Neighbor Wants Us to Cut Down Tree Over Leaves: AITA for Refusing?

AITA for refusing to cut down a tree that annoys my neighbor? Is it my responsibility to handle leaves falling in her yard?

Damjan

Published in Interesting
7 Oct 2025

Neighbor Wants Us to Cut Down Tree Over Leaves: AITA for Refusing?

Are you ready to dive into a juicy neighborhood drama? Picture this: you move into a lovely new home, only to find out that your next-door neighbor is not a fan of a tree in your yard because its leaves end up in her pristine garden.

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The saga unfolds as she suggests chopping down the tree, handing you a hefty bill of around $400 for the task. But hold on a minute - are you really obligated to cater to her leafy grievances just because you're the newbie on the block?

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As the Reddit community weighs in, the consensus seems to lean towards "NTA" - "Not The A**hole" in Reddit lingo. Many Redditors empathize with the predicament, sharing similar experiences of dealing with shared greenery woes.

Suggestions range from politely declining the tree removal request to offering alternative solutions like trimming overhanging branches or discussing the matter with a professional arborist. Some users even delve into the realm of tree law and neighborly etiquette, highlighting the importance of understanding your rights and responsibilities when it comes to arboreal disputes.

So, buckle up and get ready for a rollercoaster ride through the tangled branches of neighborly relations and property boundaries.

Original Post

My partner and I moved into a new house and it’s been great! The only issue is that our next door neighbor has a problem with a tree in our yard because the leaves fall into her yard.

It’s fall so isn’t that expected? Leaves fall.

She came over last week and explained that she’s having yard work done and the company could cut the tree down, then gave us their card. They said it would cost around $400 to get rid of the tree.

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My partner and I don’t think it’s necessary to cut the tree down because legally, the leaves that fall on her property are not our problem. We JUST moved in, why did she not say this to the past owners?

They lived in the house for 10+ years and the tree is easily 50 years old. I refuse to cut it but does that make me a bad neighbor?

Edit: The neighbors are about 70 y/o and have lived in the home for 38 years. I will reach out to them to let them know that I can help clean up the leaves falling in their yard!

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