neighborhood courtesy question

**weR138** · 08-04-2010, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by ISU BET

okay guys-got an etiquette question for you all.

i live in a good hood-everyone keeps up on their yards, landscaping, etc, except for 1 old rental house right next door to me. they never mow, have overgrown bushes, weeds every where that are starting to creep into my yard, and generally don't care about the appearance of the place(not that they should, as it's not theirs, but if it was me i would just for pride sake).

lately, i have been mowing further and further into their yard-i'm about 20 feet in now. i'm doing this for 2 reasons-1 it makes my place look better, and 2 it is pushing the weeds back into their yard and kind of used the 20' as a barrier to protect against my own yard.

well now, i'm so far in that i am mowing around 3 of their huge lilac bushes that have 15' maple trees growing out of them. so i cut the trees out and put mulch around the bushes-easier for me to mow around, and the mulch was on sale for $2/bag at menards(i spent $20).

so here is my question-am i out of line or overstepping any boundaries(other than the obvious lot line). if you were my neighbor would you be upset with me for doing this? what would you do in a similar situation. discuss.

I'm with you on the mowing their lawn to protect yours but I don't get why you're spending money on the mulch. If it makes you happy to trim thier lilacs I say do it or cut them out if you like; it's not like anyone is going to notice.

You could ***** to the landlord but if they cared the place wouldn't look like **** would it.

I guess what I'm saying is do what you like. You're helping the neighborhood and it's making you feel better. There isn't anything that you can do to make the renters or landlord care.

**JUKEBOX** · 08-04-2010, 11:45 AM

Tell the renters or owner that you will mow the lawn for $x amount of dollars. See what they say.

**CyPride** · 08-04-2010, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by JUKEBOX

Tell the renters or owner that you will mow the lawn for $x amount of dollars. See what they say.

yes, and their alternative is to have the city do it, and that ain't cheap or free. the bill will get tacked on their property as a lien if they do not pay.

**CYVADER** · 08-04-2010, 11:50 AM

maybe i should have stated it is a small town of about 1100 people. everybody knows everybody. the city will charge them if i call them on it, and they don't really seem to have a pot to **** in. i guess, it does make me feel better, i enjoy mowing-do it twice a week on average, the mulch was inexpensive, and things look a LOT better. the rest of the hood has complimented me on it, but i get the feeling the neighbors are a little weirded out.

**Ms3r4ISU** · 08-04-2010, 12:03 PM

Perhaps you should just buy the property. Then there's no question on what you can or should do.

**CYVADER** · 08-04-2010, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Ms3r4ISU

Perhaps you should just buy the property. Then there's no question on what you can or should do.

i would love to but the landlord is an 80 something crotchety old fart that won't sell. the thing will soon be red tagged i would guess-the roof is sagging, no gutters to the foundation has to be leaking, it's a mess. if i could get it bought cheap enough, i would level the house, and add onto mine and have a nice, huge lot.

**weR138** · 08-04-2010, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by ISU BET

i would love to but the landlord is an 80 something crotchety old fart that won't sell. the thing will soon be red tagged i would guess-the roof is sagging, no gutters to the foundation has to be leaking, it's a mess. if i could get it bought cheap enough, i would level the house, and add onto mine and have a nice, huge lot.

Here you go. Get into the city council's ear and get it red tagged.

**CycloneYoda** · 08-04-2010, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by ISU BET

okay guys-got an etiquette question for you all.

i live in a good hood-everyone keeps up on their yards, landscaping, etc, except for 1 old rental house right next door to me. they never mow, have overgrown bushes, weeds every where that are starting to creep into my yard, and generally don't care about the appearance of the place(not that they should, as it's not theirs, but if it was me i would just for pride sake).

lately, i have been mowing further and further into their yard-i'm about 20 feet in now. i'm doing this for 2 reasons-1 it makes my place look better, and 2 it is pushing the weeds back into their yard and kind of used the 20' as a barrier to protect against my own yard.

well now, i'm so far in that i am mowing around 3 of their huge lilac bushes that have 15' maple trees growing out of them. so i cut the trees out and put mulch around the bushes-easier for me to mow around, and the mulch was on sale for $2/bag at menards(i spent $20).

so here is my question-am i out of line or overstepping any boundaries(other than the obvious lot line). if you were my neighbor would you be upset with me for doing this? what would you do in a similar situation. discuss.

I wish you were my neighbor. I would quit mowing all together.

**Blandboy** · 08-04-2010, 12:39 PM

Interesting problem. I have a similiar scenario playing out next door. Except, it's a crab grass invasion. I've talked to the owner, suggested herbicides, and even offered to spray it for him. He keeps say'n he'll deal with it. Apparently, ignoring it is his way of dealing with it. I've been spraying the property line, and pulling the stuff to keep it out of my yard. I hear ya ... it's frustrating.

**RayShimley** · 08-04-2010, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by weR138

You could ***** to the landlord but if they cared the place wouldn't look like **** would it.

That isn't necessarily the case. We own a property out of state that we lease it through a real estate management company. I would be happy if one of the neighbors called me up and let me know the tenants weren't keeping the yard up (assuming they are required to in the lease). Our manager can't get out to see all the properties on a regular basis, especially if there aren't any complaints.

If the tenants don't comply and the city has to come out and do it the owner can just recoup that loss through their security deposit.

**CycloneYoda** · 08-04-2010, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by Blandboy

Interesting problem. I have a similiar scenario playing out next door. Except, it's a crab grass invasion. I've talked to the owner, suggested herbicides, and even offered to spray it for him. He keeps say'n he'll deal with it. Apparently, ignoring it is his way of dealing with it. I've been spraying the property line, and pulling the stuff to keep it out of my yard. I hear ya ... it's frustrating.

You wouldn't be so mad if it had a cute name, like Elf grass!!

**Cyforce** · 08-04-2010, 12:41 PM

contact the home owner and let them know you're giving them a chance to take care of it before you contact the city.

**weR138** · 08-04-2010, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by RayShimley

That isn't necessarily the case. We own a property out of state that we lease it through a real estate management company. I would be happy if one of the neighbors called me up and let me know the tenants weren't keeping the yard up (assuming they are required to in the lease). Our manager can't get out to see all the properties on a regular basis, especially if there aren't any complaints.

If the tenants don't comply and the city has to come out and do it the owner can just recoup that loss through their security deposit.

I'm a landlord of a house I own in DSM (I do the real estate management company too) and I can tell you that this is a ****ty owner plus knucklehead tennants. If ISU BET is having to cut out trees this place has either not been seen by the owner in a year or has been seen and ignored. I make it my business to have my house seen by me or the management company at least quarterly.

If ISU BET is going to engage the owner it should be to buy the property, otherwise he's wasting his breath.

**Blandboy** · 08-04-2010, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by CycloneYoda

You wouldn't be so mad if it had a cute name, like Elf grass!!

I'm frustrated, not mad.

And your post might've actually been clever had you opted for an antonym, such as Happy Grass (you know, the stuff that grows in California yards ...used for medicinal purposes).

**Ms3r4ISU** · 08-04-2010, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by weR138

I'm a landlord of a house I own in DSM (I do the real estate management company too) and I can tell you that this is a ****ty owner plus knucklehead tennants. If ISU BET is having to cut out trees this place has either not been seen by the owner in a year or has been seen and ignored. I make it my business to have my house seen by me or the management company at least quarterly.

If ISU BET is going to engage the owner it should be to buy the property, otherwise he's wasting his breath.

I didn't understand that was the case; rather he chose to do so.