Want to be a good neighbor, trees getting in the way

[malongo]

Recently bought a detached house with my family, nice neighborhood. But even though our neighbors have been really friendly, they've all bugged us about cutting down/trimming our trees. We have a couple of very old and big maples that apparently are an annoyance due to the leaves in fall time, plus some other smaller firs that have branches overhanging our neighbors' property.

So one of our neighbors have asked us nicely if we were going to trim the trees again this spring. We said we didn't have time ourselves or money to pay someone else to do it now, but they could of course just trim any branches over their property and that would be cool with us. This is how it's done where I'm from (you take care of what's on your property, you don't expect others to come over and do it for you), so I thought it was reasonable.

But today I'm doing some yardwork and found piles of branches in our yard. Apparently our neighbors did cut those branches over their property, but then put them into ours. Not exactly what I was expecting, and they've been pretty nice so far so I'm not taking offense... But I do find it strange since they didn't ask us (and we didn't offer) to dispose of the branches ourselves.

Were we being bad neighbors when we said we couldn't trim our trees? Are our neighbors being naughty by dumping the branches they cut into our yard (even though those branches came off of our trees)? I feel like someone here probably did something rude but I honestly don't know who is in the wrong here. If it was us, I want to know so I don't seem rude to our other neighbors too.

I believe we don't have a legal responsibility to trim branches from our trees (they aren't posing a danger, just a possible annoyance), but I could be wrong. Even if I'm right legally, I'm really just concerned with our relationship with the neighbors, which I want to stay positive. How should we/they have behaved differently if we're all trying to be good Finnish neighbors?

[heretostay]

Regardless if I had any legal responsibility or not, if I was friendly with my neighbor and this happened, I would invite them for coffee. Then speak openly and respectfully about it. Asking them about local customs and their expectations for neighbors would likely be appreciated.

[malongo]

Have already reached out, no response yet. Was wondering what was custom here in this situation since I don't really know any Finnish homeowners (other than my neighbors of course).

[betelgeuse]

I believe we don't have a legal responsibility to trim branches from our trees (they aren't posing a danger, just a possible annoyance), but I could be wrong.

Here's the relevant law on branches:

"Se, jolle oman tahi nautintaoikeudella hallitsemansa maan käyttämisessä johtuu haittaa naapurin alueelta tunkeutuvista juurista, olkoon oikeutettu ottamaan ne pois. Sama olkoon laki sieltä ulottuviin oksiin nähden, ellei omistaja kohtuullisessa ajassa siihen kehoituksen saatuaan niitä poista."

https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/1920/19200026#P8

[malongo]

Update: Talked it over with the neighbors. They said the branches are our property so that's why they gave them to us. Makes sense to me now, but never thought of it that way before. They even offered to help take care of getting rid of the waste, but seeing as how it's our property, we'll take care of it.

[SecretCode]

They said the branches are our property so that's why they gave them to us.

I feel like I should have guessed that - it's so obvious and so Finnish - of course the wood belongs to you
In the same way that if the police find underage or other illegal drinking, they empty out the alcohol and give you back the cans / bottles - because they have a deposit value. (I only know this from watching episodes of Poliisit...)

[Upphew]

They said the branches are our property so that's why they gave them to us.

I feel like I should have guessed that - it's so obvious and so Finnish - of course the wood belongs to you
In the same way that if the police find underage or other illegal drinking, they empty out the alcohol and give you back the cans / bottles - because they have a deposit value. (I only know this from watching episodes of Poliisit...)

Oh, back in the day, as in 1990s, our parents were needed in person to say what should be done to the beers I was found with.

[burak25]

I really liked the coffee and explanation idea.
Btw: Those branches can be used for several things so they would have guessed, you might need them.