Pennsylvania tree cutting laws?

[Cheeseybacon]

Anyone here know anything about the tree cutting laws in Pennsylvania? My parents just received a threatening letter yesterday from my neighbor's lawyer, claiming they need to trim their oak tree and that they will sue for damages to their roof if it isn't trimmed ASAP. The branches that are touching are tiny whispy little branches and they are just bearly touching the roof at that, so my parents aren't worried about having to pay for damages because there are none. The tree will need trimmed eventually though, and with that being said, with all past neighbors, (who were all decent people) everyone always paid to have tree branches on their own property trimmed. We paid to have other folks trees trimmed when they encroached on our property and vise-versa. These idots want to stick the cost on us though. Furthermore want it done NOW, not in the winter when the tree is dormant, which is when you're supposed to trim them anyway. We talked to several tree cutters in the area and none of them said they would be available to cut the tree until mid-November at the earliest anyway.

What does PA law say about this and who is legally obligated to pay for the trimming and? Anyone know or have to deal with this same type of situation before?

[Steve in PA]

The tree is on your parents property, its their responsibility to keep it trimmed, not the neighbor.

If the neighbor really wants to be a (rhymes with brick) he could butcher the tree back to the property line, possibly damaging the tree permanetly.

[PisnNapalm]

Did the neighbors talk to your parents first or did they just go straight for the lawyer?

[Emptymag]

These things must be handled delicately.

If your parent's tree branches were TOUCHING my roof, (even just a little) I would POLITELY explain my concerns for damage and POLITELY ask them to trim back the "offending" branch(s).

If your parent's refused to do so, I WOULD CUT THAT MOFO DOWN AT THE BASE and drop it on their house in the middle of the night!

Well, I wouldn't go THAT far, but it wouldn't be pretty. An overhanging branch is one thing, but if it's TOUCHING anything of mine... well, we'd need to talk. (But I wouldn't use a freakin' lawyer! Sheesh!)

Sorry, no legal advise here... best of luck resolving that!

[brewguy]

I know when we bought our house the tree branches were not allowed to touch the roof or no insurance. something about moisture rotting the roof.

also I don't see why anyone but your parents would pay to have the tree trimmed. Your parents should be stepping up before the neighbors take it upon themselves.

[knight0334]

Originally Posted by brewguy

I know when we bought our house the tree branches were not allowed to touch the roof or no insurance. something about moisture rotting the roof.

also I don't see why anyone but your parents would pay to have the tree trimmed. Your parents should be stepping up before the neighbors take it upon themselves.

True, but did the neighbors have to go through a lawyer? A neighborly "Yo, trim your F'n tree! ....Please" should have sufficed. Its kinda asinine that a lawyer had to get involved when someone could have stepped next door and asked the other to do something with the tree in question.

[brewguy]

Originally Posted by knight0334

True, but did the neighbors have to go through a lawyer? A neighborly "Yo, trim your F'n tree! ....Please" should have sufficed. Its kinda asinine that a lawyer had to get involved when someone could have stepped next door and asked the other to do something with the tree in question.

I can't say that surprises me. people are afraid to talk to their neighbors, especially with problems.

No body is neighborly anymore. People just close themselves up in their fear caves to stay save from the terrorists. They don't want to talk to anyone. Have you ever walked down the street and noticed how few people make eye contact?

I don't know this guys parents but I have had neighbors that were assholes. They would park all along the street not leaving any place for us. didn't matter what you said or how nice you were, they were scum. Hopefully that is not the case here but it might be assumed to be by the new neighbors, maybe they had a bad experience in the past. Maybe they have a lawyer freind who did it for free?

I heard on the radio the other day a family had their mailbox blocked by a neighbors spare car. They asked him to move it. He got pissed off and left it there for months. Police and post office would not do anything about it.

[Michele]

Originally Posted by Cheeseybacon

Anyone here know anything about the tree cutting laws in Pennsylvania? My parents just received a threatening letter yesterday from my neighbor's lawyer, claiming they need to trim their oak tree and that they will sue for damages to their roof if it isn't trimmed ASAP. The branches that are touching are tiny whispy little branches and they are just bearly touching the roof at that, so my parents aren't worried about having to pay for damages because there are none. The tree will need trimmed eventually though, and with that being said, with all past neighbors, (who were all decent people) everyone always paid to have tree branches on their own property trimmed. We paid to have other folks trees trimmed when they encroached on our property and vise-versa. These idots want to stick the cost on us though. Furthermore want it done NOW, not in the winter when the tree is dormant, which is when you're supposed to trim them anyway. We talked to several tree cutters in the area and none of them said they would be available to cut the tree until mid-November at the earliest anyway.

What does PA law say about this and who is legally obligated to pay for the trimming and? Anyone know or have to deal with this same type of situation before?

Maybe you can get this in writing from the tree experts and send it off to the attorney. It doesn't sound to me like your parents are bad neighbors, just sounds like they are responsible tree people. They contacted experts in the field. It doesn't make sense to battle over a few leaves! If your neighbors don't like trees why the hell are they living in PA. Suggest they move to the "concrete jungle"!

[brewguy]

Originally Posted by Michele

Maybe you can get this in writing from the tree experts and send it off to the attorney. It doesn't sound to me like your parents are bad neighbors, just sounds like they are responsible tree people. They contacted experts in the field. It doesn't make sense to battle over a few leaves! If your neighbors don't like trees why the hell are they living in PA. Suggest they move to the "concrete jungle"!

so climb up on the roof and trim the branches that are touching it, today.. Then have it trimmed at a later date.

[GRoPA]

Originally Posted by Steve in PA

The tree is on your parents property, its their responsibility to keep it trimmed, not the neighbor.

Correct!

Originally Posted by Steve in PA

If the neighbor really wants to be a (rhymes with brick) he could butcher the tree back to the property line, possibly damaging the tree permanetly.

I don't think that is legal since you would be damaging someone else's property. Then again it might be since you are doing it to protect your own property from harm.

The letter is also a CYA thing for the neighbor. If it damages the neighbors property now, then they have a record of warning your parents about it. Then your parents would be liable for the damages. They are making a paper trail.

This is not legal advise......I may be completely full of crap or drunk off my behind. If I'm full of crap then I need TP. If I am drunk.....then it's gonna be a good day.