Picture this situation in your head. You’ve been caring for a tree in your yard for as long as you’ve owned your home, until one day, new neighbors move in and demand that you stop because the tree is actually on their property! Chances are, if this happened to you, you’d be tremendously frustrated, what with all of the hard work and dedication that you’ve put into keeping that tree up.
Unfortunately, the situation outline above is one that we see all too often in the world of property disputes—one homeowner believes that a fixture is theirs, while the other asserts that it’s actually theirs. Trees are frequently the subject of these debates—especially those that hang over property lines.
How do you determine who’s in the right and who’s wrong about their assertion? It all comes down to the deeming by a property surveyor in Floresville, TX.
Why is this important?
First and foremost, figuring out who’s responsible for something like a tree can have serious repercussions moving forward. For example, using our situation from above, knowing who’s responsible for maintaining that tree can have implications on both homeowners if something should happen to that tree.
What if the tree is neglected by its owner and is felled during a storm, right onto the home of the other homeowner? Does the homeowner with damages have a right to sue? How about when a tree is disputed by both homeowners who want it removed? Who pays for the removal of that tree?
It’s questions like these that can be cleared up by a property surveyor in Floresville, TX—when the boundary line is clarified and the tree becomes someone’s responsibility, the owner is legally obligated to preside over that part of their property.
What happens when boundary lines are drawn?
Knowing boundary lines for your property is invaluable in taking the right steps towards properly maintaining your land—this is why knowing about something like a rogue tree ahead of time is so important. Take a look at some of the legal actions that a tree owner can face if they’re not diligent in knowing their property’s expectations:
- Negligence in maintaining a tree that falls on a neighbor’s home can cost you money in the form of repairs and reparations.
- If your neighbor has to clean up their yard because of your maintenance negligence, they can seek fees from you for any services that they hire.
These are just two of the chief ways that a tree can cost you money if you’re not aware of your ownership of that tree. The easiest way to avoid this is to call a property surveyor in Floresville, TX to determine your ownership of a tree, then make sure you’re taking the right steps to care for and maintain that tree.
Knowing what you’re responsible for on your property—whether it’s a tree that you’ve diligently maintained or an eyesore of a bush that you’d rather have gone—is an important part of being a responsible homeowner.