Current Events > Tree fell; this guy cut it up and is now asking me for $$$. What do?

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Big wind storm last night, and a tree on my property fell onto my property (grass; no property damage). I called a few tree folks and asked for quotes yesterday. Today, this morning, this random guy (who I didn't call) apparently cut up the tree, loaded it all up on his truck, and left. He left an invoice on my door, asking me to pay him $300 for the work.

...................how do I proceed here?

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A lawyer to make several times that

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You dont

Plus he took the wood. He can sell that if he wants money

So I have no idea if $300 is reasonable or not for cutting up that tree and disposing of it, since I still haven't heard back from the tree companies I called yesterday. But like.... can he do that...?

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What he did is 100% illegal.

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are you sure one of the guys you called did not misunderstand?

I cant see how it could be someone random AND they leave an invoice

ROOTFayth posted...

are you sure one of the guys you called did not misunderstand?

Yea, the invoice he left behind has a company header on it that I do not recognize (i.e., one that I did not call).

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You don't. He could theoretically sue you for unjust enrichment but that is a lot of trouble for $300 bucks and he might lose.
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Give him what you think is fair if you would have had to call someone.

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Technically what he did is illegal, money or not. He took something on your property without your knowledge. He can try and harass you for money but you can just easily call the cops on him for that alone.

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lilORANG posted...

You don't. He could theoretically sue you for unjust enrichment but that is a lot of trouble for $300 bucks and he might lose.

You cant go on someones property and cut a tree.

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divot1338 posted...

Give him what you think is fair if you would have had to call someone.

But that's the thing... I have no idea if $300 is fair or not. And with the tree gone now, I can't even get quotes to see if that's reasonable.

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Orchestrion posted...

You cant go on someones property and cut a tree.

It was already down and TC wanted it gone.
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You send him an invoice for the lumber he took from your property

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The business who did it might have been subbed by someone you called. Someone would have probably called you first, though.

lilORANG posted...

It was already down and TC wanted it gone.

TC did not hire this person. You cannot go onto someones property and take lumber from their property. And you especially cant charge them money after trespassing and logging on someones property without permission. It doesnt matter if he wanted it gone. He didnt hire him.

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Tell them you're willing to let the whole thing go and won't press charges for trespassing and theft if they leave you alone
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lilORANG posted...

It was already down and TC wanted it gone.

But he didnt tell that guy to do it. You cant just go take something without someones knowledge and demand payment. Them wanting it gone doesnt change anything about that.

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Whats the diameter and height of the tree?

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That guy stole your tree

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lilORANG posted...

It was already down and TC wanted it gone.

That doesn't mean he consented to the work. The guy who did it is a crazy person.

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Ignore them. If they give you a hard time, call the police.

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Orchestrion posted...

What he did is 100% illegal.

This ^^^

Technically he trespassed and stole your tree

lilORANG posted...

You don't. He could theoretically sue you for unjust enrichment but that is a lot of trouble for $300 bucks and he might lose.

Also this ^^^

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If it was a pretty big tree, $300 is pretty cheap for disposing of the tree.

Typically, felling and disposing of a large tree (35+ Feet) starts at around $600

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Depending on where you live there may be heavy fines for what is illegal logging. Dont pay that dude under any circumstances and look into consulting with a lawyer.

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divot1338 posted...

Whats the diameter and height of the tree?

I would estimate it at about 2 foot diameter, and about two stories tall. Here's a clip if it falling:
https://i.imgur.com/mRN9Tdp.gif

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EnvoyOfTheLight posted...

That doesn't mean he consented to the work. The guy who did it is a crazy person.

Welcome to the stupid legal theory of unjust enrichment. There's a while body of law based around random people doing random tasks for others without consent and then winning in court for it.
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voldothegr8 posted...

Tell them you're willing to let the whole thing go and won't press charges for trespassing and theft if they leave you alone

This.

Or call the company on the invoice and explain the situation to them.

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What state do you live in? In some states, the guy charging you could now be in shittons of legal trouble. Don't fuck with tree law

Litigate.

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IdiotMachine posted...

I would estimate it at about 2 foot diameter, and about two stories tall. Here's a clip if it falling:
https://i.imgur.com/mRN9Tdp.gif

$300 for that?

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JACKBUTTMOMMY posted...

Yeah unless its an HOA thing youre in the clear. But you should make damn sure you didnt agree to anyone and only asked for quotes - as its possible it could be a subcontract job with someone you did agree with.

I don't live in an HOA. And I definitely said quotes, since I was shopping around as this isn't a big deal (no property damage, did not land on the street).

littlebro07 posted...

$300 for that?

Is $300 a lot or little for that?

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Uh, pretty sure you could sue him for the $300 since you could have sold that tree for firewood or whatever

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Guy stole your wood.

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IdiotMachine posted...

random guy (who I didn't call) apparently cut up the tree, loaded it all up on his truck, and left. He left an invoice on my door, asking me to pay him $300 for the work.

...................how do I proceed here?

Well if you truly didn't call him or ask for his services you don't owe him a cent, however if you were going to hire somebody to remove it anyway just pay him what you think it's worth.

If he has a problem remind him he apparently just showed up out of nowhere and did it you didn't ask him to. Just say thanks, and give him around what the people you actually called were going to charge and be done with it.

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MKScorpion posted...

If he has a problem remind him he apparently just showed up out of nowhere and did it you didn't ask him to. Just say thanks, and give him around what the people you actually called were going to charge and be done with it.

But that's the thing... I didn't get a quote from them yet, and I doubt I'll get one now since the tree doesn't exist anymore for them to quote it.

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IdiotMachine posted...

But that's the thing... I didn't get a quote from them yet, and I doubt I'll get one now since the tree doesn't exist anymore for them to quote it.

300 seems like way to much for a tree that small. Also he literally stole from you. Don't pay him shit.

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IdiotMachine posted...

But that's the thing... I didn't get a quote from them yet, and I doubt I'll get one now since the tree doesn't exist anymore for them to quote it.

Well based on the clip it's not a huge tree, but it's not a tiny one either. So between driving there, gassing up the equipment, the labor of cutting it into pieces and loading it into the truck etc. $300 doesn't sound completely crazy.

I would say offer him $200 or $250, I wouldn't pay him exactly what he is asking for since you didn't even really ask for his service.

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Tell him to bring your tree back.

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TC if you're an honest guy just call the invoice and calmly explain what happened. There is a very, very low chance that some guy is going around randomly cutting up trees and leaving invoices for people who didn't ask for the service to be completed. There is likely just a mistake somewhere.

Also $300 for that tree is perfectly reasonable and probably a little bit below market value tbh. Tree services are expensive because of the insurance required, licensure, the equipment to cut up the tree/clean up the area, and the trailer used to haul it all away.

Were you away from home when the tree was picked up?

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MKScorpion posted...

I would say offer him $200 or $250, I wouldn't pay him exactly what he is asking for since you didn't even really ask for his service.

did you steal the tree?

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IdiotMachine posted...

But that's the thing... I didn't get a quote from them yet, and I doubt I'll get one now since the tree doesn't exist anymore for them to quote it.

You didn't get pictures?

That guy, for all he knew, TC could have wanted to keep the wood for crafting or whatever. He stole it.

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Depends on the size of the tree if it's fair

But threaten him with trespassing and he can keep the wood

You can't charge someone money for you breaking the law

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Unless the hoa hired him then don't pay anything.

Also check the name on the invoice. Earlier this month I had an exterminator I didn't hire show up and they had the completely wrong address on file.

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IdiotMachine posted...

I would estimate it at about 2 foot diameter, and about two stories tall. Here's a clip if it falling:
https://i.imgur.com/mRN9Tdp.gif

Figure out who sent the guy so you dont double pay, pay the man, and get a receipt.

Youre getting a good deal and theres a chance this poor sap is going to get screwed over by whoever sent him if you dont.

It sounds like someone miscommunicated.

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Tc you should post this here

https://www.reddit.com/r/treelaw/

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