Advice please!
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Anonymous
| Can I ask your opinion? 3 trees from neighbor’s yard have fallen into mine— damaging fence and shed. We have lived next door to each other for about 5 years. We are cordial but not very friendly. They are generally good neighbors. The neighbors indicated they are having trees in both our yards removed by a tree company. The estimate is $3200. They are paying out of pocket and have not asked me to chip in. They offered to fix fence themselves when they fix their part. They are handy and I know they can do it. They have not communicated a lot about any of this. I know that it is the responsibility of the homeowner when someone else’s tree falls onto their property, unless the tree was dead. I am not sure if they are planning to pay because they think it’s their legal obligation, either because they don’t know the law or because they know their trees were unhealthy and likely to fall. Or maybe they are just being nice. I’m a single mom, younger than them but not by much. I’m really struggling financially at the moment, but I’m not sure how obvious that is. I am thinking I will offer to give them $1000. That’s what my deductible would have been. Am I being cheap and a bad neighbor to not pay 1/2, or more? Or am I being a good neighbor offering to pay at all? I am happy to not have to deal with insurance, but would it be smarter to do so? Any advice would be appreciated. |
Anonymous
|
I think I'd bring over flowers, some food type of gift, and/or maybe something homemade, along with a nice handwritten note thanking them for being good neighbors.
I don't think you owe them anything financially. |
Anonymous
| Don't make your 'thank you' about money. Bake something. Something like pp said. Wait until the work is done. And they'd rather not talk about it. Don't talk about it any more than you have to. And have lots of patience. Lots of patience waiting for all of this work to get done. Put it on your mental calendar to think about it again in 6 months. |
Anonymous
| $3200 is a deal for 3 trees. |
Anonymous
| $1000.00 seems reasonable. |
Anonymous
| Does your shed need fixing? |
Anonymous
| Insurance will not pay anything for this. |
Anonymous
A corner of it got clipped but I’m not sure I’ll even bother fixing it. |
Anonymous
My policy says it will and other people I know have gotten covered for tree removal. |
Anonymous
| So - I’m not a lawyer and just searched around online, but it looks like if trees fall in a storm and it’s an “act of God” situation you and your neighbors each pay for the damage repair in your own yard, even if it wasn’t your trees. However if the trees were in poor health or hazard trees and your neighbor should have addressed the situation before the storm he might be held liable for repairing damage to your yard. Based on that make your judgement about whether you should reasonably be expected to pay and how much. |
Anonymous
| If they said they are going to handle it let them. Then a nice baked good with a note sounds like a good plan |