Annoying neighbours tree.

**oldrider** · 2nd December 2017, 19:06

Aussies!

**Asher** · 3rd December 2017, 09:02

Well I'm not going to kill it, that just increases the chance of it coming down in the next big winds. Nor am I keen to trim it back to our boundary, the big lower limbs have ready been cut when they built the place, to get the higher limbs you would need to go up to 40-60m.
I'm not that keen on paying an aborist because the neighbors can't sort their own shit, not sure how much it would cost to bring the tree down but it money I don't really have.
That's why I'm thinking on getting the council to label it as a nuisance tree and making the neighbor pay for it's removal.

**Grumph** · 3rd December 2017, 12:10

Well, funnily enough, I'm a neighbour with annoying trees. I doubt I'm Asher's one though...

We have a large gum on our eastern boundary - hence a possible danger in Nor-west gales to the neighbour.
It's in the lee of the 2 storey house though so not too bad - and we had it professionally topped about 8 years back.
The house in it's shade has changed hands twice in that period - and no-one's complained about the tree yet.

I can recommend an arborist whose fees are very reasonable...

**pritch** · 3rd December 2017, 15:58

I too am one of those annoying bastards. Since the tree is what used to be called a protected tree, now a notable tree I think - it's listed on the district plan - tough shit with getting it whacked back.

A young bloke next door built a house almost under it a coupla years back, he has made several complaints to the council about the tree since. After the last time I ran out of sympathy, their comments indicate that the Council staff may have run out too.

On really hot days (should we be so lucky), under the tree, by the river, with something cold and wet is a great place to be. If you can't be on the bike of course...

**HEsch** · 4th December 2017, 11:26

Our neighbours presented us with a quote for many thousands of dollars to take out some very large trees we liked, and they didn't. The trees leaned our way, not theirs, and when they fell they fell onto our driveway, not their potential lifestyle block sections. We declined. Neighbours were told they could remove branches on their side and return the wood to us - which they did - years of firewood, thankyouverymuch - then they moved on to other property developments.

Several years later we had 3 of the buggers fall in short succession (one fell, the second died and leaned on the third, bringing the pair of them down about a week before the arborists were due to arrive to deal with them). Big mess, damaged a shed. Guess what, we dealt with them. We have earmarked a couple of now-dead ones for removal before they fall as well.

If you don't want to pay for the bit overhanging your boundary to be cut, you are likely SOL.

**Banditbandit** · 4th December 2017, 14:32

Originally Posted by Asher

Well I'm not going to kill it, that just increases the chance of it coming down in the next big winds. Nor am I keen to trim it back to our boundary, the big lower limbs have ready been cut when they built the place, to get the higher limbs you would need to go up to 40-60m.
I'm not that keen on paying an aborist because the neighbors can't sort their own shit, not sure how much it would cost to bring the tree down but it money I don't really have.
That's why I'm thinking on getting the council to label it as a nuisance tree and making the neighbor pay for it's removal.

Just talk to her - if she doesn't live there, how long has it been since she saw it?

**GazzaH** · 5th December 2017, 18:12

More information might help, aside from the photo. Maybe a friend with a drone can make a little video demonstrating the issue?

Statistics improve your case too. How high is it? Is it fully grown or still growin? How much (what %) protrudes over your property? How far does it protrude? Roughly how much weight is that? And at that height, how much potential energy (equivalent to how many elephants falling so many meters, or whatever)? What direction is the prevailing wind? What are the average and exceptional wind speeds in that area? Are the roots unstabilising your walls, draining water out of your property?

What does your house insurer have to say about it? Are you fully covered?

Assembling that little lot tells your neighbour you are serious about getting this sorted .... and if you then decide to take it to the council or courts, that's the sort of info that you'd need to provide anyway, I guess (IANAL).

An 'official report' from an arborist (an independent specialist or a council-retained one) would be the icing on the cake, if it came to that ... and they might just provide one at cost (or free!) if they are determined and destined to get the business.