They cut my gorgeous cherry tree down

[babyno5]

I know it’s not important in the grand scheme of things.
I had a garden maintenance business is to give me a quote to cut down couple of conifers, pull up some bushes and bring my hedge down to a manageable height.
I’ve come home from work to find they’ve also cut down my gorgeous 30 foot cherry tree. I’m so upset! We have zero privacy upstairs now and I hate how it looks.
I was really clear on what I wanted them to do. I text him and all I got was “sorry I misunderstood you”
Suggestions please to make a horrible hedge look better!
Aibu to be close to tears? (Be gentle with me-shit day at work dealing with idiots!!)

OP this is so sad. I would absolutely insist on a replacement tree of reasonable size.

I cried when they chopped down our mature cherry tree (it was pulling up neighbour's drive).

Seeing the stump made it sadder. It used to blossom at exactly the same time as DTs' birthdays and make the sky all white when I opened my curtains.

The shock was painful as I had not instructed them to chop it down as I was pondering - DH gave them orders to chop and I was tempted to LTB.

I, too, would be terribly upset by this. Agree with all who say that a replacement is the least they can do (and it's hardly going to be like-for-like, given that they're not likely to find a 30' one going spare anywhere). I know it's "only a tree" in the grand scheme of things, but I'm very sorry, OP.

outrageous! i agree sue him for whatever you can think of that will stick. and ask for the wood back immediately. also, I'm so sorry for your loss! get him to replace it with a mature cherry tree, you can get 20 yrs old ones...

Send the text back, be very polite and say you expect a replacement - a reasonable replacement - or you will take it to small claims.

The thing is they can't even put another cherry tree in the same place for a number of years due the risk of replant disease. They would certainly need to take out the stump and all roots.

That's awful op. I would text him back saying that you want it replaced and that you want the wood back from the previous tree. If he refuses then text him that you will be taking him to court.

I get a flush of pure rage whenever I see anybody chop a tree down . I feel for you OP, and can only echo what the others have said - mature replacement or small claims court.

You have a clear case OP. Especially as he has answered as he has.

OP

Unfortunately I'd advise you not to replace like with like - too much chance of pathogen transmission via soil. You might lose the next one within a few years. What about an apple or plum tree instead?

Thank you mumsnetters! I’ve sent his text back to him and waiting for a reply.
I felt really silly for being so upset but it would seem we are a nation of tree lovers.

He'd be minus his balls if that was my tree.

Misunderstood! Bastards.

I'd be asking where it actually is now?

No....that's awful OP. It happened to us years ago. I wish we took some actions back then.

4.5-6m tree - £249.99

www.ornamental-trees.co.uk/prunus-taihaku-tree-p24#!

www.ornamental-trees.co.uk/prunus-accolade-tree-p202#! - £299.99

I’d be devastated OP. Hope he comes back with a better response!!

Not silly at all. I can waste a whole evening watching the birds flitting in and out of our big cherry tree. We have some little ones, too, but they don't have the beautiful shape and spread of this one. It's like a Japanese painting.

You can buy large trees from specialist suppliers. You have in writing what he was meant to cut down and you have in writing that he ‘misunderstood’. So I think you’d have a very good case if he doesn’t make this right. Before he replaces, look at the specific tree he is going to purchase. He’ll need specialist equipment (cranes etc) to install too. I think you could ask a third party does this if you don’t trust him (as long as he pays). Check his insurances / capability before you let him loose!

Oh yeah, the council did that to the beautiful cherry tree in front of our house (there was a green in front of us) some years ago. It was gutting.

Absolutely not silly to be upset! I would be devastated and furious. State your expectation for the replacement of your mature tree with as close to like for like as possible and your anticipated timescale before legal avenues are explored. In the meantime, you will, I imagine, want the logs returned. How did you find this company / individual? I think it would be also be the decent thing to do to post some reviews in appropriate places once a conclusion has been reached to make sure others are aware of the poor communication skills exhibited as well as their / his approach to dealing with customer complaints.

So sorry this happened to you op.

Meant to say I’ve got the logs here. He’s back tomorrow to finish off some bits in the back garden and clear up.
Worst bit is it’s the front garden too 😢😢

I would be devastated OP, I hope they come back with a reasonable response!

cherry wood has great value, especially a 30 ft specimen which probably has a decent amount of wide straight timber from the trunk. As a first step you need that back asap

That is awful.

Really sad about the tree.

I wouldn't recommend them even if they come up with a reasonable compensation.

I get a flush of pure rage whenever I see anybody chop a tree down

Me too. I once wrote a very snippy letter to the council for cutting down one of the 100 year old plane trees on my road.

Then I had a long, impassioned reply from the Tree Officer explaining that that tree was like a beloved first-born child to him but it had been suffering from a disease for years, and after years of management and cosseting it had to be sacrificed to save all the other trees. He had evidently been quite upset before I went and rubbed salt in the wound. I had to back down and apologise.

I would be FURIOUS. YANBU at all and please follow through with the advice given here already. How unprofessional!?