If the tenants get together and tell her the shade was a major reason to rent there,well, money talks.

tj

Scheffleras are pretty notorious for having powerful roots that uplift pavements; at least, the one that is native to Australia is (the "umbrella tree")

Tupidanthus?

I Love it, Love it, Love it!

But unfortunately, I have to say that I have seen the superficial roots of the one in my courtyard raise a 3' concrete paver over 24" within 7 years.

May I suggest instead of removing the tree; excavate against the building's foundation (to the very bottom) and insert steel plating? Nowadays, scrap metal businesses have a ton of it. The question is: Is the expense worth it?

I'm from the old school and adhere to the idea of not severely topping trees; (just an occasional trim)...severe topping seems to make the roots more invasive. ...I'd like to hear other people's opinions, though.

And to the person who thinks they shed too much; I'd rather pick up a handful of large leathery leaves every other day over having to rake or blow thousands of tiny ones. My tree's beauty and shade are worth it to me, but to each their own, no?

Good luck, fellow tree lovers!

It is more likely to damage the sidewalk over a foundation, and if there are no signs of damage up until now, it may not be likely to cause any in future, but they are strongly surface rooting, and they can cause damage. The suggestion to add a root barrier up against the foundation is a practical one, but would involve a lot of digging and there may not be the room if the trunks are really only a foot away from the wall.

I hope your landlord relents, good luck...