The Punishment in Texas if You Mow Part of Your Neighbor’s Yard

(Lindale, Texas) - A common chore for many of us is mowing our yard. How often we do it varies from person to person. Depending on the amount of rainfall, it could be every couple of weeks that the grass will need to be cut.

We try our best to respect our neighbor's property when cutting the grass. We don't want to blow a bunch of clippings into their yard and we try our best to not cut the grass on their property. But is it illegal in Texas to cut part of the grass in your neighbor's yard?

My Personal Story of Working with a Neighbor

Many years ago, I rented a house in Tyler. On one side was a retaining wall that separated the property from the neighbor. On the other side was a downslope that leveled off onto the neighbor's property. I had a general understanding of where that property line was and would mow accordingly.

One day, me and that neighbor were talking and I brought it up that I hope I wasn't mowing any part of his property. We came to a general understanding of where the line kinda was and as long as each of us stuck to that, we were good. It worked out really, really well. They were good neighbors, too.

Not Every Neighbor is So Agreeable

For some people, however, its not that simple. You may be next to a person who doesn't want you to step a millimeter onto their property, let alone mow any part of that line. But is that neighbor within their right to file charges against you for mowing a couple of inches past the property line?

Well, in Texas, it is illegal to mow a part your neighbor's yard. As absurd as that sounds, it is the case. You can actually be charged with trespassing by doing it (Texas State Law Library).

Can an Agreement be Made?

The neighborly thing to do is to talk with that neighbor just like I did. If you come to a mutual understanding then everything should be just fine. You can also suggest building a fence to separate the properties. If that isn't possible, maybe either you or the neighbor plant a row of shrubs or flowers or some kind of pretty vegetation along the property line to show where one ends and the other begins.

If that neighbor is just dead set on being a horse's butt about it, then a day in court may be the only solution. I hope it doesn't come to that but it may. Keeping our property in good shape is already a big chore, don't make it a bigger headache by being a bad neighbor about it.

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