What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? VA
I'm looking for advice about how to deal with a neighbor who has damaged plants in my yard. I do not wish to start a war with this neighbor but I don't know how I am going to be able to convince him to leave my property alone.
I noticed this weekend that my neighbor or someone acting on his behalf cut and broke limbs off of several of the trees and bushes on my property. One of my evergreen trees is severely damaged and half of it, the back side, is missing. I have lived in my house for 11 years and this neighbor moved in a few years ago. My husband and I have had a polite but not close relationship with this neighbor. I like to garden and our yard is well maintained. This neighbor has complimented our yard many times.
I had a fence installed 9 years ago. I had a survey done before installing it and it is set back approx 3-6" from the property line. Our county does not require the setback. Several of the branches were cut back a foot into my yard. The neighbor ripped branches off of several of the trees, cut limbs back severely and one bush has the main truck split. The neighbor either came in to my yard to do this or stood on something to reach into my yard. They also threw the branches they removed in my yard.
I know he has the right to trim the branches that come on to his property but very little of the plants in my yard come over the fence. I have also had concerns that he has come in to our yard in the past to move something that bothered him.
We have been polite but distant. He used to work in the construction/home building industry and is underemployed at this time. I had the outside of my house painted a year ago and my contractors told me he stopped to question them several times and tried to get them to let him in my house to see the renovations they had done inside. We have an HOA and we follow the rules and have no issues there.
I was very angry when I saw the damage but have waited to speak to the neighbor. I want the neighbor to stop coming into or doing anything to my property but I feel like he will ignore what I say. Should I talk to a lawyer before I talk to him? I also think he should pay for the evergreen tree that is damaged severely. The other trees should survive and look fine given time.
I'm looking for advice about how to deal with a neighbor who has damaged plants in my yard. I do not wish to start a war with this neighbor but I don't know how I am going to be able to convince him to leave my property alone.
I noticed this weekend that my neighbor or someone acting on his behalf cut and broke limbs off of several of the trees and bushes on my property. One of my evergreen trees is severely damaged and half of it, the back side, is missing. I have lived in my house for 11 years and this neighbor moved in a few years ago. My husband and I have had a polite but not close relationship with this neighbor. I like to garden and our yard is well maintained. This neighbor has complimented our yard many times.
I had a fence installed 9 years ago. I had a survey done before installing it and it is set back approx 3-6" from the property line. Our county does not require the setback. Several of the branches were cut back a foot into my yard. The neighbor ripped branches off of several of the trees, cut limbs back severely and one bush has the main truck split. The neighbor either came in to my yard to do this or stood on something to reach into my yard. They also threw the branches they removed in my yard.
I know he has the right to trim the branches that come on to his property but very little of the plants in my yard come over the fence. I have also had concerns that he has come in to our yard in the past to move something that bothered him.
We have been polite but distant. He used to work in the construction/home building industry and is underemployed at this time. I had the outside of my house painted a year ago and my contractors told me he stopped to question them several times and tried to get them to let him in my house to see the renovations they had done inside. We have an HOA and we follow the rules and have no issues there.
I was very angry when I saw the damage but have waited to speak to the neighbor. I want the neighbor to stop coming into or doing anything to my property but I feel like he will ignore what I say. Should I talk to a lawyer before I talk to him? I also think he should pay for the evergreen tree that is damaged severely. The other trees should survive and look fine given time.