# Questions for my WIP



## pgbthewriter (Oct 10, 2015)

I have a question for my WIP. These are the basic details.


- A family lives in a house; they go away for a month on holidays.
- While they are away on holidays a random person who they don’t know at all calls an arborist to have a large tree cut down in their yard. The arborist meets this person at the house and arranges for this to be cut down.
- The arborist comes and cuts down the tree a few days later. He sends the home owner the invoice.
- The home owner arrives home a few weeks later to find the large tree gone and the invoice.


Now for the questions:
1) Is the home owner liable to pay this invoice?
2) If the person who arranged this is found, what crime could he be charged with?
3) How possible is all of this? Could it happen?


Any feedback would be great.


Paul


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## aj47 (Oct 10, 2015)

1) No.
2) Fraud
3) It might make a good subplot


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## shadowwalker (Oct 11, 2015)

1. No

2. Depends on the jurisdiction. Some states have timber theft laws, wanton destruction of another's property, criminal trespass, etc.

3. Definitely possible. Just one example: http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2015/06/man_didnt_like_trees_brazenly.html. Google "cutting down neighbor's tree without permission" and you'll find a lot of cases (and laws and remedies discussed).


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## Arianna (Oct 12, 2015)

The arborist probably won't agree to cut down the tree without being sure he's dealing with someone who has the authority to order it--especially if he isn't getting paid in full before starting. If it can be shown the tree is a danger to public safety, then he might go ahead and do it without the owner's permission.


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## pgbthewriter (Oct 14, 2015)

Thanks for the feedback, I am just developing the story around it now.


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