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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

They cut my gorgeous cherry tree down

232 replies

babyno5 · 22/05/2018 18:01

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 posts:
Bakingberry · 29/01/2019 18:17

OP just read this thread. What an awful thing to happen. X

kaytee87 · 29/01/2019 18:22

Op I'd be gutted if this happened to me. I have 4 cherry blossoms in the front and one beautiful one in the back. They make me so happy in spring.
Good luck with small claims.

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 29/01/2019 18:28

We use a very good tree surgeon but on one occasion he accidently dropped a large branch and it landed on a smaller tree and broke it.
No hesitation, he explained what happened, apologised and arranged for a replacement to the same size and maturity.
There are specialist nurseries that sell mature trees of over 20 feet

Original poster
babyno5 · 29/01/2019 18:30

Thanks all for your kind thoughts. His business is still going (albeit quietly at this time of year). He is a thoroughly horrid character and since it happened I've heard some proper horror stories about him-football thug who is banned from away matches and not allowed to travel etc. But I don't scare easy!!

OP posts:
PotteryLady · 29/01/2019 18:31

Good luck! I would have been heart broken.

juniperbushes · 29/01/2019 18:38

Best of luck with this - I remember the thread too.

ItsJustASimpleLine · 29/01/2019 18:39

Best of luck OP!

BusySnipingOnCallOfDuty · 29/01/2019 18:41

I think some people assume anyone can look after people's gardens but you have to know what you're doing and you need effing listening skills!

I hope you get compensation. Buy yourselves a huuuuuuge cherry tree with it.

VenusClapTrap · 29/01/2019 18:42

I was angry when you first posted about this and now I’m angry all over again. Absolutely rooting for you, op. Angry

ResistanceIsNecessary · 29/01/2019 18:43

Really sorry to hear he's not kept his promise. I'd be fucking furious if one of my trees was cut down without permission ( I have lots of them - big garden!).

Our tree surgeons are very good but I always take a day of leave from work so that I'm here to keep an eye on them. I go out - frequently - to check where they are and what they are doing. Throw the book at the shady bastard. Cutting down a healthy mature cherry tree is a bloody crime - I bet it looked gorgeous as well.

Hodgehegg · 29/01/2019 18:46

Pleased you're still pursuing this op. He sounds like a bully. Fingers crossed you get some compensation.

Vicky1990 · 29/01/2019 18:47

Keep all emails, text, letters etc as possible evidence.
Try to get him to implicate himself in an email or text as to him making a mistake in cutting the tree down.
Consult a solicitor, some will give you half an hour free of charge.

ChrisjenAvasarala · 29/01/2019 18:47

What a knob! Good luck in court; I hope you get a judge who understands the importance of your tree. I'd be heartbroken.

Ohnonotuagain · 29/01/2019 18:51

Accidents happen (granted, this one never should have!) but it's how you feel with them and they've dealt with it terribly. I'm glad you're pursuing it, OP.

Original poster
babyno5 · 29/01/2019 18:54

@Vicky1990 yes I've got all texts etc showing him admitting mistake.
There's a part of me that's glad he hasn't kept his promise to replace as I don't want this to happen to any other customers and hopefully he'll be more careful in future x

OP posts:
Moanranger · 29/01/2019 18:54

Yes, very significant error. Any tree worker of repute would have questioned WHY anyone would want to remove a mature,healthy specimen. A 30’ Tree is probably worth £1000.
Ask him to replace it with an “extra heavy standard” cherry, so you don’t end up with some pathetic little £5 whip.
He should have insurance (tho maybe not cover for complete fuckwittage!)

MitziK · 29/01/2019 18:55

He should be paying for a very large replacement tree to be put in its place - same way that trees for the Chelsea Flower Show, you can get mature trees for a cost (his).

And you are absolutely in the right.

Original poster
babyno5 · 29/01/2019 18:56

@Terramirabilis yep completely cut down to ground level 😢😢

OP posts:
Original poster
babyno5 · 29/01/2019 18:58

@MitziK it happened in summer I just posted update. Originally he promised to get s replacement but I asked him to wait till autumn given how hot our summer was. He's now ignoring so I've raised action in small claims court for a mature replacement.

OP posts:
SleepWarrior · 29/01/2019 18:59

Another hopefully good thing about it panning out this way is that you will end up getting compensation that will cover someone decent to carry out the work, rather than him doing any more himself.

Glad to hear he's not nice (is that weird?!) as I always feel sorry for a nice person making a big screw up. Obviously they still have to put things right out of their own pocket, but if everyone seems pleasant I end up feeling sorry all round. Hope it gets sorted satisfactorily.

Original poster
babyno5 · 29/01/2019 19:00

@SleepWarrior I know exactly what you mean! I'm like that too 😂😂

OP posts:
Lovemusic33 · 29/01/2019 19:09

I hope you get something out of him in the end, I would be angry too. I’m in the process of going to small claims but I have been told that even if I win my case I may never receive anything, so far the accused has not responded to my claims (totally ignored them) and he now has a week to pay me before I can take it further (which will cost me more money).

I would be gutted if someone chopped down my cherry tree and mines still pretty small.

Riotingbananas · 29/01/2019 19:09

Glad you are suing him. And I hope you get the money out of him to put in a beautiful replacement. I've cried over a tree too and it wasnt even mine - it was an old apple tree which hung over into my very small garden, such a beautiful tree. I came home one day to find that the developers building a new house behind mine had cut it down to put a shed there. Madness because that garden was absolutely huge and you could have put a shed in lots of places without cutting anything down. I got to work the next day and whilst telling people about it, I burst into tears. Very embarrassing, but am glad to see that others get emotional about trees too. Fingers crossed for a successful court action Smile

SimplyPut · 29/01/2019 19:10

I remember reading your original post and being so pleased he came good so quickly. How utterly disappointing to read your update!
I would be livid!

GlitterStick · 29/01/2019 19:12

Knew this sounded familiar when opening so wasn't surprised to read the date!
Remember it from last year.
Sorry to hear you're still having problems, hope it gets resolved soon