Branch of neighbour's tree has fallen onto my Garden shed

punchdrunked

Another question for you bright minds before I approach my insurance company again.

Overnight and due to a local storm here in NE London, a tree branch from my neighbours has fallen into my garden and is currently perched on top of my garden shed.

Is it worth making a claim, approaching my neighbour or do it myself? After my last experience of claiming on insurance, I'd rather ask the question before logging a claim.

TIA

Mutton_Geoff

A claim for what?

luci

punchdrunked said:

Another question for you bright minds before I approach my insurance company again.

Overnight and due to a local storm here in NE London, a tree branch from my neighbours has fallen into my garden and is currently perched on top of my garden shed.

Is it worth making a claim, approaching my neighbour or do it myself? After my last experience of claiming on insurance, I'd rather ask the question before logging a claim.

TIA

Check your policy. Garden fences, sheds, etc are usually excluded from storm damage.

Grumpy_chap

punchdrunked said:

Another question for you bright minds before I approach my insurance company again.

Overnight and due to a local storm here in NE London, a tree branch from my neighbours has fallen into my garden and is currently perched on top of my garden shed.

Is it worth making a claim, approaching my neighbour or do it myself? After my last experience of claiming on insurance, I'd rather ask the question before logging a claim.

TIA

Is the branch just resting on the shed or has it damaged the shed?

punchdrunked

luci said:

punchdrunked said:

Another question for you bright minds before I approach my insurance company again.

Overnight and due to a local storm here in NE London, a tree branch from my neighbours has fallen into my garden and is currently perched on top of my garden shed.

Is it worth making a claim, approaching my neighbour or do it myself? After my last experience of claiming on insurance, I'd rather ask the question before logging a claim.

TIA

Check your policy. Usually garden fences, sheds, etc are excluded from storm damage.

Thanks Luci, I'm thinking more about clearing up and removing the tree from my garden. Would I normally be responsible for this? It's quite a big tree and it's resting on the roof of the fence.

punchdrunked

This is the policy wording:

Falling trees and branches:
Exclusions:

• Damage to hedges, gates or fences. 
• Damage caused during tree maintenance. 
• The cost of removing fallen trees or branches that have not caused damage to the buildings.
• The cost of removing any part of a tree that is still below ground, or restoring the site.
• Loss of or damage to the trees and branches.

To my lay mind, the shed should be covered and the cost associated with removing the tree. My excess is £400 and the tree is over 100m from the main property.

Mutton_Geoff

Have you approached your neighbour? They would be liable for the maintenance of trees on their property and any damage they might cause.

If your excess is £400 then I'd say it certainly wouldn't be worth a claim. I don't claim anything from insurance unless it's 10x my premium because you can guarantee the insurers will claw back their money with increased premiums over the next 5 or more years.

tacpot12

Mutton_Geoff said:

Have you approached your neighbour? They would be liable for the maintenance of trees on their property and any damage they might cause.

Only if they are negligent. If the tree appeared to be safe, then proving negligence is going to be difficult. 

Grumpy_chap

punchdrunked said:

This is the policy wording:

Falling trees and branches:
Exclusions:

• Damage to hedges, gates or fences. 
• Damage caused during tree maintenance. 
• The cost of removing fallen trees or branches that have not caused damage to the buildings.
• The cost of removing any part of a tree that is still below ground, or restoring the site.
• Loss of or damage to the trees and branches.

To my lay mind, the shed should be covered and the cost associated with removing the tree. My excess is £400 and the tree is over 100m from the main property.

So, as asked upthread, has the tree branch damaged the shed?

Either way, I would have thought that an insurance claim would simply not be worth it.

The pragmatic thing to do here, and maintain good relations with the neighbour, would be to have a friendly conversation with them and not cast any blame. 

Go out and play with the branch, take a saw, and stay out long enough to be seen.  Then, pop back in and speak with the neighbour (or hopefully, they might even be in the garden at some point) and say you are happy to clear the branch but it is heavy and ask if they could assist with getting the branch safely down from the shed roof as you don't want to simply drag it off and cause damage to the shed.  If the neighbour is at all sensible, they will assist you with the clearance.  Once the branch is down off the shed, you can cut it and dispose of at leisure.

Really, in life, things sometimes just happen and need to be dealt with.  There is not always anyone to blame.

punchdrunked

The tree branch is approximately 20 metres in length and is divided into three parts. 3 of the branches are resting on my shed - the roof is broken. As it is, it'll be dangerous, so I need to sort it out one way or the other.

My first approach will be to my 80 year old neighbour. He has lived in his house since he was a boy, but he has kind of neglected the back of his garden which is inhabited by foxes and untendered trees. Something needs to be done but what can I do if he just wants an easy life at his age? We'll see.

Given the issues I've had with my insurance company regarding a leak under suspended flooring, I am loathed to approach them again for fear of another argument around what is damage, not damage, nonsense, so I'm hoping that me and the neighbour can work something out. If not, I'll have to fire up my chainsaw and brave it, or get an arborist out to advise me.

Boohoo

punchdrunked said:

The tree branch is approximately 20 metres in length and is divided into three parts. 3 of the branches are resting on my shed - the roof is broken. As it is, it'll be dangerous, so I need to sort it out one way or the other.

My first approach will be to my 80 year old neighbour. He has lived in his house since he was a boy, but he has kind of neglected the back of his garden which is inhabited by foxes and untendered trees. Something needs to be done but what can I do if he just wants an easy life at his age? We'll see.

Given the issues I've had with my insurance company regarding a leak under suspended flooring, I am loathed to approach them again for fear of another argument around what is damage, not damage, nonsense, so I'm hoping that me and the neighbour can work something out. If not, I'll have to fire up my chainsaw and brave it, or get an arborist out to advise me.

I would be polite and considerate with your neighbour to start with and if it was me I would ask if they have any relatives or someone they trust to be with your neighbour and then you can have a chat as the relative or someone can explain or what has happened or what needs doing and it covers you also.

You may have to make another time to meet and you haven't said if you get on with your neighbour.

Do you know if any other neighbours know him as they could come with you to chat to him.

Are you 100% sure the tree is in his garden and not on the boundary?