what are the rules for a neighbor's tree that overhangs your yard?

let me start by saying i love trees. i am very into nature and plants.

my neighbors however, have a 30-35 foot pine tree that completely over hangs our yard. we therefore have NO sun during the day except for the side of our house. and our grass is COVERED in pine needles and sometimes pine cones. it's such a mess and our grass doesn't grow there. we raked up 5 bags of pine needles alone last month in ONE day!!! that's how out of hand this tree it!

i've thought of talking to my neighbors, but i doubt they'd get rid of the tree. they're not very nice people and are extremely cheap. i'd like to trim the branches that overhang my property (well...hire someone to do it) so maybe we won't have such a mess and might get some sun. i have no idea if i have the right to do it though. of course i would tell the neighbors what i was doing before i did it.

any ideas???

Re: what are the rules for a neighbor's tree that overhangs your yard?

I had a similar issue with one of the trees from my neighbors tree and I kindly went over to them and asked them if I could trim the tree and they had no problem with it. I would of never asked but the tree was covering my driveway in berries!

Re: what are the rules for a neighbor's tree that overhangs your yard?

You can have it trimmed. It might be nice to let them know, but not totally necessary. We had a bunch of trees on our property cleaned up, and had to have 2 removed because they were dying and one was actually leaning right towards my neighbors roof. On the other side of my house there were trees severly overhanging and running up onto the roof of our garage. While our tree guy came they cleaned up that side as well. I don't think they ever went over to that neighbor and told them, but our neighbor has never said a word to us about it. I really don't even think they noticed since they never seem to be outside in their backyard where those trees are.

Re: what are the rules for a neighbor's tree that overhangs your yard?

I think you're allowed to trim anything hanging over your yard but you'll totally destroy the symmetry of the tree. I don't think those branches will grow back so there will be this strange, half-tree on the property line and I would think it's going to be pretty ugly to look at from your side if you trim back the branches severely.

Re: what are the rules for a neighbor's tree that overhangs your yard?

Re: what are the rules for a neighbor's tree that overhangs your yard?

Re: what are the rules for a neighbor's tree that overhangs your yard?

I would just tell them nicely that I am going to trim the tree back for the reasons you stated...Technically you don't have to ask them but I think it would be the right thing to do...

Re: what are the rules for a neighbor's tree that overhangs your yard?