After a tree falls on your property, you may wonder, “Who is responsible for fallen tree removal?” Generally, the property owner where the tree fell pays for removal, but the responsible party may change depending on the circumstances. A qualified professional offering tree services in Colorado Springs can help clarify your responsibility for tree removal costs.
Learn about property owner responsibility after a tree falls, regardless of whether it causes property damage.
Tree Ownership Depends on Its Original Location
Boundary and property-line laws are straightforward when it comes to determining tree ownership and responsibility.
If the tree’s trunk is on your side of the property line, it belongs to you, even if a large percentage of the canopy is hanging over your neighbor’s property. If the tree’s trunk is straddling the property line between you and your neighbor, both of you equally own the tree.
Most Property Owners Must Clean Fallen Trees on Their Properties
If the tree that fell originated from a neighbor’s property, who is responsible for fallen tree removal? Even though your neighbor owns the tree, you likely have a responsibility to clean up the debris now on your property.
As long as the tree was considered healthy before it fell, the neighbor could not have reasonably known it would fall. From a legal standpoint, the neighbor then doesn’t have responsibility for cleaning up the debris or making repairs if damage occurs on your property.
If you’re unsure how to proceed or whether your neighbor should be liable, contact your homeowners’ insurance company or attorney for advice.
The Originating Property Owner Is Responsible for Dangerous Trees That Fall
If the tree was reported to its owner as dangerous before it fell, the responsibility changes. At that point, the tree’s owner should have anticipated the tree’s risk of falling and removed it. The owner then almost certainly becomes responsible for paying for removal and repairs. For example, if your diseased or dead tree fell and damaged a neighbor’s property, you might be responsible for it.
Reporting a tree as dangerous to your neighbor or the local municipality is not enough. You should collect evidence, such as photos, regarding the tree’s status that shows why it’s dangerous. You might need this evidence if the dangerous tree’s owner refuses to pay for cleanup and repairs after it falls. Local tree care professionals can potentially inspect the tree and advise you.
Arbor One Tree Service LLC Helps With Emergency Tree Removal in Any Situation
When you have diseased trees on your property and a neighbor asks you to remove them, you could face storm or natural disaster liability from a fallen tree. Who is responsible for fallen tree removal? If you knew your tree was dangerous before it fell, you are almost always responsible for paying to remove it.
You could choose to proactively remove these damaged trees to avoid running afoul of your homeowners’ insurance coverage policy or being liable for damage to a neighbor’s property. When immediate action is needed, our dependable emergency tree services are available to address hazardous situations quickly and safely.
For a free estimate for removal services from Arbor One Tree Service LLC, contact us today at (719) 256-0484.
