Married Couple Defend Their Property Against Entitled Former Residents Who Insist Family Legacy Tree Is On Their Land

"My husband said I should let them take what they want, it's a legacy, and maybe it's a cultural difference."

May

• Published in Interesting
• June 22, 2024

You own the trees that grow naturally within the boundaries of your property. Despite any persistent claims from former residents, they no longer have any sort of entitlement to property resources.

Unfortunately, some people insist that they still have the right to it. In today's story, a Redditor shares about having trouble with a family legacy tree.

According to the original poster (OP), she and her husband bought their house nearly a decade ago. At the time, they were in a tough spot financially and had to settle for a cheaper option.

The house itself had been neglected for decades, and it showed – plenty of issues and an overall rundown appearance. The previous owners, a large family, had attempted to turn the property into a homestead, introducing all sorts of invasive plants that only added to the mess.

A year ago, the OP and her husband decided to put up a privacy fence, hoping to create some peace and privacy for themselves. That's when things started to get complicated.

The former residents, who had previously asked for cuttings from a beloved mulberry tree on the property, began to show up again. They were now requesting cuttings from a different type of tree, one that the current owners claim was never there during their tenure.

What's more, the OP started noticing that the former owners were using their address for medical purposes, and family members began showing up unannounced, asking for various things.

The OP wasn't having it as she felt uncomfortable with strangers entering their yard, especially when they have dogs. So the OP refused their requests to search for this supposed tree.

Her husband believes it's a matter of cultural legacy and suggested accommodating their requests. However, the OP feels differently, asserting that ownership of the property means having control over who accesses it.

She wonders if she should respect cultural differences and or continue to enforce her own boundaries.

The OP's question:

The OP tells the community that they bought the cheap property many years ago.

It had issues that needed a lot of fixing.

The couple put up a fence. The former residents also asked for tree cuttings in their property.

Recently, these people started showing up again. It's causing a lot of inconvenience to the OP.

The husband believes she should just give in as this might be a cultural thing. But the OP wasn't having it.

The OP has been accommodating enough. If she wants to maintain her boundaries, she is well within her right.

Who knows, the plants could be illegal.

The OP should continue to return the mail to sender.

It's weird that they want to enter the property when it's no longer theirs.

The OP owes these people nothing.

If the OP doesn't want her boundaries breached, that is what she needs to uphold. This is their property now.

If they let these people have their way, it might even set a precedent for further intrusions. It's better for the OP to stop these people now.

Maybe they've eventually got the message.

May