GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Bob F · 09-01-2011, 11:33 PM posted to rec.gardens

Billy wrote:
In article ,
(EVP MAN) wrote:

Well Billy, as far as income goes, I 'm also on a fixed income as
I'm retired and living on social security. He is much better off
than myself money wise. His home is a big duplex with a rental
unit, he has all kinds of investments, social security, big pension
from where he worked plus paid medical insurance from that employer
also.

I'm no shister, but it seems as if you are being deprived of the use
of part of your property. Shade from his trees may also be reducing
your property value. If he has breached clearly marked property
lines, he needs to retreat to his own property. His behavior may be
judged as elder abuse as well, since you seem to be in a vulnerable
situation. What will you do when you can no longer trim his plants,
yourself, incur the expense to hire a gardener? You need to have a
talk with your neighbor, right after you talk to legal aid (first
half hour should be free). The idea is to be friendly, while
regretting to your neighbor, that he will have to pick up your court
and lawyer costs, if an equitable solution can't be arrived at. Don't
enter into an argument, keep it strictly on a financial basis.

Just like everyone else in most of this world, the OP has little control over
what is growing in his neighbor's yard. He has a right to prune back what
crosses the property line. He has no right to sunlight that might be blocked by
trees next door. That's just the way it works unless there are covenents or the
government enacts laws saying otherwise. Sometimes I wish it were otherwise -
I'd love to see the big poplar trees east and south of me go away. I could offer
the neighbors money to remove them, but that's about my only option.