This is one of the most common calls we get about someone else's tree. Usually it isn't really a tree question. It's a neighbor question. Somebody's pecan hangs over somebody else's fence. It's dropping limbs on a shed, clogging the gutters, shading out a garden. And nobody wants to be the bad guy.
You can trim what's on your side
In Texas, the rule is simple: you are allowed to cut branches and roots back to the property line, on your own side, at your own expense. You don't need permission to touch your side of the line.
You don't get to cross the line. Climbing over the fence with a saw to reach the far side of the canopy is trespass in Texas. Stay on your side. If the property line is unclear, a survey costs less than the argument.
Here is the part people miss: don't kill the tree. You can trim your side, but if you cut so much that the neighbor's tree dies, you can owe them the value of the tree. A mature pecan or live oak appraises for real money. Cut clean, cut conservatively, and keep it to what actually bothers you.
Overhang alone usually won't force a removal
Branches hanging over your yard, on their own, generally aren't enough to make a neighbor take their tree down. In Texas, overhang is treated as your problem to trim, not theirs to fix. That frustrates people, but it's the reality.
What changes the conversation is real damage. Limbs dropping on your roof. Roots heaving your driveway. A dead trunk leaning at your fence. When there's actual damage, you have something to talk about and something to document. Our guide to roots vs. foundations and driveways covers the damage side in detail.
When the roots are doing the damage
Roots don't respect property lines, and the worst root damage usually shows up under driveways and sewer lines. If the tree belongs to the neighbor, start with evidence. Photos with dates. The lifted panels. The plumber's camera footage.
On your side, you can cut the roots at the line and have a root barrier installed while the concrete crew is out there. Keep every receipt. Then talk to the neighbor with the photos in hand, before you talk about money. Plenty of neighbors split the cost of a shared-line trim once they see what the roots are doing.
If your sewer line is the victim, call the plumber first. A camera inspection tells you exactly where the intrusion is, and that footage settles arguments faster than opinions.
The dead tree letter
This is the one situation where paperwork genuinely matters. If the neighbor's tree is clearly dead or dying and leaning toward your house, write them a letter. Certified mail. Photos attached. Keep a copy.
A landowner who knows about a hazard and does nothing about it is in a much worse spot if that tree comes down on your roof. The letter isn't a threat. It's notice. Send it before the storm, not after. If you're unsure whether the tree qualifies as dead, our guide on telling a dead tree from a dormant one walks through the signs.
If they ignore the letter, you still have the right to trim everything on your side, and you have a paper trail that says you warned them. Talk to an attorney if the tree is an emergency and the neighbor won't act. That's legal territory, not tree territory.
Talk before you cut
Knock on the door before you hire a crew. Most of these disputes end in one conversation. Explain the plan, show them what you're cutting, and ask if they want to split the cost of doing the whole tree at once. Half the time they say yes, because their side needed it too.
If your neighborhood has an HOA, check their rules first. Some HOAs require approval for removals or have tree-protection language. Our HOA tree rules guide covers what North Texas HOAs actually control.
If power lines run through the tree, stop. Nobody touches limbs near power lines except the utility company. Call them. We don't do line work, your neighbor's handyman shouldn't either, and the utility trims for free.
What we actually do on these jobs
We get called into neighbor-tree jobs a few times a month. Here's how we run them: we trim to the property line, haul everything from your side, and give you dated photos of the work. We don't touch the neighbor's side without their permission, in writing or in person.
If both neighbors want it handled, we do the whole tree in one visit and split the invoice. That's the cleanest way these jobs go. One crew, one visit, everybody happy.
And if you're not sure where you stand (a dead tree, a leaning trunk, roots under the slab), start with the free tree risk check. We'll tell you straight whether it's urgent or not.
Common Questions
Can I cut my neighbor's tree back to the fence line?
Yes. In Texas you can trim branches and roots up to the property line, on your side, at your own expense. Don't cross the line, and don't cut so much the tree dies. If your trimming kills it, you can owe the neighbor the tree's value. When the line is unclear, get a survey first.
The neighbor's roots cracked my driveway. Who pays?
Generally, repairs on your property are your cost. You can cut the roots at the line, and plenty of neighbors split the price of a shared-line trim once they see the damage. Document everything with dated photos and keep your receipts.
The tree next door is dead and leaning toward my house. What do I do?
Put the neighbor on notice in writing before anything falls: a certified letter with photos attached, and keep a copy for yourself. Then trim everything on your side of the line. Written notice before the storm matters a lot more than a conversation after it.
Do I have to warn my neighbor before I trim?
Texas doesn't require it for cutting on your side of the property line, but knocking on the door first prevents most disputes. Never go onto their property to cut without permission. That is trespass, even with good intentions.