Terms and Conditions for Tree Surgeons Leyton
These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which tree surgery services are provided by Tree Surgeons Leyton to customers in the UK. By booking or accepting any work, you agree to these terms, which are intended to create a clear, fair and practical arrangement for both parties. They apply to domestic and commercial tree services, including pruning, felling, crown reduction, stump removal, hedge maintenance, and associated clearance work. In these terms, references to “we,” “us,” and “our” mean the service provider, and references to “you” mean the customer, property owner, tenant, agent, or other person instructing the work.
These terms are written to reflect standard UK service practice and relevant legal obligations. They should be read together with any written quotation, job confirmation, or site-specific agreement issued before work begins. If there is any inconsistency between these terms and a confirmed written quotation for a particular job, the quotation will normally take priority for that job, but only to the extent of the inconsistency. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights where they apply.
We reserve the right to refuse, pause, or cancel services where it would be unsafe, unlawful, impractical, or outside the scope of our competence. Tree work can involve heavy equipment, falling branches, climbing operations, sharp tools, and unpredictable natural conditions. For that reason, all services are provided subject to site conditions, access, weather, and any required permissions or approvals. Customers are expected to provide accurate information before work is booked and to disclose anything that could affect delivery of the service.
1. Booking Process
A booking request may be made by telephone, email, online enquiry, or any other method we make available from time to time. A booking is not confirmed until we have accepted the request and, where required, issued a quotation or written job confirmation. Any estimate provided before a site visit is provisional unless expressly stated otherwise. We may need to carry out a site assessment to check tree condition, access, waste volume, ground conditions, constraints, and any safety issues before confirming the final price or schedule.
When you make a booking, you must provide accurate and complete information about the property, the trees or vegetation to be worked on, access arrangements, and any known hazards. This includes, where relevant, underground services, overhead cables, protected species, nesting birds, tree preservation orders, conservation area restrictions, boundary disputes, or neighbouring property concerns. Tree Surgeons Leyton will rely on the information you provide, and delays or additional costs caused by incorrect or incomplete information may be charged to you if reasonably incurred.
All dates and times are estimates unless we state otherwise. We will use reasonable efforts to attend on the agreed day, but weather, emergencies, equipment failure, traffic, staff illness, and unforeseen site conditions may require rescheduling. We are not liable for delay where it is caused by factors beyond our reasonable control. If access is restricted when we arrive, or if it becomes unsafe to proceed, the visit may still be chargeable if time, labour, or transport costs have been incurred.
2. Quotations and Scope of Work
Any quotation we issue will describe the work included, the assumptions on which the price is based, and any exclusions. Unless stated otherwise, quotations remain valid for a limited period and may be withdrawn or revised if market prices, access conditions, or job details change. A quotation covers only the work specifically listed. Additional work, including emergency call-outs, extra climbing, traffic management, stump treatment, or waste removal beyond the agreed amount, may be charged separately.
Changes to the scope of work must be agreed in writing where practical, or verbally where necessary on site, before additional work is carried out. If you request alterations during the job, or if we reasonably determine that further work is required for safety or completion, we may adjust the price accordingly. Where a variation is significant, we may suspend work until you confirm that you wish to proceed on the revised basis.
You are responsible for ensuring that you have authority to instruct the work. If you are not the owner, you must make sure that the owner, landlord, management company, or other relevant party has consented where necessary. We may ask for proof of authorisation before starting. We do not accept responsibility for disputes between neighbours, leaseholders, landlords, tenants, or managing agents arising from instructions that appear to have been given without proper authority.
3. Payments
Unless we agree otherwise in writing, payment is due on completion of the work or on the date stated in the invoice. We may request a deposit, part payment in advance, or staged payments for larger or higher-risk projects. Deposits are generally non-refundable except where required by law or where we cancel the service without reasonable cause. For certain works, particularly those requiring specialist equipment, access planning, or third-party costs, payment terms may be set out specifically in the quotation.
We accept payment by the methods we make available from time to time. Any bank charges, card processing fees, or transfer costs imposed by your payment method remain your responsibility unless we state otherwise. If an invoice is not paid by the due date, we may charge interest and recovery costs to the extent permitted by law. We may also suspend further work, withhold the issue of completion documents, or retain ownership of materials or waste pending payment where lawful.
All prices are stated in pounds sterling unless otherwise agreed. Where VAT applies, it will be shown separately or included in the quoted price as indicated. If the job reveals additional costs not reasonably foreseeable at the quotation stage, we will inform you as soon as reasonably practicable. You agree to pay for any agreed variations, extra labour, or disposal charges arising from your instructions, inaccurate information, or conditions that were not reasonably apparent before the work commenced.
4. Cancellations and Rescheduling
You may cancel or reschedule a booking by giving us reasonable notice. If you cancel more than a specified minimum period before the planned attendance, no cancellation fee may be charged unless we have already incurred unrecoverable costs. If you cancel at short notice, fail to provide access, or are not present when your presence is required, we may charge a reasonable cancellation fee to cover allocated labour, travel, administration, and any third-party costs that cannot be recovered.
Where we have ordered materials, hired specialist machinery, arranged subcontractors, or committed staff time specifically for your job, you may be responsible for those costs if the cancellation is late or the job is postponed for reasons within your control. If severe weather, unsafe conditions, legal restrictions, or equipment failure prevent us from attending, we will usually offer an alternative date or a refund of any advance payment not already spent on your behalf. Our aim is to act fairly and proportionately in all cancellation situations.
We may cancel or reschedule a service if there is a serious risk to health and safety, if the required permissions are absent, if site conditions differ materially from those described, or if the work cannot lawfully or practically proceed. We may also cancel if you behave abusively, threaten staff, refuse to cooperate with essential safety instructions, or require work that we reasonably believe to be unsafe or unlawful. In such circumstances, any sums paid for unperformed work will be handled in accordance with applicable law and the circumstances of the cancellation.
5. Health, Safety, and Site Conditions
Tree surgery involves significant risk, and all parties must cooperate to reduce that risk. You must keep the work area clear of people, pets, vehicles, and fragile items unless otherwise agreed. If the site is occupied by children, vulnerable persons, or members of the public, you must take appropriate steps to prevent access to the operating area. We may stop work immediately if we consider conditions to be unsafe or if safety instructions are not followed.
We will use reasonable skill and care, suitable equipment, and industry-appropriate methods. However, trees are living structures and may contain hidden defects, decay, cavities, fungi, deadwood, split limbs, or internal instability that cannot always be identified in advance. As a result, estimates of risk, longevity, or future tree behaviour are provided in good faith but are not guarantees. We do not promise that a tree will remain safe, stable, or free from future defects after treatment.
If, during the work, we discover conditions that materially change the safety or practicality of the job, we may alter the method, pause the work, or recommend additional measures. This may include sectional dismantling instead of straightforward felling, additional rigging, exclusion zones, or emergency action. You agree that safety decisions made by our operatives on site, acting reasonably and in good faith, will be followed where required to protect persons and property.
6. Liability and Limitations
We accept liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, and for any other liability that cannot legally be excluded under UK law. Subject to that, we shall not be responsible for loss or damage arising from inaccurate information supplied by you, hidden site conditions, pre-existing defects, third-party actions, or circumstances beyond our reasonable control. Nothing in these terms limits your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 where those rights apply.
Our liability for direct loss or damage caused by our breach of contract or negligence will be limited to the amount paid or payable for the specific service giving rise to the claim, except where a higher level of liability is required by law. We are not liable for indirect or consequential losses, including loss of profit, loss of enjoyment, loss of opportunity, or business interruption, except where such exclusion is prohibited by law. This limitation is intended to be fair and proportionate to the nature of the work.
Where our work requires access to fences, lawns, drives, roofs, walls, or neighbouring land, we will take reasonable care, but minor disturbance may be unavoidable in tree work. We are not responsible for pre-existing damage, concealed weakness, brittle surfaces, or natural wear and tear. You should notify us of any particular items or surfaces requiring special protection before the job starts. If you ask us to carry out work close to delicate structures, we may require additional precautions and may charge accordingly.
7. Waste, Debris, and Environmental Compliance
Tree surgery often generates branches, timber, foliage, sawdust, stumps, soil, and other green waste. Unless the quotation states otherwise, we will remove and dispose of waste in accordance with applicable waste regulations and accepted environmental practice. Waste removal may be carried out through recycling, composting, chipping, biomass recovery, or lawful disposal routes depending on the material and the facilities available. We reserve the right to retain, process, or separate arisings in the most practical and compliant manner.
Where waste remains on site, you become responsible for its storage, handling, and disposal once the job is complete, unless we have expressly agreed otherwise. You must not treat waste arising from our work as domestic rubbish if it requires specialist handling or disposal. If we are asked to leave timber for firewood, mulch, habitat piles, or similar purposes, the arrangement must be agreed in advance. We do not accept responsibility for how waste is used, stored, or moved after handover.
You acknowledge that certain tree works may be subject to legal controls, including tree preservation orders, conservation area requirements, wildlife protections, or restrictions relating to protected species and nesting birds. We may require proof that the necessary permissions or checks have been carried out before starting work. If the discovery of protected wildlife, nesting activity, or statutory restrictions prevents completion, we may suspend the job until it is lawful to continue. Any additional costs caused by such suspensions may be charged where permitted by law.
8. Customer Responsibilities
To help us perform the service safely and efficiently, you must ensure that the site is ready for work on the agreed date. This includes providing reasonable access, securing pets, removing obstacles where possible, and informing neighbours if access or noise may affect them. You must also tell us about underground pipes, cables, drainage systems, irrigation, fragile services, or hidden hazards that may be affected by cutting, digging, stump grinding, or machinery movement.
You are responsible for any permits, permissions, consents, or notifications required from local authorities, landlords, management companies, freeholders, or neighbours unless we expressly agree to arrange them on your behalf. If the work is delayed because approvals were not obtained, or because a third party objects to access or method, we may charge for wasted attendance or rescheduling costs. Our attendance does not imply that legal permissions have been checked unless we have stated this in writing.
Where your instructions require work near boundaries, shared structures, or adjoining land, you must make sure that any relevant party has been notified where appropriate. We are not responsible for resolving ownership disputes, access disputes, or claims arising from unclear boundaries unless the issue results directly from our negligence. If a dispute prevents completion, we may stop work and invoice for labour and costs already incurred. We will always act reasonably and proportionately if such a situation arises.
9. Governing Law and General Provisions
These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them, shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, except where consumer law gives you the right to bring proceedings elsewhere. If any provision of these terms is found to be unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.
Any failure by us to enforce a provision at any time does not mean we have waived our right to enforce it later. Headings are included for convenience only and do not affect interpretation. References to legislation include any amendment, re-enactment, or replacement of that legislation. We may update these terms from time to time, and the version in force at the time of booking will usually apply unless a later version is agreed in writing.
These terms form part of the agreement between you and Tree Surgeons Leyton together with the quotation, invoice, and any written instructions relating to the job. By proceeding with a booking, you confirm that you have read, understood, and accepted these Terms and Conditions. We aim to provide a professional, careful, and compliant service while maintaining clarity about responsibilities, costs, and legal obligations throughout the work.