Trees are a beautiful addition to most residential properties. They can provide shade during the hottest part of the year. Trees can boost the overall value and attractiveness of a home. They attract wildlife and may provide fruits or nuts.
Unfortunately, when trees are close to the boundary between two residential properties, they can lead to disputes between neighbors. When are boundary trees a source of conflict?
1. When they cause damage
Any time there is a windstorm or other major weather event, trees are at risk of sustaining significant damage. Heavy winds can knock down dead or dying tree limbs. In more extreme cases, the entire tree might fall. Downed trees and branches can destroy cars or cause major damage to houses.
2. When they become a nuisance
Trees can also be a nuisance to a neighbor. They might drip sap on a vehicle or drop nuts on a neighbor’s lawn. An older neighbor who cannot rake without exhausting themselves may resent the need to engage in more lawn care because of a tree on the boundary line of the property. In such cases, one neighbor might choose to trim the other’s tree as a means of diminishing its impact on their use of their own property.
3. When one neighbor damages a tree
Attempts to trim a tree can sometimes go too far. People can cross the property line or potentially kill a tree. In either scenario, their neighbor might take legal action against them because of a dispute related to a boundary tree.
Litigation related to boundary trees can result in compensation awards for damages caused by a tree or to a tree. Reviewing a tree-related real estate dispute with a lawyer can help frustrated property owners assert their rights.
