Neighbours have chopped our tree down

[treeless]

More of a wwyd as know I'm not being unreasonable...neighbour in terrace next to ours have chopped our tree down! It's clearly on our driveway and not theirs. Speechless!

They may have accidentally done you a favour this time, but what could be next? Don’t let the CFs think you’re doormats, because this could just be the start of them overstepping the boundaries, figuratively and literally.

I do think you should at least make sure that they understand where the boundary is - otherwise you might find they get more 'work' done on what they consider to be their land, and before you know it, you might have lost a piece of your property.

Definitely need to tell them otherwise, especially if they know it's your land, they will continue to take more and more advantage as you didnt challenge them.

That's my concern, although they've always been pleasant and polite. I don't see how they could think it's their tree though

You can’t just ignore it. Either they think that’s their land (bad) or they think it’s ok to chop down your trees (very bad). Either way, they need to know that’s not the case. You don’t have to be rude or even demand compensation. You do need to make it clear that this is Not Okay.

Pleasant and polite does not mean reasonable or rationale.

This can be easily addressed with a light comment of you don’t want to be confrontational

‘You probably didn’t realise but the bush you cut down is actually ours, that bit of land belongs to us. No harm done, and I am sure it wasn’t intentions, but just thought I’d let you know hats our garden incase you are planning anything else’.

Either they will be mortified and apologetic- or they will be defensive. That will tell you whether they knew or not.

But please do say something. This could get a lot worse if you don’t stand your ground. It doesn’t need to b a row.

How could you just not mention that they've cut down your tree?! Is he going to be so reticent when they're parking on your drive, or making tea in your kitchen?!

You probably didn’t realise but the bush you cut down is actually ours, that bit of land belongs to us. No harm done, and I am sure it wasn’t intentions, but just thought I’d let you know hats our garden incase you are planning anything else

Then add “and of course so as you don’t get a shock when the bill arrives for its replacement”

I am still not understanding why they think they can do anything but tidy stuff up in a garden which they don’t own.

The landlord I think will hit the roof if he sees they have “remodelled” his garden.

"It's got nothing to do with their landlord - they cut down a tree in somebody else's garden. It's no more the landlord's problem than if they'd robbed the house of somebody two streets away".

I disagree. I'm a land Lord and I would want to know if my tenants were damagingthe neighbours property.

I'd also be pretty furious if tenants took it upon themselves to cut down trees in the rented property's garden. They are supposed to keep gardens tidy but not make major changes.

It's actually criminal damage OP. You need to speak to them about it and make sure they know exactly where the boundary is - otherwise they'll be a wall up next and part of your garden fine!

This happened to me, except they killed all the planted grass and damaged my garden wall too! It’s not about the trees really, it’s just the horrible feeling that they’ve been in my space whilst I’ve been out of the house. It’s so disrespectful and borderline psychotic to trespass on someone’s property and destroy it. I complained to the council but they said it’s a civil matter. I hope you get some resolutions for your situation though OP! There’s some strange neighbours out there. I couldn’t give a rats arse what’s in their gardens!

If you don't want to go off your tits and "confront" them, perhaps simply ask them? "Why did you cut down our tree?" It's not that hard. It's a very simple and logical question. If it's on your driveway, I can't believe it was a simple accident. They're probably waiting for you to ask anyway. (Or even thank them for the immense favour they've done you!)

• get a tree surgeon and get a quote for it would be worth to replace the tree. Not grow a tree. Replace a fully grown adult tree.

One poster claims this couldn't cost thousands, it absolutely can. Fully grown trees are expensive. They don't have to be 'gold and diamond encrusted'. OP needs to be made whole and giving her a tree to grow doesn't do that. Getting a mature tree, clearing roots from the old one and planting a fully grown tree does and this will be very expensive.

• take them to court.

• I would also look at the company that did it unless the neighbour did it himself. There's trespass, criminal damage and theft here. All police matters.

You probably didn’t realise but the bush you cut down is actually ours, that bit of land belongs to us. No harm done, and I am sure it wasn’t intentions, but just thought I’d let you know hats our garden incase you are planning anything else

No wonder some folk get walked all over.

• they did know, of course they know.
• yes there was harm done
• why let them off the hook and give them a way to wiggle out of their blatant disrespect and criminal acts.

The neighbours didn't give a fuck about OP and what she thought

Prequelle

As I said in my post, i suggested this form of words because Op clearly didn’t be confrontational, and wasn’t going to say anything at all.

Given her posts she is never going to take them to court, or get a tree surgeon to visit. Her husband thinks they have done him a favour. He thinks no harm has been done.

You old go in all funds blazing - fine. Not OPs style, so why not tailor the advice to the situation and the OPs personality?

Neighbours are weird. I've got a detached house with a front garden that joins seamlessly onto my neighbour's garden. The boundary was a beautiful flowering bush. Yesterday he knocked and said he was doing his garden and did I want him to trim my bush (arf) back a bit. A few hours later I went out - bush gone, his lawn and about 6ft of mine all dug out and planted with with plants, clear new border of rose bushes (about 6ft further onto my garden than previous border iyswim). CF.

Hello darkness - he stole 6ft of your garden😫

Op I hope you have confronted him - and removed the rose bushes

Omg! hellodarkness

What are you going to do?

Eek op, you and your partner sound like a couple of pushovers - why would you let someone get away with doing this? No matter if you planned to do it yourself in the future! At least ask them directly ‘why did you cut down our tree?’

They're acting like it was their tree as they asked if we had any space in our bin and have acted nonchalant.

I disagree, you could take that as evidence that they know it’s yours and have helpfully (or resentfully) sorted out your blasted, overgrown shrub that’s been scratching their pram (for instance).

hellodarkness - I think you need to start a new thread and keep us updated :)

👀🍿

If you don’t go in all guns blazing. Police need to be called because thi is criminal damage.

The landlord needs to be contacted because they are wrecking his property.

Then they will continue and who knows what else they will do.

Op would you do something if this neighbour came and took your car and disposed of it (both could be of similar value).

These neighbours are CFs and they need to be shown what they can or cannot do otherwise you will be on here in 6 months time complaining that neighbours have set up huge neon lit Christmas scenes in theirs and your front garden and plugged the whole lot into your electrics.

Exactly what are you complaining about if you are not going to do anything about it?

You can find out who owns the house by going on the land registery
www.gov.uk/topic/land-registration/searches-fees-forms
The landlord really does need to know that they are chopping down stuff with out permission.
As they could be doing alsorts inside .
The only reason they have chopped down your tree is make the drive way use able for their cars.

Come on, OP - it’s not relevant that they might have done you a favour. They’ve come onto your property and destroyed part of it. You must see that you have to complain on principle?

Don't be a doormat, OP.

They haven't done you a favour, they wilfully destroyed your property and you act nonchalantly and say thank you?