Terms and Conditions for Tree Surgeons Putney

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which our tree surgeon services are provided for domestic and commercial customers. By booking or accepting a quotation, the client agrees to be bound by these terms. They are intended to create a clear, fair agreement covering the booking process, payments, cancellations, liability, waste management, and the governing law that applies to all work carried out by our tree surgeons. For the avoidance of doubt, these terms apply to all arboricultural services, including pruning, crown work, removals, stump-related work, and associated site clearance, unless a separate written agreement states otherwise.

We aim to provide a professional service carried out with reasonable care and skill, in line with accepted industry practice and applicable legal requirements. However, tree work is inherently variable. Conditions such as tree species, structural defects, weather, access limitations, underground services, and wildlife considerations may affect the scope, cost, duration, or method of work. Customers should therefore ensure that all information supplied during booking is accurate and complete so that the service can be planned safely and efficiently.

These terms are designed to be interpreted alongside any quotation, estimate, or written specification provided before work begins. If any inconsistency arises, the written quotation or agreed work schedule will normally take priority over these general terms, but only to the extent of the inconsistency. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions affects any rights you may have under UK consumer law where those rights cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

1. Booking Process

A booking is usually made following an initial enquiry and may involve a discussion, photographs, a site visit, or other information gathering to assess the proposed work. We may request details about tree location, access, soil conditions, proximity to structures, the presence of power lines, and any known hazards. Any quotation or estimate is based on the information available at the time. If the site conditions differ materially from what was described, we reserve the right to revise the quotation, the timing, or the method of work before proceeding.

Once a quotation is accepted, the booking becomes provisional until a date is confirmed and any required deposit is received, where applicable. A confirmed booking means we will allocate labour, equipment, and materials for the agreed time. Customers should ensure that they have authority to commission the work, including where the property is jointly owned, leased, managed, or otherwise subject to third-party approval. If permissions, licences, consents, or notices are needed, the customer is responsible for obtaining them unless we agree in writing to assist. This includes, where relevant, planning constraints, tree preservation restrictions, conservation requirements, and landlord or managing-agent approvals.

2. Scope of Services

The scope of work will be defined by the written quotation, job sheet, or agreed email confirmation. Any work not expressly included is excluded unless we agree to vary the scope before or during the appointment. Variations may be necessary where hidden defects, unsafe structures, or changed site conditions are discovered. In such cases, we may pause the work and provide a revised price or revised method statement. Our Tree Surgeons Putney team may refuse to continue if continuing would be unsafe, unlawful, or likely to cause avoidable damage.

Where a customer asks for a particular outcome, we will use reasonable skill and care to achieve it, but natural variation in trees means that exact results cannot always be guaranteed. Living trees respond differently to pruning and other operations, and future growth, weather, pests, disease, and seasonal cycles may affect appearance or performance after the work has been completed. Advice provided by our arboricultural specialists is based on the information available at the time and should not be treated as a guarantee of future condition or stability.

3. Payments

Payment terms will be stated on the quotation or invoice. Unless otherwise agreed, payment is due immediately upon completion of the work. For larger projects, staged payments, deposits, or interim invoices may be required. We may request a deposit to secure a date, to cover mobilisation costs, or to reserve equipment and personnel. Any deposit paid is part-payment and will be deducted from the final invoice unless the booking is cancelled in circumstances where the deposit is retained under these terms.

Invoices must be paid in full by the due date stated. We may accept bank transfer, card payment, or other methods specified in writing. Cash payments, if accepted, should be made against a receipt. If an invoice remains unpaid after the due date, we reserve the right to charge statutory interest and compensation in line with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 where applicable, or otherwise to recover reasonable debt recovery costs. Any bank or transfer charges incurred because of incorrect payment details supplied by the customer may be charged to the customer.

If the work involves a variation requested by the customer, extra time, hire equipment, or additional disposal, these may be charged separately. Where a quotation states that it is subject to survey, access, or final measurement, the final invoice may differ from the estimate to reflect actual labour, materials, and disposal costs. The customer should raise any billing query promptly; however, undisputed sums remain payable by the due date.

4. Cancellations and Rescheduling

Customers may cancel or reschedule a booking, but we ask for reasonable notice. Unless a different notice period is stated in the quotation, cancellations made with less than 48 hours’ notice may result in a cancellation charge, particularly where staff, machinery, or skip/waste services have already been booked. If a deposit has been taken, we may retain all or part of it to reflect administrative time, reserved capacity, and irrecoverable costs. Any cancellation charge will be fair and proportionate to the loss we reasonably incur.

We may also need to reschedule due to weather, safety considerations, staff illness, equipment failure, access issues, or other circumstances beyond our reasonable control. Tree work is highly weather-dependent, and strong winds, heavy rain, ice, thunderstorms, or poor ground conditions may make it unsafe or impractical to proceed. In such cases, we will seek to offer an alternative date. We are not liable for indirect losses arising from a necessary reschedule where the cause is outside our control. If a customer is unavailable on the agreed date, or access is not provided, this may be treated as a late cancellation or wasted attendance.

5. Customer Responsibilities

The customer must provide accurate information and ensure safe, unobstructed access to the site at the agreed time. This includes access for personnel, vehicles, machinery, and waste removal where relevant. The customer should inform us in advance of any known hazards, including concealed drains, fragile surfaces, underground services, protected wildlife, nesting birds, uneven ground, asbestos, unstable structures, pets, or vulnerable items near the work area. If the customer asks us to work near overhead or buried services, we may require evidence that the location has been checked or marked appropriately before proceeding.

The customer is responsible for removing or protecting items that may be damaged by dust, debris, vibration, falling material, or the movement of equipment. We may take reasonable precautions, but we cannot guarantee that lawns, patios, driveways, fence panels, planting, or decorative items will remain entirely unaffected by tree operations. If other contractors are working on the same site, the customer must coordinate the activities so that our work can be completed safely and without interruption.

6. Liability and Limitations

We will carry out our services with reasonable care and skill. If we are found to have failed to do so, our liability will be limited to the reasonable cost of remedying the specific part of the service that was not performed with due care, or to the amount paid for the relevant service, whichever is lower, except where law prevents such limitation. Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

We are not responsible for pre-existing defects, hidden decay, structural instability, subsidence issues, or failures caused by factors outside our control. Trees may contain internal defects that are not visible during inspection. Where work is undertaken on a tree that later develops problems, this does not automatically mean the work was defective. We are also not liable for the consequences of instructions given by the customer against our professional advice, or for outcomes caused by the customer’s failure to maintain the tree or site after our work has been completed.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for indirect, consequential, or economic losses such as loss of profit, loss of business, loss of amenity, or loss arising from third-party claims unless such loss results directly from our negligence and was reasonably foreseeable. Where we are required to attend again to inspect a matter, this does not imply liability unless and until the issue is verified as being caused by our work.

7. Waste Regulations and Site Clearance

All green waste, timber, brushwood, and other arisings generated by the work remain subject to agreed disposal arrangements. Unless specifically stated otherwise, waste removal is included only where mentioned in the quotation. We will manage waste in accordance with applicable UK waste legislation, environmental obligations, and duty of care requirements. This means waste will be handled, transported, and disposed of by appropriate means and only at authorised facilities where necessary. The customer must not request unlawful disposal or the burning of waste on site if this would breach local rules or statutory requirements.

Where waste is left on site at the customer’s request, the customer accepts responsibility for its storage, security, and final disposal from the point of handover. If logs, chip, or timber are retained by the customer, they are accepted as-is and at the customer’s risk once the work is complete. We may separate reusable timber, chip, and green waste unless instructed otherwise. Any contaminated waste, such as material affected by chemicals, disease, invasive species, or other regulated matter, may require special handling and may incur additional charges.

We reserve the right to refuse to remove waste that has not been discussed in advance if it is likely to exceed the agreed volume, be hazardous, or require specialist disposal. Customers should also note that some tree work creates fine debris and sawdust, and while we will normally leave the site in a tidy condition, an entirely dust-free finish cannot be guaranteed. Site clearance will be limited to the areas directly affected by the agreed work unless broader clearance has been included in writing.

8. Access, Delays, and Force Majeure

If we are prevented from working because the site is inaccessible, unsafe, or materially different from the description provided, we may charge for wasted attendance and any additional costs incurred. Examples include blocked driveways, locked gates, unannounced road restrictions, unconfirmed parking access, or the absence of necessary permissions. Where a delay arises from weather or operational constraints, we will try to minimise disruption, but timings are approximate unless a fixed schedule is expressly agreed in writing.

We shall not be in breach of contract or otherwise liable for delay or failure to perform where caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including severe weather, fire, flood, epidemic, strike, civil disturbance, supply shortages, transport disruption, or equipment unavailability despite reasonable maintenance. If such an event continues for an extended period, either party may agree to postpone the work or cancel it without penalty, subject to fair payment for any services already delivered or unavoidable costs already incurred.

9. Complaints and Remedies

If a customer believes there is an issue with the service provided, they should raise it promptly and provide reasonable detail. We may ask for photographs, site notes, or an opportunity to inspect the matter. This helps determine whether the concern relates to our workmanship, a natural characteristic of the tree, pre-existing damage, or subsequent events. If a valid issue attributable to our work is identified, we may offer a suitable remedy such as re-attendance, rectification, or a partial refund, depending on the circumstances and the nature of the issue.

Any complaint must be made within a reasonable time after completion of the work. We are not obliged to remedy damage caused by third parties, adverse weather after completion, inadequate aftercare by the customer, or instructions inconsistent with our advice. Where a complaint is resolved by re-attendance, this does not constitute an admission of wider liability beyond the specific matter addressed.

10. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising from them or in connection with them, are governed by the laws of England and Wales. The parties agree that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any matter that cannot be resolved amicably. If any part of these terms is found to be unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

11. General Provisions

We may update these terms from time to time to reflect changes in law, industry practice, or our service arrangements. The version in force at the time of booking will normally apply to that booking unless a later written variation is agreed. No waiver of any term shall be effective unless made in writing, and any failure to enforce a term on one occasion does not prevent future enforcement. These terms, together with the quotation and any agreed written variations, form the entire agreement between the parties regarding the relevant service.