he uses it for storage. its actually totally full, stacked top to bottom. but it does not look like any of his property was destroyed. as for the shed, the owner put a new, wooden door on the thing so i assume he going to leave it as is. tenant mentioned to me that having a shed is in his lease. this was part of his rationale for wanting me to get him a new shed. it was two trees growing out of the same root base. im no arborist, but to my untrained eye the tree was healthy. it was fully bushed out with green leaves, there were no rotting areas, no dead branches or limbs breaking off. its not unusual for healthy trees to get blown over in 60 MPH winds.
so i offered to split the cost of a new, comparable shed with the owner. i never stated an amount, but 8x10 steel sheds run for roughly $300 and delivery and install probably be another $300. so in my mind, i knew i was not going to give them more than $300. even though i dont have to give them anything, if thats what it takes to keep the peace with my neighbors than so be it. so yesterday morning the owner shows up at my door with a 2' long stick. he tells me he found this stick behind the shed and its conclusive proof that the tree was rotting. he asks me to come out and take a look behind the shed so i go to his yard and she shows me a 4' limb that is lying behind the shed and says this is further proof. i tell him that a stick laying behind the shed is not proof of anything, but he is convinced. he tells me "look, you're a smart guy, right"? and goes off on how my insurance is trying to "screw" me to which i say "well, someone is certainly trying to screw me", which makes him defensive. then he starts itemizing all the stuff he wants...not just a new shed, but also take-down and removal of the old one, new shelving (the shed has shelves made of 2x4's, which do not even look damaged) and most ridiculous, he wants me to split the cost of the new wooden door that he had installed on the damaged shed. i had only offered to split the cost of a new shed...nothing more. at this point i am so pissed i have to keep my mouth shut or i might go off on him. as im walking away he says he will figure out cost and let me know amount. i cant believe he is still trying to argue with me about the tree when i have already offered to split the cost of a new shed and resolve the issue for his tenant. he won, but he wont let it go. at this point im tempted to tell him to f*** off and that im not giving him one cent, but im going to have some fun instead. im going to offer him $300, but first he needs to send me a written statement acknowledging that i was not negligent in my care for the tree and that neither he nor the tenant ever notified me of any problems. he is a stubborn, old, rich guy who is used to getting his way so this is going to make him mad. if he continues to argue with me i will reduce my offer to $200 and still require the statement. if he argues on that i will entirely pull the offer.
