Making sure your trees are safe

Under the Occupiers’ Liability Act, you have a duty of care to make sure that your trees are reasonably safe and do not pose an unnecessary danger to people or property. This applies to you whether you’re a private property owner, rural estate, local authority, school, church or a commercial organisation.

Whether you have a single tree in your garden, trees on the roadside or adjacent to a public right of way, trees overhanging a car park or your neighbour’s roof, I can carry out a detailed inspection of individual trees or a larger number of trees, recording the species, dimensions and life stage, before assessing the tree’s structural and physiological condition and identifying the presence of disease or defects. My report will include a detailed specification of recommended tree surgery works specified in accordance with BS3998:2010 Tree work – Recommendations.

I’ll usually inspect the trees from ground level, however if necessary I will climb them as I’m also a qualified climbing arborist.

My report will enable you to identify management priorities and obtain like-for-like quotations from tree surgeons. As I’m an independent tree consultant with no ties to any tree surgery firm, you’ll find that my reports are very objective and I’ll never recommend unnecessary tree surgery work.