cwyln asked:
We have a neighbor with a hazardous, threatening tree that they refuse to deal with or let us deal with. We’ve been told that if we alert their insurance company they will probably force the homeowners to remove it. But how can I find that info out?
We have a neighbor with a hazardous, threatening tree that they refuse to deal with or let us deal with. We’ve been told that if we alert their insurance company they will probably force the homeowners to remove it. But how can I find that info out?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Does your city have a code enforcement ? they will do something about it .
Their is a little thing called the privacy act. Personal transactions Financially are protected. It is a tough one next to asking them yourself.
Maybe they have a insignia on there car like “I’m insured with allstate!
The best solution is to Check with the city and the utility dept come out and inspect your property. They will see that the tree is a hazrd and then they will ring your neighbors door.
No, that’s private information. And her insurance company will most likely NOT talk to you, anyway, even if you DID know who they were.
Unless you have a tree expert come out and certify that the tree is hazardous, it’s only your unprofessional opinion that says the tree needs to come down.
You might get further calling your local municipality, and putting in a maintenance complaint or hazardous condition complaint with them, see if you can get THEM to exert pressure on your neighbor.
Due to the privacy act there is no way that I am aware of that you could possibly find this information. However in the meantime if you believe that this tree is a hazard and have tried to resolve this verbally it is now time to take it to the next level. As diplomatically as possible write a letter to your neighbor stating that it is your belief that the tree poses a danger to you and your property. In the letter you should offer to help pay a portion of the cost(s) for an inspection of the tree by an arborist and/or the cost of trimming or removal of the tree. Give a deadline for action on this matter. If the situation is not resolved by that date write a 2nd letter and again in a diplomatic fashion outline the same information but include a statement to the effect that if the matter is not taken care of and you subsequently suffer any damages you will have no option to but to sue them for their negligence–again give a date for compliance. Both of these letters should be sent via certified mail return receipt request and you should list on the bottom of the letter that you are sending a cc to your attorney and list his or her name. If both deadlines pass without any action, please consult your attorney. In a similar case that happened to one of my clients, the attorney wrote a letter and the matter was then resolved. However, if they do not respond to the attorney it is my understanding that they can be sued for having a public nuisance (I am not an attorney and this is my recollection of the terminalogy used in this area for this type of hazard). At the same time you are doing this you can also be calling your local housing compliance authority or if you are in a homeowners association call them and bring this matter to their attention so that they can also investigate and bring pressure to bear on your neighbor. Please make sure that you do everything possible to be diplomatic and do not take matters into your own hands–remember that this family will more than likely be your neighbors for a few years. Also make sure that they actually are the owners of the property, i.e. if it is a rental you will need to contact the actual owner not the occupant. You can find this information out on the internet by looking under the website for your local property tax authority–this information is public record and it will list the owners name, address, etc.
I wish you luck and harmony!