Tree Surgeons Dalston Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which Tree Surgeons Dalston provides tree surgery, arboricultural, and related site services to domestic and commercial customers in the UK. By requesting a quotation, making a booking, or allowing work to begin, the customer agrees to these terms. They are designed to create clarity around the booking process, payments, cancellations, liability, waste handling, and the legal framework that applies to our services. In these Terms, references to “we”, “us”, and “our” mean the service provider, and references to “you” and “your” mean the customer or person authorising the work.

Our services may include tree pruning, crown reduction, crown lifting, felling, stump treatment, site clearance, emergency tree work, hedge cutting, deadwood removal, and related arboricultural tasks. The exact scope of work will be described in the quotation, estimate, or written confirmation. If there is any conflict between a quotation and these Terms, the quotation will prevail only to the extent that it expressly changes a point in these Terms. All other terms remain in force. These Terms are intended for general service use and should be read carefully before work is accepted.

Any reference to “tree surgeons” or “tree surgery services” in this document includes our team, subcontractors where permitted, and anyone acting on our behalf. You should not assume that a verbal discussion changes these Terms unless we confirm it in writing. We reserve the right to refuse or withdraw from a booking where the site conditions, access, legal restrictions, or safety concerns make the work unreasonable or unsafe.

1. Booking Process

Booking may begin with an enquiry, site visit, or request for a written estimate. For many jobs, especially those involving larger trees, restricted access, or higher risk, a site assessment may be required before final pricing is confirmed. Any survey or inspection is carried out to help us understand the work required; it is not a guarantee that every hidden issue will be identified, especially where defects are concealed by foliage, decay, structures, or weather conditions. A booking is only confirmed when we have accepted the job and, where relevant, you have approved the quotation or paid any required deposit.

You are responsible for providing accurate information when booking tree surgeon services, including the location, access arrangements, known hazards, protected trees, utility proximity, and any relevant ownership or consent issues. If you are booking on behalf of a landlord, managing agent, business, or other owner, you must ensure that you have authority to instruct the work. We may ask for written confirmation of ownership, permission, or site access before attending. If the information provided is incomplete or inaccurate, we may need to amend the quotation, reschedule, or decline the job.

2. Quotation and Scope of Work

Quotations are based on the information available at the time they are issued. Unless stated otherwise, prices assume normal working conditions, clear access, and standard disposal of arisings. If conditions differ from those described, the final cost may change. Examples include hidden structural defects, unstable ground, obstructed access, additional waste volumes, extra staffing requirements, or the need for specialist equipment. Where a material change is discovered before or during the work, we will discuss the position with you before proceeding where reasonably practicable.

The scope of work should be checked carefully before acceptance. A standard tree surgery quotation may not include permissions, council approvals, traffic management, ecological surveys, or work outside the written brief. If you want additional tasks included, these must be agreed in advance. We may also identify work that we consider necessary for safety or compliance, but which is outside the original scope. In such cases, any extra work will only be undertaken if agreed by you and, where possible, confirmed in writing.

3. Payment Terms

Unless otherwise agreed, payment is due in full upon completion of the work and receipt of an invoice. We may require a deposit for larger projects, urgent bookings, or work that involves reserving equipment, labour, or waste disposal resources in advance. Deposits are normally non-refundable except where we cancel the job without cause or where the law requires otherwise. If staged payments are agreed, each stage becomes payable once that stage is completed, regardless of whether the whole project has been finalised.

Accepted payment methods may include bank transfer, card payment, or other methods that we confirm in writing. Cheques, cash, or alternative methods may be refused at our discretion. Late payments may incur interest and recovery costs to the extent permitted by law. If payment is overdue, we may suspend further work, withhold completion documentation, and recover any reasonably incurred collection expenses. Title to any materials supplied by us, where applicable, does not pass until payment has been received in full.

Prices are normally stated exclusive of VAT unless we say otherwise. If VAT applies, it will be shown on the invoice at the applicable rate. Any estimate of time or cost is subject to the actual conditions encountered on site. We are not responsible for delay or additional charges caused by missing permissions, site restrictions, or inaccurate information provided by the customer.

4. Cancellations, Rescheduling, and Delays

You may cancel or rearrange a booking, but we ask for reasonable notice. Where a booking is cancelled after labour, equipment, waste arrangements, or specialist resources have been committed, we may charge a cancellation fee that reflects our losses and administrative costs. If a deposit has been paid, we may retain part or all of it to cover costs already incurred. Any charge will be fair and proportionate and will not exceed what is permitted by law.

We may need to reschedule due to weather, safety concerns, access problems, machinery failure, staff illness, or circumstances beyond our control. Tree surgery often depends on safe conditions, and we reserve the right to delay or pause work where wind, rain, frost, lightning risk, unstable trees, or other hazards make progress unsafe. In those situations, we will try to agree a new date as soon as reasonably possible. We are not liable for indirect losses caused by such unavoidable delays, provided we act reasonably.

Where you are not present and access has been arranged, you should ensure that gates are unlocked, vehicles are moved, and the work area is available at the agreed time. If we attend site and are unable to carry out the work because access is blocked, permissions are missing, or conditions are unsafe, we may charge for wasted attendance time and associated costs.

5. Customer Responsibilities

You must ensure that the site is reasonably safe and that we are informed about any hazards before work begins. This includes underground services, overhead lines, fragile structures, hidden drains, nesting wildlife, contaminated land, or any other factor that may affect the work. You are also responsible for removing or protecting valuables, garden items, ornaments, vehicles, and anything else that may be damaged by normal arboricultural operations. We will take reasonable care, but we cannot accept responsibility for items left in the work area contrary to our instructions.

You must obtain any necessary permissions unless we have agreed in writing to do so as part of our service. Some trees may be subject to tree preservation controls, conservation area restrictions, lease conditions, covenants, or other legal constraints. If approvals are required, work must not begin until the necessary consent is in place. If you instruct us to proceed without such permission, you accept responsibility for the consequences and for any resulting delay, penalty, or enforcement action, except where the law says otherwise.

6. Waste Removal and Environmental Compliance

All green waste, timber, branches, sawdust, stumps, and related arisings will be handled in accordance with applicable UK waste regulations and environmental duties. Unless agreed otherwise, waste produced by the work will be removed from site and taken to a licensed or otherwise authorised facility. We may sort, chip, compost, recycle, re-use, or dispose of material as appropriate and lawful. The customer has no automatic right to keep waste unless this is expressly agreed before the job begins.

If you ask us to leave timber, logs, mulch, or arisings on site, this must be agreed in advance. Any waste left on site becomes your responsibility once it has been accepted in the agreed location, unless we have not complied with the agreed arrangement. We are not responsible for how third parties later use, move, store, or dispose of materials once they have been lawfully handed over. Where waste transfer paperwork or similar records are required, we may complete and retain them in accordance with legal obligations.

We take reasonable steps to prevent illegal disposal, fly-tipping, and contamination. You must not ask us to dispose of hazardous, clinical, chemical, asbestos-related, or otherwise controlled waste unless we have expressly agreed and are properly licensed or authorised to do so. If unexpected contaminated material is discovered, the work may be paused until the issue has been assessed and the lawful disposal route confirmed. Any extra costs arising from unusual waste streams or disposal requirements may be added to the final invoice.

7. Liability and Risk

We will carry out our services with reasonable care and skill and in accordance with generally accepted arboricultural practice. However, tree work carries inherent risks, particularly where trees are decayed, structurally compromised, overgrown, or affected by weather. Some outcomes cannot be guaranteed, including the future condition of a tree, regrowth patterns, or how a remaining stem or root system will respond over time. Unless expressly agreed, our work does not include long-term health warranties for living trees.

We are not liable for loss or damage caused by factors outside our control, including concealed defects, severe weather, ground movement, third-party interference, pre-existing damage, or inaccurate instructions. Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under UK law. Where liability is established, our responsibility will be limited to the value of the affected work or the amount recoverable under our insurance, whichever is appropriate and lawful.

If damage occurs and you believe we may be responsible, you must notify us as soon as reasonably possible and allow us a chance to inspect the issue before repairs are carried out. You should take reasonable steps to reduce any further loss. We will not be responsible for special, indirect, or consequential losses such as lost profits, loss of opportunity, or inconvenience, except where the law states otherwise. Any claim must be supported by evidence and reported promptly.

8. Variations, Access, and Site Conditions

If site conditions differ from those reasonably expected, we may need to vary the method, timing, or price of the tree surgery work. Examples include restricted vehicle access, soft ground, parked cars, overhanging obstacles, bee or wasp activity, nesting birds, or unexpectedly large volumes of material. We may also decide that the safest method is different from the method originally discussed. Where a change is significant, we will seek your agreement before proceeding, unless immediate action is needed to prevent harm or serious loss.

We may rely on subcontractors or specialist partners to perform part of the work, provided they are suitably competent and the service outcome remains consistent with the booking. We may also bring additional equipment or crew members where required for efficiency or safety. These operational decisions do not alter the customer’s responsibilities under these Terms. Any estimate of completion time is approximate only and may be affected by weather, access, or the amount of material encountered.

9. Insurance and Evidence

We maintain insurance cover that is appropriate for the nature of the services we provide, subject to the policy terms and any exclusions. Insurance does not remove your obligations under these Terms, and it does not cover losses caused by matters that are your responsibility. If you believe an incident has occurred, you should retain relevant evidence, such as photographs, site notes, or witness details, and notify us promptly so that the matter can be investigated in a fair and orderly way.

Any documents, reports, photographs, or written observations produced by us in connection with a booking are for the purpose of the agreed service only. They should not be treated as a structural engineering report, legal opinion, or guarantee of tree stability unless expressly stated. Where we provide advice about general tree care, risk, or possible future work, that advice is based on the conditions observed at the time and may need reassessment later. You remain responsible for obtaining independent specialist advice where needed.

10. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising from them or the services provided under them, are governed by the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales will have exclusive jurisdiction, unless another mandatory legal forum applies. If any part of these Terms is found to be unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable, that part will be severed to the extent necessary and the remaining provisions will continue in full force. No failure or delay by us in enforcing any right shall be treated as a waiver of that right.

Nothing in these Terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer where those rights apply. If you are contracting as a business, you confirm that you have authority to enter into the agreement and that the services are being purchased for business purposes where relevant. These Terms are intended to be read together with any quotation, invoice, or written specification that forms part of the agreement. Together, they define the basis on which our tree surgeon services are supplied.

By confirming a booking with Tree Surgeons Dalston, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and accepted these Terms and Conditions. If anything is unclear before work begins, it should be raised and resolved in advance. Once the service is underway, continued instruction will be treated as acceptance of the agreed scope, pricing structure, and legal responsibilities set out in this document.