Can I Cut Down My Neighbor’s Tree Without Permission?

Does your neighbor have an unsightly, dead, diseased, obstructive, or otherwise hazardous tree that you desperately want removed? If so, you might be tempted to just have it done yourself rather than waiting another year for them to come around. But were you do to this without permission, could you face some legal consequences?

Continue reading to learn your rights as a neighbor to a neighbor who does not take care of their trees.

Noblesville Tree Service 317-537-9770
Noblesville Tree Service 317-537-9770

Neighbor to Neighbor Tree Care

There are infinite factors and clauses that influence how the law is interpreted in terms of trees between neighbors. However, you can gain a basic understanding of your rights, in terms of your neighbor’s trees and what you can do to them, by reviewing the fundamental laws surrounding such cases.

Tree Trimming – If your neighbor’s tree has limbs that overhand onto your property, you are permitted under law to trim them back, but only as far back to the point of your property line.

Tree Roots – If your neighbor’s tree has overgrown or encroaching roots on your property, you can also have the reduced, so long as you remain within your property’s boundary.

Tree Threats – If your neighbor’s tree is posing a potential or actual threat to your property, you are not permitted to enter their premises and take it down under trespassing laws. You can, however, make a request to the court and have them contact your neighbors with an order to take action, or allow you to take action.

Leaves – Leaves from your neighbor’s trees that fall onto your property are not grounds for any legal action.

Shared Trees – If a tree trunk literally sits on the boundary line between you and your neighbor’s property, it is considered common property of both. In this case, both you and your neighbor would have to get permission and agree to any work or alterations made to the tree.

See the Indiana Boundary Fence Statute, Ind. Code Ann. § 32-26-9-3 to review details of all laws surrounding neighbor disputes.

Overall, the law requires all property owners to take reasonable care of their trees through routine inspections and minor maintenance. In the case of tree neglect, if you were to experience damages or losses as a result of a neglected tree, you may be entitled to compensation under Indiana tort law.

Do You Need Tree Service in Noblesville?

Call 317-537-9770 for professional tree services in Noblesville, Indiana. We offer a wide range of professional tree services for residential and commercial properties. Ask us about our competitive pricing and our tree service coupons! And please feel free to contact us anytime for free estimates, advice, general tree removal information, and more. Call 317-537-9770 to request a free estimate, today.

How to Manage Overgrown Tree Limbs From Your Neighbor’s Yard

As a homeowner, you have control over the landscaping on your property, and can do as you please in terms of maintenance and layout. But what do you do when someone else’s landscaping starts to interfere with yours? The answer to this question varies from case to case, and depends on several factors. But in all cases, you want to be polite and do the right thing. Continue reading for some advice on what to do if your neighbor’s trees are overgrowing onto your property.

First Get Permission

When your neighbor’s trees are growing over into your yard, the first thing you want to do is discuss it with them. Regardless of your relationship with your neighbors, you need to get them involved. You must always ask their permission to cut or trim away overgrown tree limbs, because A❫ the trees are on their property, and B❫ it is the polite and respectful thing to do. Also, if you cut their tree limbs without permission, and it causes damage to the tree, you could potentially be held liable for any damages caused to the property as a result. So liability is another consideration that’s important to address. By politely bringing the issue to your neighbor’s attention, you open the door for a sensible and friendly conversation, which increases your chances of finding an easy solution. They may even decide to trim their trees themselves after you mention the overgrowth, thus eliminating the need to do it yourself!

Safely Trim and Cut

Once you have permission from your neighbors to take care of the overgrowth coming from their yard, it is important to safely trim and cut the tree limbs in order to protect the tree from unintentional damage. Improper tree trimming and pruning can deprive a tree of nutrition, thus affecting its overall health and growth potential. To get the job done right, you’ll need a pruning saw, a step stool, and utility clubs. Here’s some tips for getting started:

🌲 Position your ladder where necessary. You may need to cut branches from your neighbor’s yard rather than your own to get better access to limbs. Choose whichever spot is safer for working.

🌳 You may need a partner to hold the latter for you while you work, but be sure there is no one around or standing below your work space when you are making cuts. Fallen tree limbs can cause serious injuries to people and pets.

🌲 When making your cuts, be sure to start sawing from the bottom and go up. Sawing from the top down can cause the tree limb to tear away, which can be damaging to the tree.

🌳 Using your pruning saw, make the first cut directly in front of a leaf node or before the branch separates into two. Make the second cut directly above the first cut, but from the top of the branch.

🌲 Cut large branches back at least one foot past your fence or property line. It only takes two or three months for tree limbs to grow back, so you want to be sure to cut back far enough so they don’t grow directly back over your property line again.

🌳 To finish, simply smooth out the edges of your cuts using your pruning saw.

Noblesville Tree Trimming

Tree Service Noblesville 317-537-9770

Tree Service Noblesville 317-537-9770

Call 317-537-9770 when you need affordable tree trimming and tree removal service in Noblesville, Indiana. We are highly trained and experienced tree care specialists that offer a wide range of residential and commercial tree services, including tree trimming, tree pruning, stump removal, lot clearing, and much more. Call 317-537-9770 to request a free estimate for Noblesville tree trimming, today.