Neighbours fallen tree has trapped me and my neighbour in our homes

[FinanceHo]

The drive we share is completely blocked by this behemoth tree-

neighbour has said they rent and the clear up is nothing to do with them

i I can’t get to work

any advice

I’m fairly certain if I got a friend the drag the tree off into the main road it would get shifted fairly soon.

anyone had similar

I think one of the issues adding to the situation
is the LL actually finding someone to do it given the current storms everyone in this line of work is going to to booked up

Where I live tree surgeons would be tagged - but there might also be offers of free help for someone who cant get to work or lifts to the place of work for a day or 3. It's worth finding any local Facebook pages and asking.

The tree has mysteriously been moved to the main road causing carnage this morning

I will bet the council will remove it by lunchtime!

There'll be men in high viz with chain saws all over it very soon! Can you get out to go to work now?

How odd! Given that you said it would take 10 people to move it (I think - maybe I got that wrong) , that is really weird you didn't see/hear people outside moving it

Depends on the availability of alternative transport. In London, probably not a problem, but out in a village or small town in the regions, could well mean they can't get out to go shopping, to work, etc. Not everywhere has good bus routes and Ubers!

Maybe OP over estimated strength needed 🤷‍♀️. It’s amazing how much strength people can muster if they’re determined and focused enough. During heavy snow a couple of years ago three of my neighbours actually lifted the front of a car up to move it over. I would think that absolutely impossible, and if I was asked to guess how many people needed I would have said loads. And would have clearly been wrong….

Has it now

Ask them for their landlord’s details and let the landlord know a fallen tree is causing an obstruction. That way you can keep chasing the landlord directly rather than relying on your neighbours, who sound a bit hopeless.

You could also ask the landlord if he would be willing to cover your taxi fares to work until the tree is shifted. (Do this nicely, you may get somewhere!) This may concentrate their mind to get this fixed.

Get an axe! OP would be chopping for the best part of a week! Unlikely to get to her job on time with just her and an axe. Have you tried chopping up a massive tree with just an axe? 🤣 There’s a reason tree surgeons use chainsaws. 😂😂😂

So what are you saying? This is some conspiracy theory generated by OP? The case of the fallen tree? Get a grip.

I’d agree there is a tree down on my driveway, no public transport. Basically Im stuck here till I remove it.

Is this you, op? I’ve just seen this picture online that has been used by someone to claim they can’t get to work.

And the landlord’s insurance won’t pay out to OP if the tree was healthy and felled by the weather - because he has no liability. That’s the point. The same thing happened to us three years ago when a neighbours’ tree fell into our garden in high winds. The tree was healthy, there was no negligence on the part of the neighbour and the weather was deemed responsible. They thought they were liable and tried to claim on their home insurance for their own costs plus ours. Their insurers would only pay for their own repairs and we were told to claim on our own insurance as there was no liability for an Act of God.

There's no evidence to the health or lack of it of the tree. So it goes back to your original point that I responded to, that it isn't 'the law' that OP claims anything on her own insurance and she is more than entitled to pursue a claim against the homeowner, who should pass the claim to their insurer to be dealt with. Whether it is paid or not depends on the terms of the insurance.

What law are you referring to by the way?

Healthy, well maintained, trees tend not to blow over. They need regular thinning out, dead bits chopped off, etc., especially when they're old and huge.

If a home owner has a huge old tree that they've never had professionally maintained for a few decades, they're highly likely to be found to be responsible/negligent if it falls over and does serious damage.

You can't just abdicate your responsibility to keep them maintained.

Of the OP reports the matter to her insurance company they'll want to know the details of next doors owner and their insurers because they'll be looking for evidence of negligence that get them out of paying the claim.

Still not “trapped in their homes” though.

If you can't get to work or to the hospital and have no money or limited taxi access then you are trapped.

Great news!

Is it blocking traffic?

I suspect OP and friends have moved it so the council will deal with it instead of having to sort it with the neighbour somehow...

😉 person who is definitely not OP's friend.

You are responsible for moving the section of tree on your side. And unless the tree was a known issue, damaged etc and likely to fall or caused by neighbours negligence, the neighbour/landlord could well not owe you anything for the cleanup.

You should still get permission before doing the work though, as you are destroying the tree and this still requires permission.

And no, dumping it back on the neighbours land is not legal.

And if the neighbour tells the council you dumped it on the road, and it was also on your land, you are looking at fly-tipping criminal conviction.

Tree went poof and disappeared

how miraculous

thanks all

The mighty wind blew it down…and then the mighty wind blew it away. How wondrous. 🙂