Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Virginia
property lines
We bought our home 8 years ago, when it was purchased it was lined on either side with 15 ft. evergreen trees. They are 30 ft now. Our neighbor to the right of the property said he was hiring an arborist to trim the trees on the right side of the property by 10 ft and shape on his side. Can he do this? Also, my neighbor on the left side likes to trim the grass up to the tree line(my property) to keep the grass uniform heighth to his grass, but isn't there some law relating to someone maintaining a part of your property. Doesn't it become theirs after a point in time if you continue to allow them to maintain it. I have asked my husband to have this stopped so that it doesn't become a legal battle later and he says our neighbor is not that kind of guy. I'm the stickler and I don't appreciate one neighbor saying he will trim my trees because I like them tall, and the other neighbor cutting the grass to his liking on the other side. What are the legal facts regarding this. Also if the trees grow upwards and the branches leach over the property line but do not actually grow from there do I have to cut them back. Thanks a Million!
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: property lines
The "legal facts" are as follows: Your neighbor to the left will never acquire adverse possession of any of your property by mowing some of your grass which happens to be on or near the property line and your neighbor to the right is legally entitled to trim back trees which are overhanging his property as long as the trimming is done in a manner which does not harm the trees and knowing this probably explains why he's engaged the services of a professional to carry out this particular task.