What would YOU do in this situation?

If you're willing to be included in the conflict, do the go ahead regardless legally correct approach, but if you don't want to be included get the written "resolved" paper before you agree to do the work.

Worse is being told all's ok and being rudely corrected by a neighbour who disagrees with that assessment. A vote for personally hearing all's ok from the neighbour face to face.
 
The issue of permission is one that only goes bad once in a career. Before a job goes bad no one cares. But then one goes bad, and property line/permission issues go bad in a black hole suck everyone into them sorta way. Relying on a client to talk to the neighbor is asking for trouble.

Once you claw your way out of your first you'll never have a second. It just ain't worth it.
 
Well, thanks for the different opinions. Some things to think about that I already was thinking about.

This is the job, just trimming back those few very small branches far enough away from the flag pole so it doesn’t interfere with the flag. Then basically the same thing farther down in the backyard near a putting green, and then there’s another tree which belongs to my client that I’m gonna prune.

A few snips with a pole pruner and the part that is in question is done.

140E7B48-8743-40EA-A7CC-2DA4BA5F1980.jpeg
 
My client said he is gonna talk to the neighbor and I’m going to tell him that I’m not comfortable starting the work until I know the neighbor has been made aware.

If this was a much bigger job and we had to climb or would be taking stuff at the trunk I would be more inclined to speak to the neighbor directly, but I also don’t want to over complicate things either.
 
Even for trees that aren’t on the neighbors yard but close to their property where the noise/blowing, etc. can in some way affect them, I always try to talk to them whenever possible out of common courtesy, also a good way to feel out the situation better and who knows maybe earn a new client. For such a small job it’s definitely not worth the potential headache and bad reviews from disgruntled neighbors.
 
AlanKekoa said:
While I agree with the sentiment, I still personally would have more respect for a company who makes the effort to reach out, out of common courtesy and so many of those petty negative reviews can be easily avoided. A little communication can go a long way
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Exactly. I’ve gotten handshakes and big smiles out of this. Never have I tried to sell, but have also generated work and long lasting client relationships.
Granted I’m in a small community, and will see either party at the grocery store, around town or at the coffee shop. It doesn’t matter if in a dense urban area or small island. Treat people how you’d like to be treated.
 
AlanKekoa said:
While I agree with the sentiment, I still personally would have more respect for a company who makes the effort to reach out, out of common courtesy and so many of those petty negative reviews can be easily avoided. A little communication can go a long way
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Most people ignore petty negative reviews on the internet.
Weeds out the wankers anyway.
 
Spoke to my client this evening and he said he's going to speak to the neighbor. He was actually the one who initially brought up about speaking to the neighbor just to make things easier. Also offered to sign a form stating that he did speak to the neighbor and that he takes full responsibility for the work. And will be present when I do the work.

For such a small job I think this is satisfactory. The amount of time I've put into this already is probably more than what it will take to actually do the work. Time to move on, get it done, and go on to the next project.

If anyone has any ideas / insight regarding wording on the form, please feel free to share.

Overall productive discussion though.
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
Spoke to my client this evening and he said he's going to speak to the neighbor. He was actually the one who initially brought up about speaking to the neighbor just to make things easier. Also offered to sign a form stating that he did speak to the neighbor and that he takes full responsibility for the work. And will be present when I do the work.

For such a small job I think this is satisfactory. The amount of time I've put into this already is probably more than what it will take to actually do the work. Time to move on, get it done, and go on to the next project.

If anyone has any ideas / insight regarding wording on the form, please feel free to share.

Overall productive discussion though.
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This kinda of stuff is some of the unbillable time no one thinks about until they are in business for themselves
 
Fivepoints said:
This kinda of stuff is some of the unbillable time no one thinks about until they are in business for themselves
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Even when you are not 'working' you may still be working, and when you are working you might be thinking about the work you have to do when you get off of work.

But in all seriousness, we could have a whole seperate conversation on work / life balance and being able to shut down and put your work away when appropriate. Both for your physical and mental health. But that idea of work / life balance could look different for everyone.
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
Even when you are not 'working' you may still be working, and when you are working you might be thinking about the work you have to do when you get off of work.

But in all seriousness, we could have a whole seperate conversation on work / life balance and being able to shut down and put your work away when appropriate. Both for your physical and mental health. But that idea of work / life balance could look different for everyone.
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Absolutely. Its really a lifestyle for most tree guys. Im headed back into the office after dinner myself tonight. Emergency work pushed my schedule around today.

Btw a couple of pole clips that far over the property line I probably wouldnt have involved the neighbor.
 
Fivepoints said:
Absolutely. Its really a lifestyle for most tree guys. Im headed back into the office after dinner myself tonight. Emergency work pushed my schedule around today.

Btw a couple of pole clips that far over the property line I probably wouldnt have involved the neighbor.
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It sure is, I decided about 20 minutes ago that I had worked long enough for the day. I started at 6:30 this morning.

I would not have involved the neighbor for that either, I highly doubt he would ever notice, and it’s so far from the property line there would be no question about making a couple clips all the way out there.
 
I do everything I can to avoid boarder wars. Get the neighbor to sign off on the trimming as well.
Your customer has a right to trim anything over the property line as long as it does not affect the health of the tree. That’s the legal part that your customer needs to understand. But if you have it in writing that both parties are in agreement you are in the clear should things get ugly after the work is completed.
That being said I’d cut as little as possible to achieve your customers goals, less is more.
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
So how cautious is too cautious?
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I dunno man. This is one place where I’ve been feeling pretty skiddish lately, esp with escalating violence (sometimes lethal) when folks show up to someone’s house they weren’t expecting. Ppl getting psycho out there. I ask the client to get permissions from their neighbors, and if they don’t get it, sayonara. I’m not gonna go over there in person in case they decide to get Yosemite Sam on me.
 
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