Tree Surgeons Foresthill – Terms and Conditions for Services

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which Tree Surgeons Foresthill provides tree surgery and related arboricultural services to residential, commercial, and public-sector clients. By making a booking, accepting a quotation, or instructing us to begin work, the customer agrees to be bound by these terms. They are intended to create clarity around the service process, pricing, responsibilities, safety requirements, and legal limits of liability. Please read them carefully before confirming any appointment or work instruction.

“We”, “us”, and “our” refer to Tree Surgeons Foresthill. “You” and “your” refer to the customer, client, landowner, occupier, or authorised representative placing the booking. These terms apply to all services supplied by our tree surgeons, including pruning, crown reduction, felling, stump work, hedge management, storm damage work, and site clearance. Any variation to these terms must be agreed in writing before the work starts.

All work is carried out with reasonable skill and care in accordance with the information available to us at the time of quotation or attendance. Tree surgery involves living assets, changing site conditions, and inherent risk. For that reason, our service descriptions are indicative and may need to be adapted on site where safety, legal, or practical considerations require a different approach. We reserve the right to refuse or pause work if conditions present unacceptable risk.

Booking Process

A booking is usually made following an enquiry and a discussion of the required service. We may request photographs, site notes, access details, tree locations, and any relevant planning or ownership information before providing a quotation. In some cases, a site visit may be necessary. Any estimate given before inspection is based on the details supplied by you and may change if those details are incomplete or inaccurate.

When you accept a quotation, you are requesting us to schedule the works on the proposed date or within the agreed period. Acceptance may be given verbally, by message, by email, or by any other clear instruction. A booking is not confirmed until we acknowledge it. We may ask for a deposit or written acceptance before allocating a team or ordering specialist equipment. The confirmed scope of work will be based on the quotation and any later written amendments.

You are responsible for ensuring that you are authorised to instruct the work. If you are acting on behalf of a landlord, managing agent, business, or local authority, you must have the necessary authority to proceed. If the trees are protected or subject to planning controls, you must inform us before the booking is confirmed. We can carry out the work only if it is lawful to do so and may require evidence of permissions, exemptions, or consent where applicable.

Prices, Estimates, and Payments

Prices are usually quoted as a fixed fee for the agreed scope of work, although some jobs may be charged on a day rate or time-and-materials basis if the work is uncertain or dependent on conditions. Quotations are based on visible tree condition, access, disposal requirements, labour, equipment, and any additional risks identified at the time. Unless stated otherwise, all quotations are valid for a limited period and may be revised if the booking is delayed or the scope changes.

Unless otherwise agreed, payment becomes due on completion of the works. We may require a deposit in advance for larger projects, specialist removals, or bookings involving third-party plant hire, traffic management, or waste handling. Invoices must be paid in full by the due date stated. We accept payment by the methods specified at the time of booking or invoicing. Late payment may result in interest, recovery costs, and suspension of further services where permitted by law.

If additional work is required due to unforeseen conditions, hidden defects, unstable limbs, concealed utilities, extra access requirements, or customer-requested changes, we will notify you as soon as reasonably practicable. Additional charges may apply where extra labour, machinery, or disposal is needed. Where possible, we will seek approval before carrying out chargeable variations. In emergency situations, we may act to protect safety or property and then charge reasonably for the extra work performed.

Cancellations, Rescheduling, and Delays

You may request cancellation or rescheduling of a booking, but charges may apply depending on notice given and costs already incurred. If you cancel with sufficient notice, we will usually try to rearrange the work without penalty. If materials have been ordered, staff have been allocated, or access arrangements have been made, we may charge for wasted time or non-recoverable costs. Any deposit paid may be retained to the extent necessary to cover those costs.

We may also need to cancel or postpone a booking due to weather, unsafe site conditions, equipment failure, illness, traffic disruption, or circumstances beyond our control. Tree surgery can be heavily affected by wind, heavy rain, frost, nesting restrictions, or sudden changes in ground conditions. In such cases, we will seek a new date as soon as reasonably practical. We are not liable for delays caused by events outside our reasonable control, including force majeure events.

If you fail to provide suitable access, a safe working area, accurate instructions, or necessary permissions, we may treat the booking as cancelled by you and charge accordingly. This includes situations where vehicles or machinery cannot reach the site, locked gates prevent entry, services are not isolated where required, or residents, tenants, or neighbours object in a way that makes the work impossible to complete safely. We may leave the site if conditions become unsafe.

Site Access, Safety, and Customer Responsibilities

You must ensure that the site can be accessed safely and that any hazards known to you are disclosed before work begins. This includes underground services, overhead cables, unstable structures, concealed water pipes, aggressive animals, fragile surfaces, boundary disputes, or any other matter that could affect the safety or efficiency of the works. If we are not informed of such matters and loss or delay occurs, we may charge for the resulting additional time and resources.

During the works, you must keep children, pets, visitors, and unauthorised persons away from the work zone. Tree surgery may involve falling timber, chainsaws, stump grinders, rope systems, wood chippers, and elevated work. We may establish exclusion zones and ask that you respect them at all times. If we believe the area is not safe, we may stop work until the risk is removed. Our team’s decision on safety matters is final while the task is underway.

Where applicable, you are responsible for arranging or confirming any permissions relating to boundaries, neighbour access, conservation controls, or shared ownership. We are not responsible for resolving disputes over tree ownership or property boundaries, although we may pause work if such a dispute is likely to create a legal or safety issue. If a customer instructs work on trees that are not theirs or where consent is doubtful, the customer accepts responsibility for the consequences.

Waste Management and Environmental Regulations

Tree surgery generates large volumes of green waste, wood, stump arisings, and sometimes contaminated material. Unless specifically agreed otherwise, waste removal and disposal are included only to the extent stated in the quotation. Waste will be handled in accordance with applicable UK waste legislation and environmental duties. We may transport green waste to licensed facilities, recycle woodchip or timber where appropriate, and separate materials for lawful disposal or recovery.

You should not assume that all waste remains on site unless this has been expressly agreed. If you request that timber, chip, logs, or arisings are left behind, they become your responsibility once deposited in the agreed area, subject to any site limitations or contamination concerns. We reserve the right to remove or refuse to leave waste where it could cause a hazard, obstruct access, breach regulations, or conflict with our environmental obligations.

Any hazardous material encountered during the works, such as evidence of asbestos, chemical contamination, Japanese knotweed, nesting birds, protected species, or unlawful dumping, may require suspension of the job. We are not waste carriers for materials outside the agreed scope unless stated in writing. Customers must not ask us to dispose of restricted or hazardous waste without prior disclosure and agreement. Where required, we will follow lawful handling, segregation, and transfer procedures.

Liability and Limitations

We will carry out services with reasonable care and skill, but tree work carries inherent risk and some outcomes cannot be guaranteed. Trees may contain hidden decay, structural defects, cavities, or root instability not visible before or during the works. We are not liable for failure or movement caused by pre-existing defects, subsurface conditions, storms, or natural changes in tree health, except where such loss is directly caused by our negligence or breach of contract.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for indirect, special, or consequential losses, including loss of profit, loss of enjoyment, business interruption, or loss of amenity. Our total liability for any claim arising from the services shall normally be limited to the amount paid or payable for the specific job in question, except where the law says otherwise. Nothing in these terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded under UK law.

If we damage property while acting with reasonable care, we will assess the matter promptly and, where appropriate, arrange repair, replacement, or compensation in a fair and proportionate manner. You must notify us of any alleged issue as soon as possible and provide reasonable access to inspect the matter. We are not responsible for pre-existing defects, weak structures, old fencing, brittle surfaces, or items left close to the work area unless damage is directly caused by our team.

Guarantees, Outcomes, and Professional Judgement

Where services involve pruning, reduction, reshaping, or clearance, you acknowledge that tree surgery is partly a matter of professional judgement. A living tree may respond in ways that cannot be fully predicted, and regrowth, seasonal changes, or weather events may alter the outcome over time. We do not guarantee the future condition, stability, flowering, fruiting, or appearance of any tree, hedge, or stump unless a specific written guarantee is given.

Our team may adjust the method of work on site if required to protect the tree, nearby property, or operatives. This may include changing the cutting direction, using different access methods, or leaving a section in place for later safe removal. Such decisions are part of our professional service and do not constitute a breach of contract if made reasonably and in good faith. Tree surgeons must often prioritise safety over aesthetics, access, or speed.

If a customer requests work that conflicts with sound arboricultural practice, site safety, or legal obligations, we may decline or modify that instruction. We are not obliged to carry out work that would put people, property, or the environment at unreasonable risk. Any advice given on tree condition, retention, or management is provided in good faith and based on the information available at the time, but it should not be treated as an absolute warranty of future performance.

Complaints and Dispute Handling

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our services, you should notify us promptly so that we can investigate and, where appropriate, attempt to resolve the matter. We may ask for photographs, site access, or a written explanation of the issue. Complaints should be raised within a reasonable time after completion of the works. Delayed notification may make it difficult for us to assess what happened and may affect the outcome of any claim.

We aim to handle disagreements fairly and proportionately. Where a matter can be resolved by revisiting the site, clarifying the scope, or making a minor adjustment, we will try to do so where reasonable. Nothing in these terms prevents either party from seeking legal advice or pursuing a formal claim where necessary. However, both sides should first act reasonably and allow an opportunity for the issue to be reviewed.

Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions, and any non-contractual disputes arising from them, are governed by the laws of England and Wales. By engaging our services, you agree that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute, claim, or legal proceeding connected with the work, except where mandatory law provides otherwise. If any part of these terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force.

Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer where those rights apply. If you are a business customer, you acknowledge that the contract is made on the basis of these terms unless otherwise agreed in writing. Any waiver of a term must be explicit and should not be implied by delay or by a one-off decision not to enforce a clause.

By proceeding with a booking, you confirm that you have read, understood, and accepted these terms. If you do not agree with any part of them, you should not instruct the work to proceed. Tree Surgeons Foresthill may update these terms from time to time, and the version in force at the time of booking will apply unless a later written variation is agreed.