A neighbor question

[kenny]

My neighbor's ivy vines grow over the fence and invade my narrow driveway.
It gets to where I can't get into my car without getting a face full of spider webs and a white shirt full of dirt.
They also grow onto my garage, which is right on the property line.
The vines grow under the red clay roof tiles and eventually lift them up.

A few days ago they had some workers trimming the vines but only where they grow on their house.
I walked out and asked the wife and the workers if they could also trim where it's on our side.
They worker said it would be $60 additional and I offered to pay my neighbor.
They did the work and I handed the husband the cash.

Today the husband gave it back and said she felt bad taking the money since it was their responsibility.
I accepted it and said, "Thanks, you know I'm not really sure how this is supposed to go."

So, how does this usually go?
Who is "supposed" to pay for such a thing?

 

[dragonfly411]

Kenny - Here is what I've gathered in my state. If a plant originates on a neighbor's property, but reaches onto yours or causes damage on yours, then they are responsible. It is their responsibility to keep them trimmed back.

At the same time, if you truly feel like you want to help with the costs, then you could let her know how you feel, but I do think that she is responsible for keeping her own ivy in line.

 

[yennyfire]

What dragonfly said...

 

[elrohwen]

I also agree with Dragonfly. It's a nice gesture for you to help, but it really is their responsibility.

 

[Octavia]

I agree: their plants, their responsibility. But in this situation, I might say something like, "I don't mind pitching in this time, since I asked your gardener to do the extra work and I know you weren't expecting to pay $60 more when he was here yesterday. However, the vines do cause issues on my property and I'd appreciate it if you would keep them trimmed back so they're only on your side from now on." Then, if they allow it to get overgrown again, you can be more forceful about it because they had fair warning.

 

[missydebby]

Kenny, for what it's worth, you handled this perfectly. It's their responsibility, but by offering to pay, you got the action taken. Plus, it gave your neighbor a chance to own up to the responsibility without having to be defensive.

 

[JewelFreak]

Kenny, you have nice neighbors. And this was handled really well -- you can always offer to pay another time if you feel it would keep the relationship peaceful,or not if you don't want to, but paying the first time sets a precedent you might find yourself kind of stuck with, so it's good you accepted the money back. I'm sure they appreciated the gesture. Actually, if ivy were growing into my property, I'd trim it myself to the property line or fencetop, wherever. I don't think anybody would object in this case & it may be legal anyhow. They sound like responsible people & sometimes neighborliness trumps legalities.

--- Laurie

 

[zoebartlett]

I'd assume it would be your neighbor's responsibility because the vines are from her yard.

 

[kenny]

Thanks guys.
Also over the years, decades actually, the vines keep being trimmed back to the property line BUT never back down to the top of the fence.
Now they are several feet higher than the fence.
A taller wall of green gives them a nice backyard but I know there are rats breeding in the thicket of vines.
Our dogs go crazy because they can hear and or smell them.

Last month I saw a large raccoon climb from the roof of our garage and into their vines.
I've heard that a raccoon can kill small dogs, like ours.
I'd estimate the raccoon is 2 or 3 times the body-weight of one of our dogs.
I'd like to catch the raccoon and move it somewhere more appropriate than the middle of a Los Angeles-area residential neighborhood.

Do you think I should discuss my plan with these same neighbors? (they have mentioned that they like watching the raccoon drink from their backyard fountain)

Or should I just respect the raccoon has a right to be there and never let my dogs into the backyard unsupervised?

 

[missy]

Thanks guys.
Also over the years, decades actually, the vines keep being trimmed back to the property line BUT never back down to the top of the fence.
Now they are several feet higher than the fence.
A taller wall of green gives them a nice backyard but I know there are rats breeding in the thicket of vines.
Our dogs go crazy because they can hear and or smell them.

Last month I saw a large raccoon climb from the roof of our garage and into their vines.
I've heard that a raccoon can kill small dogs, like ours.
I'd estimate the raccoon is 2 or 3 times the body-weight of one of our dogs.
I'd like to catch the raccoon and move it somewhere more appropriate than the middle of a Los Angeles-area residential neighborhood.

Do you think I should discuss my plan with these same neighbors? (they have mentioned that they like watching the raccoon drink from their backyard fountain)

Or should I just respect the raccoon has a right to be there and never let my dogs into the backyard unsupervised?

What I would be concerned with Kenny though is even if you did capture the raccoon and moved him/her away what would stop another raccoon from coming to your backyard where your dogs play? There probably is more than 1 in the neighborhood and if not there could be at another time. I would not risk it- even if you did ask the neighbors and they were fine with it you just never know what other wild animal(s) could cause harm to your precious little ones.

 

[kenny]

Of course removing one known threat is no guarantee.
Lightning could strike the dogs, or a hawk could get them.

The idea is not to expect 100% perfect safety by removing one known risk.
The idea is to make it safER.

 

[missy]

True. I am a worrier though so perhaps not the best person to answer this question. Sorry.
If it were me though knowing that raccoons are in the area I would not want to leave the dogs unattended. Probably most people wouldn't give it a second thought.
Another thing to think about though it is not your problem of course is that this raccoon might have already gathered lots of food for the winter and put it in specific hiding places and if you move him he will have to start all over. Again, I could be totally off base as I am not sure that raccoons even do this LOL. But if they do I would feel badly to move this raccoon to another area.

 

[swingirl]

As long as there is a good food and water supply and nice thick coverage I think the raccoons will make your yards their regular stomping grounds. The only way to get rid of them is to cut off the buffet. Raccoons wash their food in water. Also if anyone leaves out dog food or is messy with their garbage raccoons will come to clean up.

We also have neighbors with very messy invasive bamboo and vines. They never keep their plants trimmed back on our side although their yards are kept super tidy by their gardeners. I chose not to have climbing vines in my yard but I have to constantly trim their's otherwise I get whipped in the eyes.

 

[Arkteia]

Raccoons are mean creatures. They attack animals and small children, too. We have a lot of us in our neighborhood and I heard one father telling his sone to "stay away from them, because they go for the jugular". I'd talk to the neighbors.

Such vegetation attracts rodents, too. Rats.