I have a largeish Bay Tree directly on my Southern border. My neighbor has always trimmed the top of it for their Ocean views. This wasn't an issue until recently.

Another large tree was removed a few doors further South that has now created privacy issues for me. Following three pretty boring incidents with my neighbor over the past five years involving shared costs in trimming trees, I sent him a cease and desist letter.

Neighbor is a terrible cheap-skate and tries things on, to save 20 cents:
1. Five years ago we verbally agreed to split costs in half for trimming trees on both properties. When the invoice came the farking welsher told me I have to pay more because they said contractor spent more time on my property.
2. Two years ago I hired contractors to do the same job on both properties. This time I timed the operation myself, I presented them with a spreadsheet of times spent by each contractor on each tree they worked on. They disputed my assessment. After that big drama we both decided to do tree trimming independently.
3. Last week my tree trimmers came - $400 p/h 4 guys, cherry pickers mulching truck. I went out for the morning. I get a phone call from neighbor and contractor. Neighbor was attempting to direct my contractors onto his property to do work. This didn't go down well with me, I was furious.

Getting back to the Bay Tree. I wrote to neighbor saying that he can no longer trim my Bay tree, as I want to grow for my privacy. He can not interfere with my contractors and that we are responsible for maintaining our own properties.

Neighbor is now as pissed as I was. I don't know if they will agree or not, even though they are not in a legal position to dispute.

Was thinking of some creative solutions tonight to prevent neighbor trespassing and illegally trimming my tree.

One idea I thought of is a hose connected to a motion sensor that sprays them when they attempt to trim Bay Tree.

Hopefully pesky cheap-arse welshing neighbor just agrees and backs down and first world issue doesn't escalate to cctv cameras etc.

Wowser MSN, that is some drama, it really tugged on the heart strings when I read it.

Perhaps your best solution might be to pitch it to Channel Nine to replace the Today show as a cutting edge, ultra-modern scripted reality drama show ?

Yes, I can see it now - a cross between Struggle Street, Neighbours and Channel Seven's hard hitting A Current Affair. Cammd could play your neighbour, your part could be portrayed by Karl Stefanovic and Carantoc could have a bit-part, as the fan favourite happy-go-lucky tradie, always popping around to do a few odd jobs but never achieving much due to all the attention from the street's cougars (obviously that part would have to be broadcast after the 9pm curfew).

Carantoc said..
Wowser MSN, that is some drama, it really tugged on the heart strings when I read it.

Perhaps your best solution might be to pitch it to Channel Nine to replace the Today show as a cutting edge, ultra-modern scripted reality drama show ?

Yes, I can see it now - a cross between Struggle Street, Neighbours and Channel Seven's hard hitting A Current Affair. Cammd could play your neighbour, your part could be portrayed by Karl Stefanovic and Carantoc could have a bit-part, as the fan favourite happy-go-lucky tradie, always popping around to do a few odd jobs but never achieving much due to all the attention from the street's cougars (obviously that part would have to be broadcast after the 9pm curfew).

Yeah, that's a fantastic idea, but thinking of some variations.

I'd like to put our first world dispute in front of the media - specifically A Current Affair - prime time. I would demand Lisa Wilkinson host the story - she did a great job of making Bruce Lehrmann look like a total grub.

I'd like to make those cheap welsher neighbors look like the pathetic dole bludging Paxton Kids. They need to hear the scorn of the entire Australian public. People driving past their home throwing beer cans and yelling insults at 2am.

I would have to talk to my lawyers about this idea, but I would model myself as the reckless - but on the right side of history - Cory Worthington.

If only I was a bit younger and could sport a bare chest and fur jacket and those yellow sun glasses.

A Current Afair would love it if I get some good CCTV footage and could convince them to hire actors to create some AI re-enactments of the events that led to this.

If done right it would combine and ecclipse the two best stories on a Current Affair.

cammd said..
Confused, which one of you is the pesky neighbour.

You will have to wait for the expose on A Current Affair

Dealt with plenty of those c0cks over the years. Sounds like he will continue to be a problem so whilst it is all civil, him coming onto your property is not, so I would def make the cops aware of all of it to date.


if you wanna make it a little harder for him you might want to restrict ability to cut the overhanging bit (which is currently lawful of course) by seeing if you can get an arborist to write the tree would be dangerous or at risk from cutting on his side.


just be very very careful of surveillance it is nasty penalties if you record private activity and it’s a minefield

cammd said..

I thought you have a right to trim a neighbours tree if it is over your property, the cost of trimming and diposal is on you.

If its not over your property than you cant touch it.

Yes, that is correct. Pesky, welshing, cheapskate neighbor has been trespassing in the airspace over my property to trim top of a tree on my property.

Interesting laws on CCTV, plenty of people have it, I've been reluctant to go there, but I'm considering my options.

Can you register the tree with your local council? That way if there is unauthorised pruning going on you can sic the council onto them.

IanR said..

Mark _australia said..
just be very very careful of surveillance it is nasty penalties if you record private activity and it’s a minefield

Read the Security Devices Act for your State. Do not put anything up from your cameras on the Net because then it can move into the Privacy Act

This is the Act for WA there are minor differences between the States

www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/prod/filestore.nsf/FileURL/mrdoc_27928.pdf/$FILE/Surveillance%20Devices%20Act%201998%20-%20%5B02-f0-03%5D.pdf?OpenElement

This is the act that the pigs use to get away with camera surveillance

As a side point, you can register your home CCTV with WA police to support their future investigations cam-mapwa.police.wa.gov.au/