinD]

Thanks guys..good to know I'm not alone.

I was out past dark last night trying to clear brush and put up a rope to mark the corner. Then I got up this morning and took photos. Hopefully, that will be enough.

My wife will be, but trying to sleep from nightshift. Maybe the noise will clue her in and she get out to see before the ruin anything.

 

[terrantheman]

Your neighbor sounds like he is a bit lazy... Got sick of raking up leaves so why not just wack'em all.

 

[NCost]

I would have certainly mentioned the high monetary value of a mature hardwood and explained, in a nice way, that should YOUR trees come up missing tomorrow that a lawsuit would be sure to follow.

This^^

I would be VERY CLEAR to him. The previous owner isn't there, you are and you have the survey stakes to show property line.

 

[Goalee1]

Just to clarify, the trees are rooted on your side 10' or they hang over from his property 10'? If they are planted on your side, he can clip them so that there is an "imaginary wall" so to speak but that would be it. If they're on his property, you're out of luck. If you don't have a survey, definately get one and make sure you tell your neighbor (who doesn't really sound like an a**, just maybe lazy as Terran says, that before he does anything, to make sure that boundaries are known and official. You'll be able to bitch and moan and bring up a lawsuit etc, after the trees are down but you can't bring back the time it took for the trees to grow. G1

 

[ciggy]

Just to clarify, the trees are rooted on your side 10' or they hang over from his property 10'? If they are planted on your side, he can clip them so that there is an "imaginary wall" so to speak but that would be it. If they're on his property, you're out of luck. If you don't have a survey, definately get one and make sure you tell your neighbor (who doesn't really sound like an a**, just maybe lazy as Terran says, that before he does anything, to make sure that boundaries are known and official. You'll be able to bitch and moan and bring up a lawsuit etc, after the trees are down but you can't bring back the time it took for the trees to grow. G1

Exactly!!! My parents own wooded land and deal with this all the time. Don't let him bully you into getting his way. Get it suveyed as fast as you can and advise him to wait...it's your property not his.

 

[JNT]

Make sure you take 'before' pics, and write him a pleasent notice further pointing out not to touch your trees

 

[KickinD]

Guys, it's clearly marked in the ground with concrete, rebar and a giant pink ribbon. He is just that lazy to not check it out. My wife called and said the neighbor already had several of her trees cut down. Unfortunately, no government agency has a proactive role to play in this, I just have to wait until he screws up and call the police then.

It's unfortunate since all the trees are hardwoods and in healthy shape. Now I just have to wait and see if my wife calls to tell me one of his buddies got squished. 3 guys versus a 40' tree, let's see who's going to win that one.

I'll post the sad pictures later when I get home to survey the damage. It sounds like that fence project just got moved up in the schedule!

 

[CigarSaint]

Seeing how I'm in south Louisiana.... I'm done with pine trees (hardwood is a different story) all together. On a side note property lines are very important so I believe you have not overreacted at all.

 

[KickinD]

Seeing how I'm in south Louisiana.... I'm done with pine trees (hardwood is a different story) all together. On a side note property lines are very important so I believe you have not overreacted at all.

Yeah, our previous owner had a suvery done then cut down all their pine trees. We were so happy to have only hardwoods, and some very beautiful ones at that. Apparently, trees aren't for everyone.

I can't wait until he starts getting more flooding problems, higher heating/cooling bills, and has to reseed/water that yard every year.

As my father-in-law says "That boy is all ate up with stupid."

 

[cmhicksusmc]

Surveying is never a bad investment!