Cloppy

If it's eventually decided that the tree doesn't need to come down, I will definitely be getting the branches pruned. (Unfortunately most of the branches that have come off so far have swung over from his side on the way down and landed in my garden.) I just don't really want to have to pay for that and then find that he's going to have to have it removed anyway. Good shout regarding the railway company, I'm sure they'd have something to say about it!

Last thing I want to do is fall victim to one of these sorts of scams. Although, as it's not my tree I at least wouldn't be the one coughing up the money to fix it!

Thank you all for your replies. I'm glad I'm not going mad and that the tree is indeed an ash! When I last spoke to the owner regarding this, he seemed to think it would be acceptable to deal with it if/when it actually falls. I'll definitely be getting another professional in to have a look at it, and will be contacting the owner with the outcome of that visit, and with photos. I hadn't thought about sending a letter via recorded delivery, so I'll be sure to do that when I next contact him. I'm in Dover, and if a forum member can recommend anyone, I'd appreciate it. I'd rather that than have to pluck a random name out of the Yellow Pages! Again, many thanks for the responses.

Hello all, Could anyone help me with an assessment of the structural integrity of a neighbour's tree? I had a chap round today to have a look at it, and he told me it was a walnut tree and had honey fungus. For this reason, he recommended that the tree was removed. Now, I'm certainly no expert, but I've used online resources to identify the leaves and twigs and I'm pretty sure it's an ash tree, and that it has daldinia concentrica. I'm not sure how tall the tree is, but I'd have a guess at around 60ft or more. The trunk has a diameter of about 80cm (2ft 7inches). On the north side of the trunk, there is wood completely missing in the core 25cm (9 inches) up to a height of about 60cm (2ft), where it appears someone had cut out a small horizontal section as if to stop the problem travelling up/down. The wood is also visibly rotted/rotting above this to a height of 2m (6ft). During the storms in the last few months we had a number of branches fall into our garden, two of which were about 12cm in diameter. Another branch has become detached but is still stuck in the tree. I've spoken to the owner of the tree (the property is rented), and he is unwilling to do anything with it, including getting a professional to have a look (hence I've asked someone myself), or trimming the branches. I also explained that if the tree falls southwards (which seems most likely), it'll damage 3 properties, including my own but (conveniently?) not his. If the tree were to fall westwards, it would cover a railway line. I've attached pictures which show the problems I've described, and labelled what I think I've identified to be daldinia concentrica. I've also labelled some tiny bore holes, but I've no idea about what caused these, or of their relevance. Any advice with this would be greatly appreciated.