Q: I live in a senior community HOA. My neighbor says the roots of my royal palm are lifting her pavers around her pool. The tree, planted by the developer on my property four years ago, is 10 feet from the property line. Since the tree was already mature, I find it unlikely its roots grew fast enough to cause the damage. The neighbor wants me to cover her repair costs. What is my liability? — Gerry

A: Generally, property owners are not responsible for nuisances caused by trees or other vegetation on their property.

The neighboring property owner is allowed to take self-help actions, like trimming roots or branches that encroach, to safeguard their property. The neighbor can do this, at their own expense, but cannot harm the tree itself.

This rule is based on the idea that it is more p

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