New Neighbours-New Headache?

[Olly]

Easter Sunday afternoon new neighbours moved into the rental 2 doors over from me. When the truck arrived they blew the truck horn for a full 30 seconds and they got out hooping and hollering. It didn't really bother me but it was a very quiet Easter Sunday until they arrived.

Today, just 24 hours later (2pm) I heard a loud cracking noise and looked up to see a palm tree in their back yard fall over. Over the course of the next hour they chopped a further 3 down. No idea if they had permission to do that. No idea why they felt they had to go. They've been there a long time with both the owners and other renters. They weren't your typical tall trunk with some fronds way out of reach type palms either - they were wide spreading bushy/frondy type palms - quite lush and tropical looking as they were grouped together. I also would have thought they'd have still been unpacking just 24 hours later not ready to attack the garden. They haven't even got curtains on the windows yet!

Wish me luck!

 

[Angel]

Unpacking? Yesterday was a public holiday, Mate, no working. On the other hand, chopping down trees is a pastime, it's fun to some. My husband's all-time favourite activity. Perhaps they have BOUGHT the place rather than renting it and they will be there a longggg time I trust they realise that palm trees are useless for burning in a barbie.

 

[Patsy]

New owners or renters ?

Oh dear Olly, sounds like The Griswalds have moved in
If they are renting I'd be straight onto the agents as I doubt they would have authority to remove established trees, if they are new owners, goodluck, as I'm sure you will have lots to report of their antics if their arrival is anything to go by

 

[lizzie]

Hmmm - I also move in, unpack the essentials and then start to seriously rip and shred. Takes a little longer to put it all back together tho.

Doesn't make us bad people

 

[pinkboy]

Sounds like a great time to introduce yourself as the friendly neighbour with a basket of laxative laced muffins!

pinkboy

 

[austini]

First thing we did when we purchased our most recent property (future home) was cut down a heap of mature large palm trees close to the house. However they were starting to cause cracks in the surrounding structural retaining walls. Next to come down were dangerous large trees (due to invasive roots or height) close to the house and then the weed varieties around the yard such as camphor laurel, privit and african tulip etc. However most of these areas have been or will be replanted with more suitable native trees.

 

[wylie]

First thing we did when we purchased our most recent property (future home) was cut down a heap of mature large palm trees close to the house. However they were starting to cause cracks in the surrounding structural retaining walls. Next to come down were dangerous large trees (due to invasive roots or height) close to the house and then the weed varieties around the yard such as camphor laurel, privit and african tulip etc. However most of these areas have been or will be replanted with more suitable native trees.

You "owned" the house though. If these are renters, I wonder what the owner would be thinking.

If they have bought, then maybe it is time for Olly to start worrying...

 

[willair]

Easter Sunday afternoon new neighbours moved into the rental 2 doors over from me. When the truck arrived they blew the truck horn for a full 30 seconds and they got out hooping and hollering. It didn't really bother me but it was a very quiet Easter Sunday until they arrived.

Today, just 24 hours later (2pm) I heard a loud cracking noise and looked up to see a palm tree in their back yard fall over. Over the course of the next hour they chopped a further 3 down. No idea if they had permission to do that. No idea why they felt they had to go. They've been there a long time with both the owners and other renters. They weren't your typical tall trunk with some fronds way out of reach type palms either - they were wide spreading bushy/frondy type palms - quite lush and tropical looking as they were grouped together. I also would have thought they'd have still been unpacking just 24 hours later not ready to attack the garden. They haven't even got curtains on the windows yet!

Wish me luck!

Makes you wonder if the landlords insurance is up too date when your read something like this,it may also come back too safety some of those palms with the large canoe shaped seed pods when they fall can make a real mess if you were under the palm and it falls..

 

[Olly]

They are definitely renters. The RE sign out the front said For Lease not For Sale. Apart from that I know who owns the house and what the future plans are for it and it doesn't involve selling as a home.

Apparently they also have a dog which they put in the garage for the night. It yapped, barked, howled and whimpered ALL night. And I mean non stop - with no breaks - consistently - no reprieve - until about 8.30 this morning when I assume they let it out.

Not in a good mood today

 

[sanj]

they aretenants and cut down the trees???

you mentioned that you know the owner, pls let him know asap! who knows what else these clowns will get up to

 

[kathryn d]

They are definitely renters. The RE sign out the front said For Lease not For Sale. Apart from that I know who owns the house and what the future plans are for it and it doesn't involve selling as a home.

Apparently they also have a dog which they put in the garage for the night. It yapped, barked, howled and whimpered ALL night. And I mean non stop - with no breaks - consistently - no reprieve - until about 8.30 this morning when I assume they let it out.

Not in a good mood today

I do feel sorry for you.

...but we may have some interesting threads from you concerning these neighbours in the future

 

[lizzie]

they aretenants and cut down the trees???

you mentioned that you know the owner, pls let him know asap! who knows what else these clowns will get up to

Unless the owner gave the okay ... at the tenants expense.

I had 8 large native shrubs delivered (free thanks to council) to my tenants and they planted them in the garden ... tenants also wanted to install a handrail on the deck stairs ... I said "go for it".

Tenants are allowed to do things at times - perhaps including palm tree removal

 

[Olly]

they aretenants and cut down the trees???

you mentioned that you know the owner, pls let him know asap! who knows what else these clowns will get up to

Not sure the owners would care. They are a medical centre. The house is on the corner of a laneway at the back of shops. Across from the house/laneway is one of their centres (the carpark underneath this building has plans before council to become a substation.) The future of the rental is to be knocked down and become more car park.

I did ring the RE yesterday arvo about the barking dog. Never heard a peep all night or so far today. .....................Hope the dog is OK.

 

[Ideo]

Not sure the owners would care. They are a medical centre. The house is on the corner of a laneway at the back of shops. Across from the house/laneway is one of their centres (the carpark underneath this building has plans before council to become a substation.) The future of the rental is to be knocked down and become more car park.

I did ring the RE yesterday arvo about the barking dog. Never heard a peep all night or so far today. .....................Hope the dog is OK.

So you are worried about trees being knocked down a couple of years ahead of schedule then

 

[Olly]

So you are worried about trees being knocked down a couple of years ahead of schedule then

Not worried so much, just thought it odd that firstly they were renters so technically shouldn't damage the property/garden (assuming they didn't have the owners permission), secondly probably didn't have council approval having had a bit to do with council and tress before, and thirdly I thought they'd have still been busy moving in/unpacking & sorting out their stuff seeing as they'd only been there 24 hours - not bothered about removing some trees from the garden!

Having never rented before I wouldn't assume it's OK to chop the owners trees down or even ask if it's OK to do it! Do renters do things like that? Not talking about the renters from hell who trash anything/everything just in general.

As for the trees being knocked down ahead of time who is to say that the owners wouldn't have made a feature rockery of those palms in the future car park. There's already an enormous gum on the property I doubt they'd remove either. Doubt they'd get council approval to move that. It's very old, an indigenous native, and has lots of bird & bat life in it.

Time will tell.

 

[Perp]

Not worried so much, just thought it odd that firstly they were renters so technically shouldn't damage the property/garden (assuming they didn't have the owners permission), secondly probably didn't have council approval having had a bit to do with council and tress before, and thirdly I thought they'd have still been busy moving in/unpacking & sorting out their stuff seeing as they'd only been there 24 hours - not bothered about removing some trees from the garden!

Having never rented before I wouldn't assume it's OK to chop the owners trees down or even ask if it's OK to do it! Do renters do things like that?

Tenants and gardens are a nightmare to mix together. Unfortunately, the law doesn't hold tenants responsible for vegetation in any way at all.

Whilst residential tenancy agreements were designed that way to stop owners being a nightmare to PMs and tenants about regular lawn mowing and demanding watering and fertilising etc., the unintended consequence of precluding vegetation from being covered by leases is that tenants basically *can* cut down trees to their heart's content. Or to be more accurate, there's absolutely no recourse for the landlord before planned tree removal to prevent it, or afterwards as punishment. Which basically means tenants can do what they want.

I am unsure whether a special condition on a residential lease regarding vegetation would hold up at Tribunal - that would be interesting to know.

This is one of many reasons why - as a keen gardener - I'd never, ever, let out my PPOR, if I ever planned to return to live in that property.

 

[INVSTOR]

I hear ya Perp regarding PPOR. I bought a plant for my hubby's 30th. It was loving the location and was well established. Whole plant has disappeared, roots and all. He's 43 next birthday. Tenants pulled up our plants and put there stuff in. Looks sooo ugly!! When I'm managing myself I put a clause in for tenants to look after lawns and gardens. Most abide by it and replace plants before they leave.

 

[Olly]

I hear ya Perp regarding PPOR. I bought a plant for my hubby's 30th. It was loving the location and was well established. Whole plant has disappeared, roots and all. He's 43 next birthday. Tenants pulled up our plants and put there stuff in. Looks sooo ugly!! When I'm managing myself I put a clause in for tenants to look after lawns and gardens. Most abide by it and replace plants before they leave.

Actually in this rented house is a tree in the backyard that the original owners planted in memory of their daughter who died of cancer. Don't know which tree it is but they'd be upset I'm sure if they knew it was one of the ones the renters chopped down.

 

[Olly]

Tenants and gardens are a nightmare to mix together. Unfortunately, the law doesn't hold tenants responsible for vegetation in any way at all.

Whilst residential tenancy agreements were designed that way to stop owners being a nightmare to PMs and tenants about regular lawn mowing and demanding watering and fertilising etc., the unintended consequence of precluding vegetation from being covered by leases is that tenants basically *can* cut down trees to their heart's content. Or to be more accurate, there's absolutely no recourse for the landlord before planned tree removal to prevent it, or afterwards as punishment. Which basically means tenants can do what they want.

I am unsure whether a special condition on a residential lease regarding vegetation would hold up at Tribunal - that would be interesting to know.

This is one of many reasons why - as a keen gardener - I'd never, ever, let out my PPOR, if I ever planned to return to live in that property.

Interesting. I never knew that. I presumed caring for a pool or the gardens was automatically covered in "looking after the property" as in ALL of it.

 

[Angel]

Our house leases all include a clause about returning the garden in the same condition it was rented.