Advice on trees blocking lights and views

Emma3030

The apartment itself has a lot of lights and lovely views. But these were blocked by 2 large trees near my apartment. What can do about these? If I speak to the management company, can they help? If they refuse to do any work on this, what can I do?

djimi

Do you rent or are you an owner?

Are the trees inside or ourside the complex?

Are they blocking light coming through any of your windows?

Were they there when you moved in?

Emma3030

djimi wrote: »

Do you rent or are you an owner?

Are the trees inside or ourside the complex?

Are they blocking light coming through any of your windows?

Were they there when you moved in?

The apartment I am purchasing at the moment. The trees were planted inside the yard. There is very little light coming through the window during the summary time. The trees will be there before I move in.

djimi

Mention it to the management company and see if they are willing to act, but unless the trees are directly and almost totally blocking light to your window then Id say very little will be done about it. Certainly in terms of them blocking the view or whatever; its something you knew about prior to moving in.

But by all means state your case to the management company and see what they have to say.

littleredspot

What floor is your apartment on?
If it's the groundfloor, I'd say you have very little hope of getting rid of them, but you may find them useful for privacy.

peter_dublin

Quite honestly I would say you have bob hope and no hope as they were there before you bought and for every person who dislikes them others will see them as a visual amenity in of themselves.

I get this request at least once a year from certain residents in our complex. What... You want me to cut down the 18th century oak as you want more light, No chance. Also on the matter of light, I believe you have no right to light nor a view in the way you mean with respect to the trees.

A lot of residents will see them as a plus, more so than those who seem them as a negitive as you see them and its the directors job to decide what is in the best interest but as I always say, which looks better a tree lined avenue or one with the trees chopped down and removed.

djimi

peter_dublin wrote: »

Also on the matter of light, I believe you have no right to light nor a view in the way you mean with respect to the trees.

I believe that if a tree is almost totally blocking the light to a window/room (as in if it is growing directly in front of the window and allowing no light through) then a case could be made to have it removed.

peter_dublin

djimi wrote: »

I believe that if a tree is almost totally blocking the light to a window/room (as in if it is growing directly in front of the window and allowing no light through) then a case could be made to have it removed.

Possibly but this is an extreme to the max level, at that rate if you open the window the tree would be comming in it, it could also be said they were aware of the tree prior to the purchasing the property, infact the OP hasn't even completed the purchase yet based on their other thread and they are looking to have trees removed. Not a great start by any means. As you said unless the tree was against the building but if it was that close I would be worried about the roots doing damage to the foundations etc, as the OP has stated it is in the yard, by this I can only assume they mean gardens/communial area. I have yet to see any apartment complex where a two story tree was planted/allowed to grow directly against the building, especially in a €170k unit in this enviroment.

There is plenty of threads on boards about light and the right to but I still believe the OP has a poor case at best.

ted1

djimi wrote: »

I believe that if a tree is almost totally blocking the light to a window/room (as in if it is growing directly in front of the window and allowing no light through) then a case could be made to have it removed.

Some times the tree is part of the planning process. It prevents light spillage and protects privacy as they prevent people being over looked, or they may just be old and protected.

Emma3030

littleredspot wrote: »

What floor is your apartment on?
If it's the groundfloor, I'd say you have very little hope of getting rid of them, but you may find them useful for privacy.

First floor. Will them agree to trim the tree a little bit? You know it is perfect time now to cut the excessive branches.

peter_dublin

Emma3030 wrote: »

First floor. Will them agree to trim the tree a little bit? You know it is perfect time now to cut the excessive branches.

Yes, they may do but just remember it may not just be a case of getting them trimmed, for instance we have so many mature (10m+) trees on site we engage a qualified person not your standard gardener who can butcher a tree and cause more problems in the long term. For us this occurs once every three to five years as required. But again it all depends on the management company and the tree in question.

Emma3030

ted1 wrote: »

Some times the tree is part of the planning process. It prevents light spillage and protects privacy as they prevent people being over looked, or they may just be old and protected.

Agree, but the tree has grown much bigger than just for protecting privacy. One reason I buy the apartment is because it is south facing as I like warm rooms. But these trees are really annoying.

Mouldy Mary

A friend of mine had trouble with a treeblocking her light. Her management company wouldnt do anything about it. Her brother put diesal into the ground around it a few times. Aftrr about six months the tree died and the management company had to pay to have it removed.

Emma3030

Mouldy Mary wrote: »

A friend of mine had trouble with a treeblocking her light. Her management company wouldnt do anything about it. Her brother put diesal into the ground around it a few times. Aftrr about six months the tree died and the management company had to pay to have it removed.

Good idea, but for the sake of these trees, I never intend to cut them completed or let them die. Maybe just cut some branches, would the Management agree to do so? or I can do this myself.

Maybe someone needs free firewood, can contact me...

peter_dublin

Mouldy Mary wrote: »

A friend of mine had trouble with a treeblocking her light. Her management company wouldnt do anything about it. Her brother put diesal into the ground around it a few times. Aftrr about six months the tree died and the management company had to pay to have it removed.

And if caught it would be reported to the guards as criminal damage of the managements companies property, they would also be billed for the specialist contracts required to cleanup the contaminated area as well as all other additional costs. Your friend got lucky, if we detected diesel in the ground around a dead tree we would be reviewing CCTV and then replacing the tree. Your friend and her brother sound like just the sort of neighbours you would want.

Cuddlesworth

Mouldy Mary wrote: »

A friend of mine had trouble with a treeblocking her light. Her management company wouldnt do anything about it. Her brother put diesal into the ground around it a few times. Aftrr about six months the tree died and the management company had to pay to have it removed.

If you don't like the trees, then don't buy the apartment. Its a pretty basic concept.

peter_dublin

Emma3030 wrote: »

Good idea, but for the sake of these trees, I never intend to cut them completed or let them die. Maybe just cut some branches, would the Management agree to do so? or I can do this myself.

You cannot do so yourself, the management company owns the trees of which you are a member but every other member also has an "equal" share so you cannot take any actions by yourself. Also anything under taken has to be done so by properly "insured" and qualified professionals. As I said so you need to raise this with the management company or the agent.

Based on your questions I think you need to ensure you are fully educated on how apartment complexes work in Ireland re management companies and ownerships rights and the like.

Emma3030

peter_dublin wrote: »

And if caught it would be reported to the guards as criminal damage of the managements companies property, they would also be billed for the specialist contracts required to cleanup the contaminated area as well as all other additional costs.

That is what I thought also, but have these trees trimmed a little bit should not cause any trouble.

peter_dublin

Emma3030 wrote: »

That is what I thought also, but have these trees trimmed a little bit should not cause any trouble.

Yes but again it is up to the management company and "normally" it is not a case of just having the one tree trimmed. There will be a schedule of works with respect to how, when and by who the trees are maintained.

You need to see the bigger overall picture that is the entire development, the directors would be thinking in terms of the entire place while watching costs. You want money from the companies funds i.e. all the members money spent on engaging a professional to come to site and trim trees for your benefit alone outside of any possible schedule of works. Again you need to look into it more about how apartments work and discuss this with the management agent / company as only they can answer your question.

The_Conductor

Mouldy Mary wrote: »

A friend of mine had trouble with a treeblocking her light. Her management company wouldnt do anything about it. Her brother put diesal into the ground around it a few times. Aftrr about six months the tree died and the management company had to pay to have it removed.

Aside from the fact that what you're advocating is illegal- its also dangerous as hell. No more suggestions like this please.