We Had A Wind Storm Last Week Here In California Which Blew Palm Tree Branches Into My Neighbors Backyard. He Accused Us Of Throwing Them Over, And Paid To Have Them Hauled Off And Is Now Forwarding The Bill To Us. Are Having To Pay This? We Told Him To Just Throw Them Back Over But He Didn’t.

For context, I live in southern CA, and I live in a non HOA residential area.

A wind storm last week blew branches off of our back corner tree into their yard. I honestly never would have known about it until he came and showed us a photo, and in a passive aggressive way, asked us if we were throwing them over onto his yard. Because “there is no way in hell that they’re just falling off of the tree and landing perfectly in that corner” his words exactly.

No, me and my wife never did that. He has given us issues in the past too and he is getting worse. Today he was in his backyard with his sister getting them piled up into her truck to haul off. He comes over, rings my doorbell again, and hands me a screenshot printout from Google saying we are responsible for paying for Palm fronds that fall onto their yard. My sister who works for the local district attorneys office asked one of her lawyer coworkers who said it is not our fault and we shouldn’t pay.

My wife also texted him at 10:48am to throw them back over if that’s what will make him happy. He and that truck left his property at 11:23am. He had time to throw them back over if he wanted to instead of paying for whatever haul off fee it’ll cost.

Just wondering who is in the right or wrong. I bought the house 5 years ago and yes there are Palm trees back there which I have not trimmed since getting it. I also have neighbors who have trees with branches that land in my yard but I just cut them up and throw them in my trash can and make no fuss