A British Redditor encountered an infuriating situation with a neighbor, and they looked to the community on r/LegalAdviceUK for help.
"My neighbour (England) recently put up a new fence and, without any discussion or permission, their contractor came onto my property and cut back about 1.5 metres of my mature planting, including branches of a cherished 70-year-old ornamental acer tree," wrote the original poster. "These plants and branches were all fully on my side of the boundary — not encroaching on their land at all. … Does this count as trespass, criminal damage, and possibly theft? What can I do about this?"
The poster also detailed how the landscapers took all of the cuttings from the operation and continued their work despite being confronted. The OP also said the neighbor was equally dismissive of complaints, and they shared photos of the damage.
Neighbors can often become a challenge when maintaining private green spaces. Some brazenly cross property lines and cut down mature trees. Homeowners associations in the United States have also shown adversarial tendencies when it comes to landscaping.
Mature trees provide a lot more than just a picturesque back yard. They protect against erosion and retain soil moisture. The shade and transpiration trees provide help to combat urban heat island effects. They're tentposts for local biodiversity. Best of all, they improve local air quality and sequester carbon.
Maintaining and protecting a healthy yard can be a bit of work, especially with negligent neighbors, but it can provide a wealth of benefits.
The Reddit community had an array of opinions on the original poster's situation.
"Yes, it is both trespass and criminal damage. Report to police on 101. Also, get your home insurance involved, especially if you have legal cover," said the top-voted reply.
"Theft for sure as they reduced the tree into their possession and permanently deprived you if it with the intention to do so," said another. "The issue will be getting a police officer to do something without saying it's a civil matter."
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