Bill from neighbours for tree damage

betsie

It's his fence line ( there is just a green wire mesh there at present) but the trees are on our side.

Lieja

I'd be asking for my wood back please, and taking it myself when it wasn't forthcoming. And I'd be telling him where to stick his bill!

pleasedelete

My tree fell on my land demolishing shed and then onto neighbours damaging their garage. They had to claim on their insurance (we paid their excess) and their insurance then claimed against ours. Our insurance wouldn't pay for damage to their property. Our insurance agreed to pay for tree removal (£1000 it was massive poplar) however later they said the person on the phone shouldn't have agreed (unless it was blocking highway) but they honoured it.

They shouldnt have removed your tree. They removed it-they pay for it.

lostinrates

pinkshoes wrote: »

Did they leave you the wood for firewood?? (Or is it no good for burning? )

Its commonly regarded as not good for burning.

However its been our sole firewood this year and a supplementary one last year, and will be our firewood for some years to come as we removed about seventy of the blighters when we came here. Its took two years before the lighter, thinner pieces were dry enough for us to consider burning at all, three and a half for 'real' burning and today we split some that I won't burn this year, but will next year.

Its actually fine in our woodburner. Fast burning yes, but hot. You have to make sure its properly seasoned and dry, and keep a good eye on a flue because the risk is residue in the flue, but our flue is actually nice and clean, DH had a look a couple of weeks a go with brushes

Soleil_lune

claire16c wrote: »

If your tree fell into their garden, why didn't they just come over & ask you to remove it? You could have then selected the company etc

Are you seriously saying it fell in, they hired someone to chop it up and then just handed you the bill?

That's ridiculous.

Agree.

And FWIW to the OP: I asked my friend who has a brother who does this kind of work down south, and he said he would go on about £100 per conifer for removal, (incl the roots being ground down,) and about £60-£70 each for them to be skimmed down to 3 ft tall. So £700 for 3 to be lopped and not even the roots ground down is a p1ss take. I would say no more than £200 for this job. Tell her you will pay that, (or thereabouts,) but no more.

Do get some quotes though. But this was WAY too high, and she should not have done it and then just shoved the bill in your face. Sounds like she's trying to pull a fast one.

betsie

The bill of £700 was for taking 3 big ones down leaving a 3ft stump. He then had the remaining ones lopped (4) for £330 .

pleasedelete

should add- it is a bit supply and demand (plus staff on overtime). Our tree came down in a night of storms with loads uprooted. The company we used have since done other work for us. They were very clear that they priced the original job at a premium as there was a massive demand that week. So removing trees on a calm day in Jul wont cost the same as post storm in december.

Ich_2

I would suggest all this talk of family or family friend is not quite it.
For these terms I would suggest you substitute Brethren!

Soleil_lune

pleasedelete wrote: »

should add- it is a bit supply and demand (plus staff on overtime). Our tree came down in a night of storms with loads uprooted. The company we used have since done other work for us. They were very clear that they priced the original job at a premium as there was a massive demand that week. So removing trees on a calm day in Jul wont cost the same as post storm in december.

Well I think that's quite disgusting.

greenbee

Whether you choose to contribute or not I think you need to make clear to them that you are not happy with the fact that they had the work done without either consulting your or even having the courtesy to inform you that they had made arrangements.

You should also point out that the wood belongs to you, as they were your trees, so either they need to return it to you (as they removed it from your property, they should move it back) or deduct the value (as specified by your tree surgeon) from the bill.

You need to be clear that in future, they should consult you if there is a problem with your property, or they need access to your property, unless it is an emergency and they are unable to contact you by normal means (such as knocking on the door/ringing the bell/calling you if they have a number).