While some renters have felt unjustly treated by their property owners, it seems homeowners can be mistreated by neighboring property owners, as one stressed homeowner recently found out.
In a Reddit post on r/legaladvice, one user was left "upset/stressed/anxious" after their neighboring landlord cut down trees on their property without their permission.
"This afternoon I looked out my back window and saw a ladder set up in my yard to get to their roof and a decent chunk of trees gone from my yard," they wrote.
When the homeowner confronted the landscapers about the trees, they said the owner of the duplex property next door said, "Just cut away anything in their way." They contacted the landowner, who then threatened to sue because the tree had caused damage to the roof despite never being notified in the past.
"My backyard is very small but part of the appeal for my partner and I is that its very green and has a lot of trees and vines that keep it shaded, somewhat private, and naturally beautiful in an otherwise overcrowded and gray area of the city and now a chunk of that has been stripped away," they explained in the long post. "I am very upset over what went down today."
This Redditor's experience is, unfortunately, not the only example of a landlord abusing their power and disposing of a homeowner or renter's greenery. Some other renters have bemoaned their landlords throwing away their plants, charging more for electric vehicle chargers, or trying to install synthetic grass. These decisions have prevented renters and homeowners from enjoying their space and adopting eco-friendly habits.
As a homeowner or renter hoping to make eco-friendly living more commonplace, you can change the rules and regulations of your homeowners association.
With stricter lease agreements and more environmentally-minded HOA rules and city codes, this could help homeowners and renters adopt eco-friendly lifestyles and make their homes greener.
"Just spoke to someone in the city code dept and they said there's not really anything the city can do about it but to pursue it civilly," the OP shared in a comment, which could be costly and complex to navigate.
🗣️ If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
🔘 Making it look better 🌱
🔘 Saving money on water and maintenance 💰
🔘 Helping pollinators 🐝
🔘 No way I ever get rid of my lawn 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"NY tree laws are nothing to laugh at. NY law allows for a penalty of 3x the timber value, or $250, or both, for each tree removed without owner permission," one user commented.
"Whatever you do, don't let it go. He had no right to cut those trees and even worse for him he has every obligation to replace them plus compensation," commented another user.
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