How long is a verbal agreement valid?

[neighborprobz]

Jurisdiction

Arizona

Hi there!

How long is a verbal agreement between neighbors valid?

My husband and I own an older home in a neighborhood with no HOA (CC&Rs not applicable for this issue). We purchased the property approx 5 years ago. Our next door neighbor has owned his property for the better part of 30 years.

For the first 2 years, every time we were outside, Neighbor would complain our trees were littering in his pool and ruining his block wall (yes, "his"). 3 years ago, Neighbor approached us asking if we would remove the trees. We told him that if he wanted the trees removed that badly, he would need to pay for it.

The trees have made their way into the leech fields in all of our yards and still grow without any watering! So, my husband has been trimming them in a "bush" form, to keep them at the 6' height of the wall.

Neighbor has a very ugly, very overgrown pine tree that, my our estimation, hangs ~50% into our yard. It litters, especially during monsoon. We have a pool, as well. We had to replace our pump and impeller last year due to pine needles. We have asked him innumerable times to trim his tree and he has never, in 5 years, made an effort to do so.

So, here we are. We made a verbal agreement to keep our trees trimmed, and have maintained them beautifully for 3 years, for his benefit. He has made no attempt to trim his tree. What happens if we just stop trimming ours? How long is our "word" valid?

Appreciate any and all input!

-Neighborprobz

 

[Tax Counsel]

Hi there!
What happens if we just stop trimming ours? How long is our "word" valid?

You gave us a history of the dispute but you didn't specify the exact details of the agreement about trimming the trees. What was the exact language of the agreement? What, if anything, were you to get out of the deal?

 

[neighborprobz]

You gave us a history of the dispute but you didn't specify the exact details of the agreement about trimming the trees. What was the exact language of the agreement? What, if anything, were you to get out of the deal?

Hi!

Thank you for the response!

That's the whole deal. He paid for our trees to be cut down to keep from dirtying his pool. We said we would keep our trees trimmed to "bushes". There is no benefit on our end whatsoever….

 

[zddoodah]

How long is a verbal agreement between neighbors valid?

Depends on the terms of the agreement.

My husband and I own an older home

Older than what?

For the first 2 years, every time we were outside, Neighbor would complain our trees were littering in his pool and ruining his block wall

Do you agree that the tree was littering his pool? In what way did he claim the tree was "ruining [the] wall," and do you agree or disagree with that assessment?

It litters, especially during monsoon.

Monsoons in Arizona?

What happens if we just stop trimming ours? How long is our "word" valid?

It does not sound like your "agreement" rose to the level of a contract because your neighbor gave no consideration in exchange for your promise. Therefore, I assume that, if you stop trimming your trees, they will grow and your neighbor will start bitching again.

Here's a question: why not continue to behave like a good neighbor and have your neighbor's tree that overhangs your property trimmed? You're one of those folks who says, "why should I do the right thing if someone else isn't," are you?

 

[Zigner]

Monsoons in Arizona?

I was wondering who was going to bring that up first

Monsoon - Arizona State Climate Office
Northern Arizona Monsoon Season

Yes, monsoons in Arizona. My daughter moved to Arizona several years ago and mentioned monsoons. My reaction was much the same as yours until I researched it a bit.

 

[justblue]

I was wondering who was going to bring that up first

Monsoon - Arizona State Climate Office
Northern Arizona Monsoon Season

Yes, monsoons in Arizona. My daughter moved to Arizona several years ago and mentioned monsoons. My reaction was much the same as yours until I researched it a bit.

We get monsoons here in Nevada as well. The year I moved to Vegas it was pretty bad...some of the storms were like a hurricane.

 

[neighborprobz]

Depends on the terms of the agreement.
Built in 1974 ….

Older than me?




Older than what?



Do you agree that the tree was littering his pool? In what way did he claim the tree was "ruining [the] wall," and do you agree or disagree with that assessment?



Monsoons in Arizona?



It does not sound like your "agreement" rose to the level of a contract because your neighbor gave no consideration in exchange for your promise. Therefore, I assume that, if you stop trimming your trees, they will grow and your neighbor will start bitching again.

Here's a question: why not continue to behave like a good neighbor and have your neighbor's tree that overhangs your property trimmed? You're one of those folks who says, "why should I do the right thing if someone else isn't," are you?

Depends on the terms of the agreement.



Older than what?



Do you agree that the tree was littering his pool? In what way did he claim the tree was "ruining [the] wall," and do you agree or disagree with that assessment?



Monsoons in Arizona?



It does not sound like your "agreement" rose to the level of a contract because your neighbor gave no consideration in exchange for your promise. Therefore, I assume that, if you stop trimming your trees, they will grow and your neighbor will start bitching again.

Here's a question: why not continue to behave like a good neighbor and have your neighbor's tree that overhangs your property trimmed? You're one of those folks who says, "why should I do the right thing if someone else isn't," are you?

Older than me? Built in 1974. I should have refrained from the adjective, especially since this has no impact on the verbal agreement. I was trying to give some history. Semantics, though, right?

Yes, monsoons in Arizona … ? Thank you to whomever posted the links. We actually lost our entire roof in a monsoon in 2018. Those semantics, though …

I have no idea if our trees were causing his pool problems or not, to be honest. I took his word for it, as a good neighbor. Same with the wall. I can only see my side of it…

And with regard to trimming of his tree on my side - to be honest, I'm afraid it will kill his tree. It's not very healthy, has dead spots throughout. I don't want that to cause a problem.

I'm unsure why an assumption of my character is relevant. I was genuinely asking for advice with regard to the verbal agreement.

I am comfortable informing Neighbor that I will no longer be landscaping my backyard to his specifications. I liked the trees the way they were when we bought the house. I was curious as to the validity of the verbal agreement.

I appreciate your reply.

 

[neighborprobz]

We get monsoons here in Nevada as well. The year I moved to Vegas it was pretty bad...some of the storms were like a hurricane.

Thank you.

 

[justblue]

Older than me? Built in 1974. I should have refrained from the adjective, especially since this has no impact on the verbal agreement. I was trying to give some history. Semantics, though, right?

Yes, monsoons in Arizona … ? Thank you to whomever posted the links. We actually lost our entire roof in a monsoon in 2018. Those semantics, though …

I have no idea if our trees were causing his pool problems or not, to be honest. I took his word for it, as a good neighbor. Same with the wall. I can only see my side of it…

And with regard to trimming of his tree on my side - to be honest, I'm afraid it will kill his tree. It's not very healthy, has dead spots throughout. I don't want that to cause a problem.

I'm unsure why an assumption of my character is relevant. I was genuinely asking for advice with regard to the verbal agreement.

I am comfortable informing Neighbor that I will no longer be landscaping my backyard to his specifications. I liked the trees the way they were when we bought the house. I was curious as to the validity of the verbal agreement.

I appreciate your reply.

What kind of tree is it your trimming? I ask because our home had oleander and they killed our wall with their invasive roots.

 

[justblue]

Thank you.

You're welcome. I moved to Nevada from Mass and was shocked by the monsoons ...not what I expected when I moved to Mojave desert...lol. One night it was so bad there was a small river running through the apartment complex parking lot and a tree went down on the carport. Carport landed on our 2 week old SUV purchased when we left Massachusetts two weeks before.

Truly amazing is the neighbors wandering out side during this storm with very small children to check out the damages. 70/80 mile an hour winds, lightening and tree branches blowing around and there are the idiot parents taking the toddlers out. smh.

 

[neighborprobz]

What kind of tree is it your trimming? I ask because our home had oleander and they killed our wall with their invasive roots.

Great question!

I believe they are Florida Aspens.

And, to your point, oleanders are incredibly destructive!

 

[neighborprobz]

Hi there!

How long is a verbal agreement between neighbors valid?

My husband and I own an older home in a neighborhood with no HOA (CC&Rs not applicable for this issue). We purchased the property approx 5 years ago. Our next door neighbor has owned his property for the better part of 30 years.

For the first 2 years, every time we were outside, Neighbor would complain our trees were littering in his pool and ruining his block wall (yes, "his"). 3 years ago, Neighbor approached us asking if we would remove the trees. We told him that if he wanted the trees removed that badly, he would need to pay for it.

The trees have made their way into the leech fields in all of our yards and still grow without any watering! So, my husband has been trimming them in a "bush" form, to keep them at the 6' height of the wall.

Neighbor has a very ugly, very overgrown pine tree that, my our estimation, hangs ~50% into our yard. It litters, especially during monsoon. We have a pool, as well. We had to replace our pump and impeller last year due to pine needles. We have asked him innumerable times to trim his tree and he has never, in 5 years, made an effort to do so.

So, here we are. We made a verbal agreement to keep our trees trimmed, and have maintained them beautifully for 3 years, for his benefit. He has made no attempt to trim his tree. What happens if we just stop trimming ours? How long is our "word" valid?

Appreciate any and all input!

-Neighborprobz

Leach* field ‍

As opposed to a field of leeches…. Auto correct, amiright?