Tree Surgeons Erith Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions apply to all services provided by Tree Surgeons Erith and set out the basis on which tree surgery, arboricultural maintenance, and related services are supplied to customers. By requesting a quotation, making a booking, or allowing works to begin, the client agrees to be bound by these terms. The purpose of this page is to make the service relationship clear, fair, and legally workable, while protecting both the customer and the contractor. These terms apply whether the work involves tree felling, pruning, crown reduction, stump removal, hedge maintenance, or the removal and disposal of green waste.

For the avoidance of doubt, references to “we”, “us”, and “our” mean the service provider operating as Tree Surgeons Erith, and references to “you” or “the client” mean the person, business, landlord, managing agent, or other party requesting the services. If a client is acting on behalf of a property owner, landlord, resident management company, or other third party, that client confirms that they have authority to instruct the works. These terms should be read together with any written quotation, estimate, or job specification issued before the works commence. In the event of any inconsistency, the written quotation or agreed scope of work shall take precedence to the extent of that inconsistency.

We may update these terms from time to time. Any changes will not affect a confirmed booking already accepted under an earlier version unless the client agrees otherwise or the change is required by law. If any part of these terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply. The headings are provided for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of the text. These conditions are intended for a service page and not as a guide, marketing statement, or testimonial.

Booking Process

All bookings for tree surgeons in Erith begin with an enquiry and an assessment of the required work. Depending on the nature of the job, we may provide an estimate based on photographs, measurements, previous site information, or a site visit. In many cases, a formal quotation is only possible after we have reviewed the trees, access, location, condition, and any potential constraints such as nearby buildings, fences, power lines, nesting birds, or protected habitats. The client is responsible for giving accurate information when requesting a quotation.

Once a quotation is issued, it will usually remain valid for a stated period. Acceptance of the quotation may be made in writing, by email, by telephone, or by any other method we reasonably accept. A booking is not confirmed until we have accepted the instruction and, where required, received any deposit or advance payment agreed in writing. We reserve the right to refuse or reschedule a booking where weather, access, safety, or legal restrictions make it inappropriate to proceed.

The client must ensure that access to the site is available on the agreed date and time. This includes unlocking gates, removing obstructions, securing pets, and ensuring that vehicles, garden furniture, fragile items, and other valuables are moved where necessary. If we arrive and cannot complete the work due to inadequate access, unsafe conditions, or the absence of required permissions, we may charge a call-out fee or reasonable wasted journey costs. We will always act reasonably and communicate any issues promptly where possible.

Scope of Services and Customer Responsibilities

The exact scope of work will be defined in the quotation or job confirmation. Tree surgery services may include pruning, sectional dismantling, crown lifting, crown thinning, crown reduction, pollarding, hedge cutting, stump grinding, deadwood removal, site clearance, and associated waste collection. Any work not expressly included is excluded unless agreed in writing. If the client requests changes to the original scope during the job, we may revise the price and timing accordingly.

The client is responsible for informing us of any known hazards, legal restrictions, or third-party interests affecting the trees or site. This includes, without limitation, Tree Preservation Orders, conservation area controls, shared boundaries, subsidence claims, nesting birds, bat roost concerns, underground services, and hidden structures such as pipes, cables, irrigation systems, or drains. Tree surgeons work with living materials and natural variation, so outcomes may differ from an approximate visual expectation. We will use reasonable skill and care, but we do not guarantee a specific aesthetic result where the tree’s condition or structure limits what is achievable.

Where the work requires consent from a local authority, freeholder, leaseholder, neighbour, or other third party, the client must obtain such permission before the job begins unless we have explicitly agreed to assist. If legal or administrative permission is required and is not in place, we may suspend the work without liability until the issue is resolved. The client remains responsible for ensuring that the instruction we receive is lawful and properly authorised.

Payments

Our prices may be provided as fixed quotations or estimates. A quotation is based on the information available at the time and assumes that the site conditions, volume of waste, access, and scope of work are as described. If the job changes materially, for example because access proves more difficult than expected or additional waste is generated, we may adjust the price by prior agreement or issue an additional charge that is fair and reasonable. Unless stated otherwise, all prices are quoted in pounds sterling and may be subject to VAT where applicable.

Payment terms will be set out in the quotation or invoice. Unless otherwise agreed, payment is due immediately upon completion of the work or within the period stated on the invoice. We may require a deposit for larger jobs, repeat bookings, urgent attendance, or works involving specialist equipment. Deposits are used to reserve time and resources and may be non-refundable where stated in the quotation, subject always to the client’s statutory rights. We reserve the right to suspend or withhold further services if any invoice remains unpaid.

We accept payment by the methods we specify at the point of booking or invoicing. Late payments may incur interest and recovery costs where permitted by law. If the client is a business, interest may be charged under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 or any equivalent legislation applicable at the time. If the client is a consumer, we will only charge sums permitted by law and by the agreement between the parties. Any fee charged for deposits, cancellations, or additional works will be made clear before or at the time of booking.

Cancellations and Rescheduling

Customers may cancel or request to reschedule a booking, but notice should be given as soon as possible. Cancellations made with reasonable notice may not incur a charge, depending on whether we have already committed labour, equipment, skip hire, traffic management, or waste disposal arrangements. Where significant resources have been reserved, or where the cancellation occurs at short notice, we may retain part or all of the deposit or charge a cancellation fee that reflects our actual loss or reasonable administrative cost.

If we need to reschedule due to weather, safety concerns, equipment failure, staff illness, or legal restrictions, we will aim to provide an alternative date as soon as reasonably possible. Tree work is highly weather-dependent, and we may delay or pause operations in heavy rain, strong wind, ice, lightning, poor light, or any other condition that could compromise safety or quality. We will not be liable for losses arising from rescheduling where the delay is caused by matters outside our reasonable control. However, we will always try to minimise disruption and keep the client informed.

If a client repeatedly postpones a confirmed booking, or fails to provide access after we have arrived, we may treat the booking as cancelled and apply an appropriate charge. Where a booking is cancelled because the client has not provided required permissions, removed an obstruction, or disclosed an important issue that should have been known in advance, the client may be responsible for our wasted costs. Any cancellation charge will be limited to a fair amount and will not exceed what is reasonably necessary to cover losses caused by the cancellation.

Liability and Insurance

We will carry out all agreed work with reasonable skill and care and in accordance with applicable safety standards. Tree surgery involves inherent risks, including falling branches, saw use, debris, stump grinding, and operation of heavy machinery. Although we take precautions to reduce those risks, the client acknowledges that some level of hazard is unavoidable. Our liability is limited to losses directly caused by our negligence, breach of contract, or failure to perform the services with reasonable care and skill. We do not exclude or limit liability where doing so would be unlawful, including liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence.

We are not responsible for pre-existing defects, hidden decay, unstable roots, deadwood, structural weakness, underground defects, or damage that occurs because a tree or branch was already compromised before the work began. Trees are living structures and may react unpredictably to pruning, weather, or environmental stress. While we aim to identify apparent risks during inspection, we cannot be held liable for issues that could not reasonably have been detected from the information and access available. The client should not rely on our attendance as a structural survey or a guarantee of long-term tree stability.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we will not be liable for indirect, consequential, or economic losses such as loss of profit, loss of business opportunity, or loss of enjoyment, unless those losses are directly caused by our breach and are recoverable under law. If property is moved by the client or by others before or after our attendance, we are not responsible for items damaged because they were not properly cleared or protected. Any claim for damage should be notified promptly and in writing so that it can be investigated fairly and, where appropriate, referred to our insurer.

Waste Regulations and Disposal

Tree surgery often produces branches, timber, leaves, woodchip, stump grindings, and other green waste. Unless otherwise agreed, we will remove and dispose of green waste created by the works in accordance with applicable environmental and waste regulations. Waste may be transported, reused, recycled, composted, or disposed of through lawful facilities. Our waste handling practices are intended to comply with relevant duties of care, and we will manage waste in a responsible manner consistent with the service agreed.

The client acknowledges that some materials may need to be left on site if that has been agreed in advance or if site conditions make removal impractical. Where the client requests that timber, woodchip, or arisings remain on site, the client accepts responsibility for their storage and subsequent use after handover. If the client asks us to remove materials that are not part of the original tree work, such as soil, rubble, household waste, contaminated material, or other non-green waste, we may refuse, charge extra, or require special handling in accordance with the law.

The client must not ask us to dispose of waste unlawfully, and we reserve the right to stop work if we believe a request would breach environmental, transport, or waste management regulations. Where a waste transfer note, record, or other document is needed, we may supply one where required by law or good practice. By agreeing to these terms, the client confirms that they understand waste remains subject to legal controls even after it has been removed from the site.

Health, Safety, and Site Conditions

We may refuse or postpone work if site conditions are unsafe or if the job cannot be carried out responsibly. This includes situations where weather conditions, unstable trees, concealed hazards, aggressive animals, nearby traffic, or incomplete preparation make the task dangerous. Our team may make temporary arrangements such as isolating an area, asking the client to move vehicles, or suspending work until a hazard is addressed. The client must cooperate with any reasonable safety instruction given by our operatives.

We may use climbing equipment, ladders, cranes, chainsaws, stump grinders, chippers, and other specialist tools. The client must keep children, pets, visitors, and unauthorised persons away from the work area. We are not liable for injury or damage resulting from the client’s failure to observe safety barriers, warnings, or reasonable instructions. If the client or a third party interferes with the work, we may cease operations until it is safe to continue, and any delay costs may be charged where appropriate.

Guarantees and Complaints

Unless expressly stated in writing, our services are provided on an “as carried out” basis and do not include a guarantee that a tree will not regrow, decline, or be affected by future weather, disease, or environmental conditions. Natural variation means that pruning results may change over time. If the client believes there is a problem with the quality of the work, they should notify us within a reasonable time so that we can inspect the issue and determine whether a remedy is appropriate. Any remedy may include re-attendance, rectification, or a partial refund where justified by the circumstances.

We will consider all complaints fairly and in good faith. However, we will not be responsible for dissatisfaction arising from a change in the client’s preferences after the work has been completed to the agreed specification. If a dispute cannot be resolved informally, the parties should first attempt to settle it through written correspondence and reasonable discussion before beginning formal proceedings. This does not affect either party’s right to seek legal remedies where necessary.

Data, Subcontractors, and General Provisions

We may keep records of quotations, site notes, invoices, images, and correspondence for business, legal, insurance, and tax purposes. Personal data will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection laws. We may engage suitably qualified subcontractors or associated operatives to carry out all or part of the work, provided that the standard of service remains consistent with the agreed scope. Any subcontractor we use will be selected with reasonable care.

If any delay or failure to perform arises from an event beyond our reasonable control, including severe weather, transport disruption, accident, fire, equipment breakdown, strike, utility failure, or changes in law, we will not be in breach for the period of that delay. If such an event continues for a prolonged period, either party may discuss postponement or termination of the affected booking without penalty, subject to the work already completed and costs already reasonably incurred.

These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire agreement between the parties in relation to the services supplied, except where amended in writing. No person other than the client and us has any right to enforce these terms under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 unless expressly stated otherwise. If we do not exercise a right immediately, that does not mean we have waived it. Any waiver must be in writing to be effective.

Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising from or in connection with them, shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The parties agree that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, except where mandatory consumer law provides otherwise. This clause applies to all services supplied by Tree Surgeons Erith, whether the work is domestic, commercial, or otherwise arranged.

By booking our services, the client confirms that they have read, understood, and accepted these conditions. If any provision appears unclear, the client should seek clarification before work begins. Once a booking is confirmed, the agreement becomes binding subject to these terms, the quoted scope of work, and any applicable law. Tree Surgery Erith services are delivered on the basis of transparency, safety, and lawful practice, and these Terms and Conditions are intended to reflect that standard.