Owning your own home

Looks old, presume it was there long before the garage.

Also, the crack is directly below the cat. I think you have your culprit

No worries, but yeah, always best to keep things cordial.

In our last gaff the neighbour's apple tree overhanged our garden so much that it blocked all the light, I popped round and told him we were going to get someone in to cut it back to boundary and offered to get them to do anything he needed at the same time.

He ended up asking to have the tree trimmed right back on his side as he was struggling to look after it as he got older, result all round and happy neighbourly relations achieved.

How close is the tree to the garage, and how big is the tree (height/canopy)?

EDIT: now I have looked at further posts, and in particular the photo, I would be 90% certain that the tree is the problem.

Do we know that the problem/issue is? Just because a tree is close to something doesn't mean it can be blamed for issues with a building. Its the easy thing to assume (just because its there), so cut the tree down then realise its nothing do to with it...

I would be asking what the issue is, evidence its being caused by your tree roots.

@Pantsmaster - either way I would probs get someone to do some hard pruning on that and try and bring it back into shape.

Hence the 10% uncertainty.

It should definitely be verified.

If it needs to come down I’m going to ask they give us enough of their apples annually so I can make a few pies at least!

I did all this myself and never paid anyone. The reading to get up to speed was a bit formidable, and the fear that I might land up in jail for doing something wrong was fairly high at first, but after I got the hang of it it was fairly simple. You can buy a book of share certificates - just keep track of who gets which, and which ones are cancelled. The tax office seemed to change their requirements every two or three years, but if you send it all in early, and it's wrong, they'll just send it back with a note, and you change it.

Plenty of people will do it for you, and charge you big money for it.

I would be 90% certain that the tree is the problem.

I would be 90% certain that the tree and garage can continue to co-exist in some shape or form. just depends on your point of view and priorities.

My priority would be finding a way to keep the tree.

That doesn’t change the reality though; I’m simply warming @Pantsmaster up to the fact that his neighbour / the garage tenant likely is correct.

i used to work in this specific area and there isn't enough in the photos to be 90% certain that the tree is a problem.

it's certainly possible that there may be some superficial root damage to the structure - but is the structure just a few breeze blocks and some cement over hardcore? in which case it's going to fall down eventually in any case.

not wanting to start an argument, just that there are a number of things to consider and some bloke rocking up saying "your tree is damaging my x" doesn't mean anything - they all say that as an opening gambit as it's relatively easy just to get rid of the tree, then they don't have clear out their gutters, wash their car or whatever the f*ck happens to be annoying them at that moment in time.

Can't add much here but had a big bit of apple tree fall off at my dad's this year out of nowhere and the tree is fucked now. Gutted. Think apple trees need regular pruning

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Cool tree. Just leave it and see what the rest does.

Might be worth trimming back the spread of the rest of it to reduce the weight on the main limbs, making it less likely that another bit will fall off.

I don't disagree with any of this, FWIW.

So update:
Spoke with the landscaper tenant last night. Seems a good bloke and once I’d explained I was a bit surprised by it all it was all very friendly.

He agrees that cutting trees down should be a last resort and suggested that most of the issues with the garage are down to a historic lack of maintenance and the fact the gutters were until recently all just pouring down into the ground at that corner. So it could not actually be caused by the roots (although the guttering issues may have been caused by the same tree).

Anyway, they’re going to prune it back hard and trim another tree that encroaching towards their fence too (but still on our land). Needed doing anyway and £150 to sort that out and keep the peace seems a good deal to me.

Sounds like he's read Joe Girard 😊

But yeah £150 sounds like a decent price.

14 years... no problemo.
Get new kitchen... Wait two months... Upstairs floods our new kitchen.

FML

So, what's the process for claiming all the monies off upstairs?

I imagine you go through your own insurer?

Don't think so. Why should I be doing paperwork when someone else has fucked up?

So who’s caused it? If it’s not just one of they things

Why should I be doing paperwork when someone else has fucked up?

ummm... because banging on their door and shouting "pay me all the monies" usually doesn't work.

Why should I be doing paperwork when someone else has fucked up?

That's how it works.

You go through your insurer. They chase the insurance company of the people upstairs or chase them directly if they are uninsured. Either way your insurance means you should be guaranteed to get a payout for it.

Of course your insurance premium will go up because you're more of a risk, even though it was someone else's fault. Plus you have to notify any other insurance company of the claim, and possible buyers if you sell your property in the next 5 (I think) years.

It's all better than having to pay for it yourself though.

ummm... because banging on their door and shouting "pay me all the monies" usually doesn't work.

This is hippy you're talking to.

Well, normally water doesn't flow upwards.