Georgia (U.S.) law on tree removal?

Question

I've tried to investigate this on my own, but wading through the mountains of incredibly unhelpful governmental sites is, as you might imagine, a bit frustrating; and I'm wondering if anyone out there has already found out, and could save me some time.

Basically, I need to know whether home renters in Georgia are generally considered responsible for the removal of trees that have died on the property during their lease.  My instincts tell me it would be ridiculous to think so, but where laws are concerned, "ridiculous" doesn't preclude anything.

Before you bother, I should point out that the wording of the particular lease in question mentions nothing on the topic either way, so reviewing it would be pointless, and I'd rather not contact the rental agency before gaining independent knowledge on the subject, as it cannot be trusted to provide truthful responses.

footflash1 · Accepted Answer

I don't know about your area specifically (as you say, each government is different). Having said that, it is difficult for me to imagine a situation that a renter would ever be responsible for this, in anyway.  The homeowner still has homeowners insurance (by law he must), and the dead tree imposes a significant liability for him and his insurance company (more importantly).

If I were you, I would send a certified letter to the leasing agency explaining that 1) there is a dead tree on the property that 2) is posing an imminent threat to property and persons in the area. If you get resistance, I would have the neighbors write a similar letter. From that point, you may have some recourse with the local housing board, but at this point all parties have been informed, and you would most certainly be relieved of any liability.

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Georgia (U.S.) law on tree removal?

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