Would a tree surgeon know another tree surgeon, had previously got caught in a neighbour dispute ?

Covered End

My neighbour's over hanging pine tree, drops sticky sap over my car, parked on my driveway.
Some years ago I asked them to cut it back and they kept saying they would but fobbed me off for nearly 2 years.

Finally, after continuing to chase my neighbour the surgeon arrived.
When he was obviously tidying up (finished) I went out to clarify and he confirmed he was done.
I explained that it was really being cut on my request (they didn't care) and that I'd been promised, it was being cut back so it would no longer be over hanging my car.
He said there was nothing he could do. The neighbour (mrs) refused for him to do any more, even refusing to come and look from my perspective, as she had a broken arm and couldn't walk.

Surgeon kept saying I don't know what you want me to do, I kept saying please cut off just a little more, before storming indoors.
When he left, I went out with 10 foot extended shears, climbed a step ladder and hacked a load more off.
She called the police, I saw them coming and drove off to the dump before they could stop me.

5 years on the tree continues to drop sap and is getting continually worse as the tree grows.
The neighbour was surprised there was still a problem even though I mention it regularly, was continually washing the car and had now resorted to buying and using a cover.

I asked about a month ago that he have the tree cut back to the boundary (I know I could in theory but the tree is already far heavier on their side, due to my pruning and if I just did my side it would become unsafe).

He said he would get it cut by 30%, which is not sufficient but is better than it is.
The surgeon has failed to arrive 3 consecutive weekends, after I moved my car from the drive in advance as agreed.
The first time no reason was given and the last 2 were cancelled due to the weather (dubious but plausible).
I just asked if he was coming this weekend and was told no. I asked why and was told, "because he had heard about the issues last time".
This was 5 years ago and we're in Bromley, not some small village.

Would tree surgeons have a way of flagging a disputed tree on a shared system ?

ads

What, a sort of tree surgeons Experian?

SoundAsa£

Highley unlikely.

Covered End

ads said:

What, a sort of tree surgeons Experian?

Not really. I was wondering if they all used a central system or could access a central system that would put them on notice as to protected trees or neighbour dispute trees.

I mean how would one surgeon know that I had had a disagreement with a surgeon from another company 5 years ago?
Is the neighbour bullshitting me like they have numerous times before ?

EastStand

Yes, they are bullshitting you. Unless your neighbor told this new tree surgeon.

SuedeAdidas

Cut your neighbour instead

Redskin

I'm no expert, Steve, but if the branches of his tree overhang your property, you are legally entitled to prune them. The branches and its pine cones remain his property though, so be sure to return them to their rightful owner...

Covered End

SuedeAdidas said:

Cut your neighbour instead

This is under consideration, depending on the outcome of this thread

Kap10

Whispering trees and he is a tree reader!

clb74

Covered End said:

ads said:

What, a sort of tree surgeons Experian?

Not really. I was wondering if they all used a central system or could access a central system that would put them on notice as to protected trees or neighbour dispute trees.

I mean how would one surgeon know that I had had a disagreement with a surgeon from another company 5 years ago?
Is the neighbour bullshitting me like they have numerous times before ?

Tbh CE I've just checked Bromley councils website and your on the top 10 most wanted.

SoundAsa£

CE.....don’t panic, you hold all the aces in this instance.
You can quite legally cut the offending branches back to the boundary line just as long as you pass the cut off branches back over the fence and NOT dispose of them yourself, otherwise you could leave yourself open to a charge of theft.
You say this might leave the tree in an unsafe condition.....well, it will be weighted now on their side so they’ll have the problem if the tree were to topple.
So not your problem at all.
To dot the i’s and cross the t’s send them a solicitors (or recorded delivery) letter informing them of what you are planning to do......you’d be perfectly within your rights.
For good measure you could also ask the courts for any costs involved but take measurements and photos first in order to support your case.

Carter

Redskin said:

I'm no expert, Steve, but if the branches of his tree overhang your property, you are legally entitled to prune them. The branches and its pine cones remain his property though, so be sure to return them to their rightful owner...

You are correct, cut what you want that overhangs your boundary just offer it back

guinnessaddick

I thought you could cut anything that grows over you boundary and you have to give the cuttings back to your neighbor.

Carter

Covered End said:

My neighbour's over hanging pine tree, drops sticky sap over my car, parked on my driveway.
Some years ago I asked them to cut it back and they kept saying they would but fobbed me off for nearly 2 years.

Finally, after continuing to chase my neighbour the surgeon arrived.
When he was obviously tidying up (finished) I went out to clarify and he confirmed he was done.
I explained that it was really being cut on my request (they didn't care) and that I'd been promised, it was being cut back so it would no longer be over hanging my car.
He said there was nothing he could do. The neighbour (mrs) refused for him to do any more, even refusing to come and look from my perspective, as she had a broken arm and couldn't walk.

Surgeon kept saying I don't know what you want me to do, I kept saying please cut off just a little more, before storming indoors.
When he left, I went out with 10 foot extended shears, climbed a step ladder and hacked a load more off.
She called the police, I saw them coming and drove off to the dump before they could stop me.

5 years on the tree continues to drop sap and is getting continually worse as the tree grows.
The neighbour was surprised there was still a problem even though I mention it regularly, was continually washing the car and had now resorted to buying and using a cover.

I asked about a month ago that he have the tree cut back to the boundary (I know I could in theory but the tree is already far heavier on their side, due to my pruning and if I just did my side it would become unsafe).

He said he would get it cut by 30%, which is not sufficient but is better than it is.
The surgeon has failed to arrive 3 consecutive weekends, after I moved my car from the drive in advance as agreed.
The first time no reason was given and the last 2 were cancelled due to the weather (dubious but plausible).
I just asked if he was coming this weekend and was told no. I asked why and was told, "because he had heard about the issues last time".
This was 5 years ago and we're in Bromley, not some small village.

Would tree surgeons have a way of flagging a disputed tree on a shared system ?

To answer your question. No unless by some massive coincidence the famously sensitive and overly touchy community of tree surgeons won't give one single shit

Covered End

SoundAsa£ said:

CE.....don’t panic, you hold all the aces in this instance.
You can quite legally cut the offending branches back to the boundary line just as long as you pass the cut off branches back over the fence and NOT dispose of them yourself, otherwise you could leave yourself open to a charge of theft.
You say this might leave the tree in an unsafe condition.....well, it will be weighted now on their side so they’ll have the problem if the tree were to topple.
So not your problem at all.
To dot the i’s and cross the t’s send them a solicitors (or recorded delivery) letter informing them of what you are planning to do......you’d be perfectly within your rights.
For good measure you could also ask the courts for any costs involved but take measurements and photos first in order to support your case.

I know the law thanks guys, but if I cut more off it would very likely topple onto their car (not parked under the tree) or onto their house. They could then sue me for the damage.

Also, the offending branches are too high for me to reach, so I too would have to involve a surgeon to cut next door's tree and I can see that being hard to achieve.

SoundAsa£

Wrong......if you tell them that’s what you are going to quite legally do, then they’d be fucking dopey to park their car there.....another ace you are holding.
Also many tree surgeons have extendable hydraulic platforms that go to considerable heights, they also use extendable power saws to reach even further from those platforms.

orpingtonRED

Sounds like bullshit to me.
I worked as a landscape gardener many yrs ago and this sort of case was common but we definately had no previous knowledge of jobs. Try and sort it out sensibly with your neighbour but if that cant be done, like redskin says above, cut it if its in your property(unless its protected). Is the sap white colour or more golden? White sap on your car could mean the tree is infected or dying.
Also why can you neighbour not walk with a broken arm lol

cafcdave123

next time you go away, if you tell me what times they will be out i will burn their house down for you.

Covered End

Am I liable if I cause damage to a neighbour’s tree as a result?
Yes. In law you would be considered negligent. Sometimes branch removal can lead to tree failure due to disease, a change in the balance of the tree, or different wind loading that causes the tree to blow over. For these reasons it is important to employ a competent tree surgeon or arboriculturist who could minimise risk and would take on the liability for the work (check they have public liability insurance prior to engagement of services).

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=1022

ValleyGary

Call special branch

orpingtonRED

Thats why i asked what colour sap. If the tree is already infected and u start removing branches they could technically blame you for killing the tree. If you can prove the tree is already diseased then show them the proof. 

Covered End

orpingtonRED said:

Sounds like bullshit to me.
I worked as a landscape gardener many yrs ago and this sort of case was common but we definately had no previous knowledge of jobs. Try and sort it out sensibly with your neighbour but if that cant be done, like redskin says above, cut it if its in your property(unless its protected). Is the sap white colour or more golden? White sap on your car could mean the tree is infected or dying.
Also why can you neighbour not walk with a broken arm lol

The sap is golden and the female neighbour can't walk with a broken arm because she is a c$%t.

seth plum

Cut it yourself, they'll never twig.

orpingtonRED

Hahahaha
 special branch just got me.

charltonkeston

Bore a 5/8” hole deep as you can and fill hole with stump killer. Get the hole as low as possible so it’s not too obvious.  This time of year it works well. Should start to see the improvement by the end of summer.
A friend of mine had a problem with a tree to close to the border.

Covered End

charltonkeston said:

Bore a 5/8” hole deep as you can and fill hole with stump killer. Get the hole as low as possible so it’s not too obvious.  This time of year it works well. Should start to see the improvement by the end of summer.
A friend of mine had a problem with a tree to close to the border.

Interesting, but they could sue me if I killed the tree.

orpingtonRED

Jokes aside i can put you in contact with a tree surgeon in Bromley but i dont think that is what your wanting? If the tree is healthy becareful if you get a mad moment and decide to chop the fucker to bits. If your car is covered then fine, the alternative is to show pictures of the sap on your vehicle and threaten them with the bill for your paintwork? Maybe then a compromise

soapy_jones

What about poisoning the fucker!  The tree that is not the neighbour. 

Beware though, a mate of mine lived in a cul-de-sac that had a small strip of woods next to his house. The trees were a nightmare, leaves, sap and shite everywhere, all year around, the council of course, would do fuck all except take his extortionate council tax payment every month. He spent most of his spare time power hosing down his two cars, the drive, the patio, the whole fucking house actually, I had never seen a bloke so worked up over trees. Being a clever and devious chap he also spent most of his time in the shed concocting all sorts of potions and concoctions, sneaking out stealth like at night and trying to kill a couple of the ones nearest his house, they were over 40 feet tall.  In fact he nearly topped himself accidentally from fumes one day in the shed when a particular "treatment" nearly gassed him.  As the months and years went on neighbours noticed certain trees, starting to wither and die off. The council suddenly got involved due to their complaints and investigated on public Health and Safety grounds. Clueless about what was happening, and the day before the council tree surgeons were due to finally cut down the fuckers, one of the biggest storms for years swept through the area and two ton of dead tree went flying through,  you guessed it, my mates conservatory!

Suffice to say, it kept us highly amused for months in the office.

creepyaddick

Did the first tree surgeon get paid properly? Your address would be on the national register of tree surgeon knockers otherwise! Just saying!

orpingtonRED

The what?

charltonbob

orpingtonRED said:

Sounds like bullshit to me.
I worked as a landscape gardener many yrs ago and this sort of case was common but we definately had no previous knowledge of jobs. Try and sort it out sensibly with your neighbour but if that cant be done, like redskin says above, cut it if its in your property(unless its protected). Is the sap white colour or more golden? White sap on your car could mean the tree is infected or dying.
Also why can you neighbour not walk with a broken arm lol

She's got no legs