It's never fun to deal with a neighbor who has no regard for the sanctity of your home or property. 

Unfortunately, one homeowner was stumped by the actions of their careless neighbor, who allegedly cut down a tree that wasn't theirs to cut down. To gather opinions on their best course of action, the homeowner shared their situation on r/treelaw. 

The Redditor included several photos that appeared to show their tree that had met an untimely demise. "My neighbors cut down a tree that I believe is on their side of the property line, but left it in my yard," the original poster wrote. 

However, there was one hiccup. The Redditor was unsure where the exact property line was and if they even had a reason to be upset, revealing that a small wire fence was already in place between the homes. "If it is on their side, I would think if they so chose to cut it, it would be their responsibility to remove the tree?" they added. 

Down in the comments section, many users appeared to have the OP's back. 

"Talk to your neighbors. They look to be in the wrong," suggested one user. 

"If the tree was on your property then what they did is known as criminal damage and trespassing," pointed out a second commenter. 

However, another pragmatic Redditor looked to get a little more information before jumping to conclusions. "You don't seem entirely sure where the property line is. Do you have a survey or other plans you can reference?" they asked.

Although many homeowners might think a fence defines a property boundary, it doesn't automatically do so. Fences can be built on or off the actual property line, and their location doesn't change the legal boundaries of your property. 

The most reliable way to determine property lines is to hire a professional, licensed land surveyor. They can accurately measure and map boundaries. You can also head to your local government office and check official records such as plat maps and land deeds. This can go a long way toward preventing property line disputes with neighbors and giving you peace of mind.

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