Final update: I just paid to have someone remove the whole (half) shrub yesterday. He couldn't believe a professional landscaper would do that to someone. Now we have a sad looking bush in the front we have to deal with too. I still haven't talked to the neighbors because I still don't have anything nice to say. I added a pic of what it looks like now to the post
tl;dr new neighbors moved in end of May, took 3 1/2 months to landscape yard while blocking your parking with landscaper's trucks, and on last day literally cut your shrub in half at the property line.
We had new neighbors move in and over 3 1/2 months on weekends only they had landscapers in to completely tear out the previous yard, landscape, sod, put in sprinkler system, etc. The work itself was not annoying or bothersome however they would leave their trucks parked there during the week when they were gone, blocking our mailbox. If our mailbox is blocked, the post office doesn't deliver. I asked the workers a couple times if they could move them and they did for one week but it was back the next.
DD and I were out of town from 9/9-this morning. DH called last Sunday and said "well, they're done and everything is gone but... the big shrub was pretty mch cut in half". Apparently they asked DH if they could trim dead parts off of it and he said yes. It is an evergreen shrub and it was about 6 1/2 feet tall and just as wide (DH had trimmed it egg shape this spring before they moved in) and apparently it spilled on to their property line. They did not "trim dead parts", they literally cut it in half right down the property line. We've lived here 12 years and they're the 4th people to move in and no one before ever had an issue. The first neighbors even helped us trim it before we bought a trimmer. We trim it every spring.
I haven't met them; it's two women in their late 20's/early 30's and I know one is a public defender. I hate confrontation, and there's nothing we can do now anyway, but if we have to just tear it out to make it look better that cost is on us and that's ridiculous. But this is worth being annoyed about, right? The owners never asked us - their landscapers simply asked if they could trim dead parts.
I would address the bush just to clarify how much asshole you’re dealing with. Ask why it was cut in half when you only gave permission to trim dead spots. That half cut up bush absolutely cannot look good from their side so I can’t fathom why they did it except to be a jerk.
Post by FastHands on Sept 19, 2022 16:57:31 GMT -5
Mailbox blocking, yes I'd be annoyed.
Shrub, eh... here at least, what's over onto my property is my responsibility, so if they didn't want the hassle of maintaining an egg-shaped bush, it's their prerogative to cut it back. Ot would've been better to have a conversation first of like, "look I'm not into shaping bushes, so let me know whether you want to take responsibility for shaping our side too. If not, that's understandable, but we'll just cut it back to the property line rather than let it get ragged."
Post by cricketwife on Sept 19, 2022 16:58:30 GMT -5
I agree it was not the way to handle it, but if it’s 6 1/2 feet wide and half of it is on their property, that’s a lot. But yes, they absolutely should have approached you and handled it in a neighborly way.
Post by sofamonkey on Sept 19, 2022 17:05:25 GMT -5
Of course I’d be annoyed! The hedge thing, technically they could do that because it’s on their property. However, if doing so is going to cause it to die, I’d be really mad. They could’ve done it more gradually and handled it way better.
Incidentally, I asked our neighbors if I could trim the dead parts of their shrub that were on our property. She said she’d prefer I didn’t, and assured me they’d grow back. It’s been like 10 years. Nothing has grown back, I still have ugly dead branches on my side, and no motivation to trim them. Lol. They’re very nice, and I adore them though.
My back neighbors have grape vines and walnut tree overgrowth several feet into our yard. It’s almost time to take the hedge trimmers to re-establish my yard. Lol. I do not like them. Plus the dogs are allergic to grapes.
You can definitely be annoyed. Sounds like both the mailbox and the shrub could easily have been a miscommunication between the neighbors and the landscapers. I’d give them a day or two to approach you about the shrub.
Is it possible they want to put a fence in the property line?
There is already a fence on the line; this is in the front yard. There are shrubs on our side in the front yard and wood chips on their side leading up to the fence part that runs parallel to the street.
You can definitely be annoyed. Sounds like both the mailbox and the shrub could easily have been a miscommunication between the neighbors and the landscapers. I’d give them a day or two to approach you about the shrub.
Honestly, if they'd have wanted to trim the shrub to make it uniform, look nice and not be on their property, they could have gone for it. But literally cutting it down the middle is a little too petty for me.
You can definitely be annoyed. Sounds like both the mailbox and the shrub could easily have been a miscommunication between the neighbors and the landscapers. I’d give them a day or two to approach you about the shrub.
It's already been 8 days :(
Oh. Oh dear. Do you intend to talk to them about it?
Post by bittybomb on Sept 19, 2022 17:55:33 GMT -5
I had to pay a tree company $$$ to trim my neighbor’s tree that overhangs my property and drops crab apples all over my patio. I was really annoyed by that. It would have been nice if they asked their own landscaper to do it, but they didn’t. We didn’t ask them before we trimmed their tree because we knew we were trimming it regardless.
If it’s on my property and I don’t like it, I am trimming it. Also, maybe they thought the landscapers were only trimming the dead parts.
I would be annoyed about the mailbox blocking for sure though.
My neighbor parks in front of my house instead of their own and it annoys the fuck out of me so blocking my access…I’d be screaming at someone. Ba ha ha
Post by InBetweenDays on Sept 19, 2022 18:41:26 GMT -5
Blocking the mailbox all week when they aren't working at the house would have definitely annoyed me. I probably would have said something to the neighbors about it while it was happening.
The bush wouldn't bother me as much. I'd be slightly annoyed that it looked bad now, but it is their prerogative to maintain things that are on their property. As others have said it's very possible that the landscapers trimmed more than the owners were intending, and the owners don't know how much it bothers you.
Post by kadams767 on Sept 19, 2022 19:19:56 GMT -5
I’d be annoyed about them blocking my mailbox, but if I were them, I’d also be annoyed about your shrub being 3 feet over the property line. You should have addressed the mailbox situation while it was happening, though.
Post by dexteroni on Sept 19, 2022 19:28:50 GMT -5
I’d be annoyed by the mailbox thing, but I’d have said something every single day, with increasing ire until they fucking got it already. Or I’d knock on the neighbors’ door and ask them to make sure any future workers don’t block your mailbox because it means you don’t get mail that day.
As for the shrub…I mean, it’s well over their property line. They don’t have to trim it to your specifications. I’m not sure why you expect them to come talk to you about it, either.
Post by wanderingback on Sept 19, 2022 19:39:52 GMT -5
Yes I think it's understandable to be annoyed, but it sounds like none of this is actually the neighbors fault from their direct actions.
Right now we're getting major work done on our row house (I won't go in to the long details). My partner warned the neighbors it was happening. There have been a lot of annoying things to us and we've been in communication with our neighbors, but unfortunately we cannot control what the contractors do 100% of the time. So it's just overall a shitty situation. When one of these annoyances come up my partner talks to the contractor over and over again and he seems agreeable, but things are slow moving.
I’d be annoyed about them blocking my mailbox, but if I were them, I’d also be annoyed about your shrub being 3 feet over the property line. You should have addressed the mailbox situation while it was happening, though.
We asked the landscapers at least 5 different times and they said they would move it up. They never did.
I’d be annoyed about them blocking my mailbox, but if I were them, I’d also be annoyed about your shrub being 3 feet over the property line. You should have addressed the mailbox situation while it was happening, though.
We asked the landscapers at least 5 different times and they said they would move it up. They never did.
That’s when you go back out and say “move it now.” And stand there while they do it.
I mean, after the fourth time of them agreeing to do it and then not doing it, that should have been a hint that stronger measures are needed!
I’d be annoyed about them blocking my mailbox, but if I were them, I’d also be annoyed about your shrub being 3 feet over the property line. You should have addressed the mailbox situation while it was happening, though.
We asked the landscapers at least 5 different times and they said they would move it up. They never did.
I know you don’t like confrontation, but after the second time, Id give up on the landscapers and go to your neighbors.
Post by sillygoosegirl on Sept 19, 2022 23:03:54 GMT -5
It sounds like the landscapers are the real assholes in this scenario. I would be annoyed, but try to reserve judgement about the neighbors. Maybe they just made a bad choice in who they hired. I guess talking to them about it before they pay the landscapers might be good. From what you describe, it sounds like they may be unhappy with it too, and asking the landscapers to fix it before they get paid may be a good move.
I can’t judge the neighbors yet. They could be jerks. Or they could have hired a company and not paid a ton of attention to what they were doing - or been at work - or been out of town - or 🤷🏼♀️
The bush thing - would have been nice if they talked to you but it’s on their property so they can do whatever they want.
I also don’t think the previous 4 neighbors preference about the shrub matter. This is their house that they bought and they can landscape it however they want regardless of how the previous owners trimmed their bush (heeheehee)
This part - “if we have to just tear it out to make it look better that cost is on us and that's ridiculous” is odd to me as well. Maybe I’m misunderstanding but it sounds like you only like the way this bush looks if your neighbors keep half of it on their own side to your specifications. So if that’s the case then I really think it’s best that you tear it out and plant something completely on your own property so you don’t have yo rely on a neighbor to keep things the way you want them to be.
Post by emilyinchile on Sept 20, 2022 7:22:22 GMT -5
Some of you guys are harsh neighbors! Of course they have the right to trim anything on their property, but I can't imagine rolling up to a new house and just cutting a bush that's clearly cared for because "my property line". And if I asked to trim the dead parts and then my landscapers hacked the thing in half, I would go over to the neighbors and say sorry for the misunderstanding, just to be neighborly and keep the peace rather than starting things off on an antagonistic foot.
We have new downstairs neighbors who were blasting music this weekend from 10-11 pm. Yet when the doorman called to ask them to turn it down at 10:30, instead of saying something reasonable like "we're in the middle of a very important karaoke battle, but we'll turn it off by 11" they said that if the neighbors didn't like it we could call the police. So now instead of thinking eh, it was a weekend, 11 is a decent hour, that was fair of them, I hate them with the fire of a thousand suns. Delivery matters!
Some of you guys are harsh neighbors! Of course they have the right to trim anything on their property, but I can't imagine rolling up to a new house and just cutting a bush that's clearly cared for because "my property line". And if I asked to trim the dead parts and then my landscapers hacked the thing in half, I would go over to the neighbors and say sorry for the misunderstanding, just to be neighborly and keep the peace rather than starting things off on an antagonistic foot.
We have new downstairs neighbors who were blasting music this weekend from 10-11 pm. Yet when the doorman called to ask them to turn it down at 10:30, instead of saying something reasonable like "we're in the middle of a very important karaoke battle, but we'll turn it off by 11" they said that if the neighbors didn't like it we could call the police. So now instead of thinking eh, it was a weekend, 11 is a decent hour, that was fair of them, I hate them with the fire of a thousand suns. Delivery matters!
Agree with all of this. Also - if you're the homeowner you do get the "blame" for whatever your hired workers do.