Law-Forums.org

[newyddilyn60]

I have fruit trees in my yard which is not fenced in. One neighbor feels it is okay for him to just take my fruit. Now while I wouldn't mind him taking a few pieces, when he thinks I'm not at home he will take a whole bag of fruit from the lower branches, making it difficult for me to get my own fruit. He lived in house for years before I bought my house. It seems the lady that owned my house used to allow him to have all her fruit before she died. After she died, he just continued taking the fruit. Now that I own the house, I just don't know how to tell him to leave my fruit alone.

[naseem]

It would be difficult if you tell him to stop at that point. If you are the one who planted and took care of it until it can bear fruit, you can easily talk to him and say "it is my tree so don't pick any fruits from it from now on." In your situation, I think you should have trimmed or watered it in order to show that you are the one who is taking care of that tree so you could claim that it is yours.

[dickens93]

If you can't talk to him try a no trespassing sign. We can buy those in Walmart. It wouldn't be friendly to do this without asking him to stop or only take a little first.

[plys]

That's the problem, I don't want to offend the neighbor and have to live next door with bad blood between us. I plan to live in this house a long time.

[christos]

if he is doing this when he thinks you are not in he clearly knows he shouldn't be. just tell him to stop taking so much. or you could send him an invoice charging him whatever the supermarket price is for all the fruit he's nicked.

[ashly]

I like that send him an invoice. I was thinking of just having a BBQ and inviting him over. While he is there in a festive mood, make a comment on how I wish he wouldn't take so much of my fruit because it is hard for me to get the fruit near the top.

[treasigh]

The only thing you can do is talk to him. Tell him you are happy to share but he takes all the stuff you can reach and it makes it hard for you to get some. Or offer to trade the fruit to him for something he might have that you would like. What a thoughtless jerk, assuming he has fruit rights no matter who owns the house! Be polite but firm and if all else fails tell him you'll make a trespassing complaint.

[wattekinson86]

You are right, there is no getting around it. I will have to talk to him face-to-face. I am such a wimp. Everyone seems to agree with what you said.

[victorio83]

I lived in Miami for 8 years. I had a coco nut tree in my yard on my half of the yard. This man would come with a truxk and offer to pay me to have some of the coco nuts. I did not take the cash from him and let him have what he could reach with that long stick. he came as often as he could. You own the house now and the tree is yours. If taht tree was to break down you would be responsible to remove it from your yard. So that being said you can just tell this amn your the new owners and the fruit is to be left for your family to pick. I would not allow this man to continue to rob your tree. Your paying for fruit while he gets it for free. Now where is the justice in that? Got to going over there now.

[iker]

Another person with the right solution which is of course the simple one. Just get some nerve and tell him how I feel. Will do it over the weekend. It's is absolutely the only way to live happily in this house. Much cheaper than getting a fence.