Neighbor’s Tree Damaging My Property
A question we get asked all the time is: What can I do about a neighbor’s tree damaging my property? The hope is that you and your neighbor can work things out yourselves. But we understand that while fences may make good neighbors, a tree that’s actually causing property damage can definitely make for a tense situation.
How might a tree damage a neighboring property? The most dramatic and obvious example is a tree that is felled during a storm and falls on your house or a vehicle parked in the garage or driveway.
If a tree falls across property lines then it may also fall across power lines that separate your yard from your neighbor’s yard. In cases like this, the owner of the tree may be liable for ponying up the dough for tree removal after the property owner files a claim.
You’ll need to contact your local officials — not to mention your insurance agent — to get to the bottom of who’s at fault and who’s responsible for damages. An insurance claim sets in motion a series of legal events in which it is determined who is to pay for the damage from the fallen tree.
Other Kinds of Damage
But there are several more subtle ways in which a tree can damage a neighbor’s property or real estate. Healthy tree root systems may, over time, topple fences and uproot sidewalks, even those that run in front of neighboring properties. Trees can also shed all sorts of debris onto neighboring roofs, cars, and people.
Trees can also drop all sorts of pollen and dust and bugs and bird droppings onto structures, windows, cars, and more. Some of these can damage paint jobs and just generally make a mess of the situation. Every homeowner is responsible for the debris that falls into their yard whether or not the tree is on their property line or the neighbor’s.
Regular tree trimming and semi-regular inspections of your property by certified arborists can help prevent accidents from happening before they occur. Get in touch with Inexpensive Tree Care in Portland today if you have any questions.
