Issue with a tree in my garden

[kookaburra]

Hi Guys

I'd really appreciate some advice on my options for responding to the below email from my neighbour, which was forwarded by my property manager. I've owned the property for just over a year and it's been rented out the whole time. I bought it via an agent and have never seen the offending tree, but it looks massive from the photo.

Dear agent,
Thank you for meeting with me today about a large tree on the .above property.
Confirming the points discussed.
1. The tree is very tall and broad,situated close to the boundary, timber fence and the corner of the said property.
2. Our property experiences extensive shading from the tree as well as continually falling leaves.
3. One option for us is cut back all the branches overhanging our property for the full height of the tree. However such action would not only result in a very ugly looking tree,but would in my opinion
increase the risk of wind damage and the trees stability.
4. The purpose of my meeting with you today and the points outlined in this email is to begin some dialogue with the property owner and hopefully some resolution satisfactory to both parties.

I trust the attached photo gives you some idea of the trees size and location, and now look forward to hearing from you when you have outlined the matter with the property owner.
Kind Regards,

I do sympathise with the neighbour and would be interested in any thoughts as this is my first ever tree event . Does the whole tree need to come down? I'm hoping the neighbour would be happy to split the cost.

[artemis]

The letter from the neighbour sounds like it is setting up for the cost to be yours. Removing a large tree is a very expensive business.

This link is mainly from the neighbour's point of view.

http://www.howtolaw.co/deal-with-a-neighbours-problem-tree-392298

There is also this one, which includes that if the neighbour trims the cuttings must be placed back on the tree owner's property.

https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/trees-and-neighbours

[Learning]

The letter sounds like he's open to communication. Ask him what he's happy with. Will he only be happy with the tree gone or would topping the top quarter and/or thining a few of the over hanging branches appease him.

If he's considered cutting all the over hanging branches at his own expense then he might be willing to share the costs of other remedial work.

[Rentex]

Seems reasonable.
Did you try to attach a photo? I think they need to be uploaded elsewhere and 'linked to' rather than 'attaching' to a post.

Agree with Learning, just discuss with the owner and make a plan.
If it's not good timing for you with Christmas and what not, agreeing to a time frame and seeing it through might appease for now.
Long term it may be cheaper to drop the tree instead of trimming it once a year or so.
Your PM can arrange a quote and can still be middle person if you prefer.

[Nick G]

I saw the name of the poster and the thread title and my first thought was is this about an old gum tree :-)

[kookaburra]

Ha, ha, no the house is in Tasman.

[sidinz]

I have a neighbour with a huge tree that every year shades more and more of my back yard. I would love for it to go. But when I rang the council (Auckland), they informed me that although I could force the neighbour to cut it down, I would liable for the cost, which, given the size and location, would run to many thousands.

[ammar]

I have a neighbour with a huge tree that every year shades more and more of my back yard. I would love for it to go. But when I rang the council (Auckland), they informed me that although I could force the neighbour to cut it down, I would liable for the cost, which, given the size and location, would run to many thousands.

I
have exactly the same problem, a neighbor's tree, very large, dropping a lot of leaves, closing my gutters, blocking the sea view, breaking the fence ... etc. When I talked to the neighbor, he said he is not ready to do anything. After three months he sold the house to a new owners. Now, I am still suffering from that damp tree. I can not just start with a new neighbor fighting about a tree.

If that tree was causing problem to its owner, would not he fix it?

[Rentex]

Ammar, perhaps so. I know you're tired of asking, but try politely approaching the new owner, they may be more accommodating. Perhaps you're able to cut if they pay disposal or something?

[Learning]

I
have exactly the same problem, a neighbor's tree, very large, dropping a lot of leaves, closing my gutters, blocking the sea view, breaking the fence ... etc. When I talked to the neighbor, he said he is not ready to do anything. After three months he sold the house to a new owners. Now, I am still suffering from that damp tree. I can not just start with a new neighbor fighting about a tree.

If that tree was causing problem to its owner, would not he fix it?

Did you offer to pay for the tree trimming/felling? If the owner's not willing to come to some level of compromise then I'd do Kookaburra's third option and cut back all the over hanging branches and return them. If this had been done before the sale the new owner would have seen there was an issue with the tree right from the start.

[jappronz]

You may be surprised the minimal costs involved and the value it may add to your property. Huge norfolk pine dropped and mulched in auckland in awkward spot was 1600+gst. Chuck the logs on trade me for firewood if its a good wood.

[sidinz]

In my case, the neighbour's tree is at least 30-40m high, so I doubt it would be anything like $1600.

[jappronz]

Im getting four poplars and a bottlebrush dropped bang on the fence line in suburban auckland next week. 2 of the poplars are well over 30m. This has been quoted by two companies one at 1600+ the other at 2500+. This includes mulching but leaving logs expect 300-400 tip fees for logs as crap wood. Get a quote and approach your neighbor, if they are like me will be happy to discuss/pay to get done for the long term value of good neighbor relations.
It always amazes me how quick and easy these guys do it.

[sidinz]

Huh. And yet I read of someone who was paying tens of thousands to get his tree removed.