A Raleigh homeowner says they bought their house in part for the backyard privacy: a buffer of trees that helped block out neighboring views. Then, in a matter of days, that screen was largely erased—after a neighbor’s contractor allegedly came onto the property, tore down fencing, and cut down most of the trees without permission.
In an online request for recommendations for a “tree attorney,” the resident described the situation in the original post, saying the contractor “willfully trespassed” onto fenced-in land and removed trees that were on the homeowner’s side of the line. The resident said they want to move quickly and are looking to initiate civil litigation against the neighbor.
A backyard built for privacy, then the buffer disappeared
The homeowner said one of the big selling points of the property was that it was “surrounded by trees” in the backyard, creating privacy. That matters to a lot of families—especially in neighborhoods where homes sit closer together than buyers expect when they’re walking a lot during a showing.
According to the account, the homeowner then “lost a significant amount of that privacy” after the neighbor hired a contractor who cut down most of the trees on the homeowner’s property. The resident framed it as intentional and unauthorized, not an accident or a trimming job that got out of hand.
Allegations of trespass, fence damage, and tree cutting
The homeowner’s description isn’t just about missing trees. They said the contractor came onto “fenced-in property,” tore down chain-link fencing, and crossed into an area they say is well within their property line…