Neighbor complaining that tree in my yard is dropping dead branches in his.Wants tree cut. Should I?

[Reasonable Doubt]

I'm looking for advise.

My neighbor came over and said that tree limbs from a tree in my yard is dropping on his yard.

He said he would pay half the cost to have the tree cut.

Would you have the tree cut and pay half if you was me?

 

[shortylickens]

Whatever you do, get it in writing. And pay with a check.

 

[Thebobo]

Tree is on your side? Sounds like a nice neighbor. But we need pics of tree and neighbors wife before we can be sure. That's is assuming it was a he who came over and had a wife if not any pictures will do.

 

[dainthomas]

If it's dropping dead branches, it's probably on the way out anyway. Might as well take it out while someone will help you pay for it.

Half the branches on my neighbor's fir tree broke off during a snow storm a couple years ago. One of them dropped on a Japanese maple in my yard. The acid from the branch killed it even though I got it off within a couple days. The rest are still hanging on somehow and are now withered husks. He better hope a spark never gets in there because that whole thing will go up in a second, and maybe his house too.

 

[Ns1]

he's paying for half? hell yes. Thanks for subsidizing my plant maintenance, neighbor.

 

[Brainonska511]

Maybe you need an arborist to inspect the tree and potentially prune it to keep it from dropping so many branches.

Is it dropping large branches or just sticks?

 

[WilliamM2]

My neighbors tree was dropping limbs on my roof. no damage, but it's a huge oak that's dying, so it was just a matter of time. The neighbor wouldn't do anything about it. I even offered to have it removed at my expense, since I was having several other trees removed anyways before replacing my roof. They said no, which was stupid, as it's dropping limbs all over their roof too.

So I had the tree service cut every limb that hung over my property right at the property line, on three trees. The line is 20 feet from the house so I should be good for awhile.

 

[soulcougher73]

if hes willing to pay half id probably take him up on the offer myself.

 

[lxskllr]

Depends on the tree, but I'm against removing trees on principle. If it's irrecoverably sick I might do it, but I'd probably do it myself. I'm dying to get into a complicated removal where I can use rope tricks to bring one down. I'll probably be getting a climbing spur kit soon, and I just picked up a bunch of static line for climbing. Still need prussik cord, and probably some pulleys. All to take down a tree I don't want to drop from the bottom cause it'll hit branches of trees I don't want disturbed :^D Not the most economical use of money, but it should be fun. I'm treating it like a vacation.

 

[DietDrThunder]

Depends on the tree, but I'm against removing trees on principle. If it's irrecoverably sick I might do it, but I'd probably do it myself. I'm dying to get into a complicated removal where I can use rope tricks to bring one down. I'll probably be getting a climbing spur kit soon, and I just picked up a bunch of static line for climbing. Still need prussik cord, and probably some pulleys. All to take down a tree I don't want to drop from the bottom cause it'll hit branches of trees I don't want disturbed :^D Not the most economical use of money, but it should be fun. I'm treating it like a vacation.

It sounds like you just got a volunteer to do it for free.

 

[lxskllr]

It sounds like you just got a volunteer to do it for free.

I'd give it a shot depending on the tree. I wouldn't do anything I didn't think I could do, but I'm an amateur, and not insured. Removal could go great, or...

edit:
Oh, and I probably don't want the wood. If Reasonable wants to rent a truck/trailer, I'd help him haul it off, and/or cut it to firewood size. Free for him to burn, split the profit if he sells.

 

[Thebobo]

Oh I thought they just wanted a trim. I have an old cherry I have takens a couple branches out that went over my neighbors driveway-. I would hate to lose the tree its magnificent in the spring, the yard is like covered with snow.

 

[zinfamous]

he's paying for half? hell yes. Thanks for subsidizing my plant maintenance, neighbor.

this. If it's a tree that needs to be removed, absolutely agree to split the cost with the neighbor. That close to his property, it's probably a threat to both of your houses. Consider yourself lucky, for having the one decent neighbor dude out of 10,000, actually offering to split the cost for your tree rather than trying to sue you to remove it at your expense.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Trimmed or removed? I'd be a little taken aback if a neighbor suggested that one of my trees should be remove for his convenience.

If it needs to be removed, or if he wants to pay half of the cost to have it professionally trimmed: Hell yeah, I'd be all over that.

 

[MtnMan]

If your tree falls on your neighbors property, they are responsible for clean-up or any damages caused.

 

[Pulsar]

I'm looking for advise.

My neighbor came over and said that tree limbs from a tree in my yard is dropping on his yard.

He said he would pay half the cost to have the tree cut.

Would you have the tree cut and pay half if you was me?

Well, healthy trees don't "drop branches". And sick or dead trees are dangerous. So unless it's a healthy tree that you just need to prune a bit to get rid of the dead stuff, you have a problem and his offer is VERY generous. Frankly since it's on your property he could tell you to fix it or else...... his offer to pay half tells you that you have a hell of neighbor in him. He's a keeper. Marry him.

 

[lxskllr]

Well, healthy trees don't "drop branches". And sick or dead trees are dangerous. So unless it's a healthy tree that you just need to prune a bit to get rid of the dead stuff, you have a problem and his offer is VERY generous. Frankly since it's on your property he could tell you to fix it or else...... his offer to pay half tells you that you have a hell of neighbor in him. He's a keeper. Marry him.

Pin oak chronically drops limbs while otherwise healthy. Other trees do too, but to a lesser extent. An arborist would know for sure.

 

[Red Squirrel]

My birch drops branches now and then, just normal life cycle, some branches die, some new ones sprout. Typically it drops some in big wind storms though, we get a lot of those now days.

If you feel the tree is unhealthy I would take them up on their offer to pay to cut it but if you don't want to cut it, see if they are willing to compromise, and maybe pay half the cost for an arborist to simply trim it so less of it overhangs their property.

 

[Midwayman]

Do it. He's being nice. If it comes down to it and the tree is over his property or damages his property things will go much worse for you.

 

[brianmanahan]

if someone dared to say something like that to me, i would poop on their patio

 

[highland145]

if someone dared to say something like that to me, i would poop on their patio

That's an improvement over the carpet.


OP, do it.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Do it. He's being nice. If it comes down to it and the tree is over his property or damages his property things will go much worse for you.

That never occurred to me, would one actually be held liable for something like this? Even if it's out of your control, like a well groomed tree that just happened to fall in a storm? Or is it just for one that is clearly a danger? I figured for something like a tower it would, so you want the tower to be shorter than the closest property line, but it never occurred to me a tree would be the same idea but guess it makes sense. Now I'm suddenly paranoid about my tall blue spruce in my front yard, if it fell the right way it could hit the neighbour's house.

 

[highland145]

That never occurred to me, would one actually be held liable for something like this? Even if it's out of your control, like a well groomed tree that just happened to fall in a storm? Or is it just for one that is clearly a danger? I figured for something like a tower it would, so you want the tower to be shorter than the closest property line, but it never occurred to me a tree would be the same idea but guess it makes sense. Now I'm suddenly paranoid about my tall blue spruce in my front yard, if it fell the right way it could hit the neighbour's house.

Not if it's "an act of god." If you know the tree is dead and it falls on your neighbor, you're stuck though.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Not if it's "an act of god." If you know the tree is dead and it falls on your neighbor, you're stuck though.

That's good to know, I guess if a healthy tree were to randomly topple you could probably try to argue it was a wind gust.

 

[highland145]

That's good to know, I guess if a healthy tree were to randomly topple you could probably try to argue it was a wind gust.

Shit happens, works.

Several years ago, a storm came through and a large pine tree limb fell on my Honda. The tree belongs to the city. My neighbor handled the city insurance claims at the time. As I'm walking past her office to inspect the damage, Brenda sticks her head out and says, "Denied, denied, denied." No, they didn't pay.