Terms and Conditions for Tree Surgeons Westminster

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which Tree Surgeons Westminster provides professional tree surgery, arboricultural maintenance, and related outdoor services to residential and commercial clients. By requesting a quotation, making a booking, or accepting work from us, you agree to these terms. They are designed to ensure clarity, fairness, and compliance with UK law. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions affects your statutory rights as a consumer where applicable.

For the purposes of this document, references to “we”, “us”, and “our” mean the service provider, and references to “you” and “your” mean the customer, property owner, or authorised representative requesting the service. These terms apply to all work undertaken by our tree surgeons in Westminster and surrounding areas unless otherwise agreed in writing. If any part of the agreement is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply.

Our services may include tree pruning, crown reduction, deadwood removal, stump grinding, hedge maintenance, emergency tree work, site clearance, and associated arboricultural operations. Each job is assessed individually because conditions, access, species, size, and risk can vary significantly. As a result, a quotation or estimate should not be interpreted as a fixed promise until the scope of work is confirmed and accepted.

1. Booking Process

Making a Booking

Bookings are usually made after an initial enquiry and, where needed, a site assessment. When you contact us, we may ask for details such as the location, the nature of the tree work, access restrictions, and any known hazards. Based on the information provided, we may issue an indicative estimate or arrange a visit for a more accurate quotation. If the work requires permissions, such as local authority consent or evidence of tree protection status, you are responsible for confirming that the work may lawfully proceed.

A booking is only confirmed when you accept our quotation and we acknowledge the booking in writing, by email, or through another recorded method. Acceptance of a quotation means you agree to the scope of work described, any stated exclusions, and the relevant price basis. If the site conditions differ materially from the information originally supplied, we may need to revise the quotation or reschedule the work. We will make reasonable efforts to communicate any changes before commencing.

Where possible, we will provide an estimated date or time window for attendance. However, all dates are subject to weather, equipment availability, workforce scheduling, access issues, and any legal or safety restrictions. Tree surgery can be affected by wind, rain, ice, nesting birds, unstable ground, and other factors beyond our control. If we are unable to attend on the planned date, we will arrange a new appointment as soon as reasonably practicable.

2. Customer Responsibilities

You must ensure that we have safe and reasonable access to the site and that any relevant occupiers, tenants, neighbours, or managing agents are aware of the works if required. You must also disclose known hazards, including underground services, fragile surfaces, hidden structures, aggressive wildlife, or contaminated waste. If the property is rented or jointly owned, you must confirm that you have the authority to authorise the work. Failure to do so may result in cancellation charges or additional costs.

Payments

Unless otherwise agreed, invoices are issued upon completion of the work or, for larger projects, in stages corresponding to milestones or labour phases. Payment terms will be stated on the quotation or invoice. We may require a deposit for bookings involving special equipment, traffic management, major removals, or advance material costs. Deposits are usually non-refundable except where we cancel the booking or where refund rights arise under law.

All prices are quoted in pounds sterling and may be subject to VAT where applicable. Our quotations are based on the scope of work described and the assumptions made at the time of pricing. If additional work becomes necessary due to hidden defects, unsafe conditions, or changes requested by you, this will normally be charged as an extra. We will seek approval before carrying out any material additional work unless urgent action is required for safety.

3. Late Payment

If payment is not made by the due date, we may charge interest on overdue sums at the statutory rate permitted under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts legislation, where applicable. We also reserve the right to recover reasonable costs incurred in pursuing unpaid invoices, including administrative or legal costs. In addition, we may suspend further work, withhold certificates or documentation not yet due for release, and cancel future bookings until the account is settled.

4. Cancellations and Rescheduling

Customer Cancellations

If you wish to cancel or reschedule a booking, you must notify us as soon as possible. Where cancellation occurs after we have reserved time, arranged personnel, hired machinery, ordered materials, or incurred other costs, we may charge a reasonable cancellation fee reflecting our losses. For bookings made at short notice, the fee may be a significant proportion of the agreed price if we are unable to reallocate the appointment.

If you are a consumer and the contract was entered into away from our business premises or by distance communication, you may have certain cancellation rights under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, subject to the usual exemptions. If you ask us to start work within any statutory cooling-off period, you may lose the right to cancel once the service has been fully performed and may be liable for the proportion of work completed. We will, where relevant, provide the required information before work begins.

We may cancel or postpone a booking if weather, access, safety, or regulatory issues make the work impracticable or unsafe. We may also cancel if you fail to provide access, do not secure required permissions, or have not made necessary safety arrangements. In such cases, we will use reasonable efforts to agree a new date, but we are not responsible for losses arising from delay where the cause is outside our control.

5. Liability and Limitation

We will perform our services with reasonable care and skill in accordance with the expected standards of a competent tree surgery service in Westminster. However, tree work involves inherent risks, including the possibility of branch failure, root disturbance, hidden decay, or changes in tree stability following pruning or removal. No assessment can guarantee that a tree will not decline, fail, or reveal latent defects after work has been completed. You acknowledge that recommendations are based on visual inspection and professional judgement unless otherwise stated.

We are not liable for pre-existing defects, structural weaknesses, subsurface conditions, or damage caused by information withheld or inaccurately provided by you. We are also not responsible for damage to underground or concealed services unless the location and nature of those services were clearly identified and we failed to take reasonable care. You should ensure that any such services are marked, disclosed, or otherwise protected before work begins. Where specialist surveys are required, these are your responsibility unless included in our quotation.

6. Our Responsibility for Loss or Damage

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 English law. Subject to that, our total liability for any claim arising out of or in connection with the services will be limited to the amount paid or payable for the relevant job, or such other amount as may be agreed in writing. We will not be liable for indirect, consequential, or purely economic losses such as loss of profit, loss of business, or loss of enjoyment.

Waste Regulations and Site Clearance

As part of our service, we may generate green waste, timber, stumps, soil, or mixed debris. Waste handling is carried out in accordance with relevant UK waste legislation, including the duty of care requirements under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and associated regulations. We will transport, store, and dispose of waste only through lawful and appropriate channels. Where we manage waste on your behalf, the material remains under our control until it is transferred to an authorised facility or handler, unless otherwise agreed.

If the quotation includes waste removal, the scope will usually specify whether all arisings are to be removed or whether timber, logs, or woodchip are to be left on site. If you request that materials remain at the property, they become your responsibility once left in a safe and agreed location. You must not instruct us to dispose of controlled waste unlawfully, and you must not ask us to burn or abandon waste in a manner that breaches environmental rules. Any requested deviation from lawful disposal may result in refusal of the instruction.

Should hazardous or unexpected materials be discovered during the works, including asbestos, chemical contamination, or prohibited waste, we may suspend activity and seek further instructions. Additional charges may apply for safe handling, segregation, or specialist disposal. We reserve the right to record waste transfer details where required by law and to provide documentation supporting lawful disposal if applicable.

7. Access, Health and Safety, and Working Conditions

We reserve the right to refuse or stop work if conditions are unsafe or if required safety measures are not in place. This includes, but is not limited to, the absence of safe access, unstable structures, severe weather, the presence of children or pets in the work area, or interference by third parties. If the work is stopped for safety reasons beyond our control, a call-out fee or partial charge may apply where labour and travel have already been committed.

You are responsible for making reasonable arrangements to protect valuables, fragile items, vehicles, garden furniture, and other property that may be affected by the work. While we will take reasonable care, tree surgery can involve falling debris, sawdust, vibrations, and ground impact. Any special instructions, such as protection of lawns, paving, or adjacent planting, must be agreed in advance and may incur additional cost if they require extra labour or materials.

8. Complaints and Remedies

If you believe the service has not been provided as agreed, you should notify us within a reasonable time after completion so that we can investigate. We may request photographs, access to the site, or other information to assess the issue. Where a genuine fault in workmanship is identified, our remedy may include reattendance, correction of the work, a partial refund, or another appropriate solution, depending on the circumstances and the nature of the claim.

Complaints will be handled in a fair and proportionate manner. However, dissatisfaction with the visual appearance of a tree after lawful pruning does not necessarily indicate a breach of contract, as the outcome of arboricultural work depends on tree form, species, and prior condition. Similarly, we are not responsible for the natural response of a tree to pruning or removal, including seasonal regrowth, sap bleeding, leaf drop, or delayed stress effects.

9. Force Majeure

We will not be liable for failure or delay in performing our obligations where such failure is caused by events beyond our reasonable control. These may include extreme weather, storms, flooding, fire, labour disputes, transport disruption, equipment breakdown, acts of government, public emergencies, or changes in law. If a force majeure event occurs, we will use reasonable efforts to resume services as soon as practicable, but we may need to revise dates, scope, or pricing if the interruption is prolonged.

10. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising from them or their subject matter, are governed by the laws of England and Wales. You and we agree that the courts of England and Wales will have exclusive jurisdiction, except where consumer law provides otherwise. If any dispute cannot be resolved amicably, the parties should first seek to narrow the issues through good-faith communication before commencing formal proceedings.

By proceeding with a booking for tree surgeons Westminster services, you confirm that you have read, understood, and accepted these Terms and Conditions. We recommend that you retain a copy for your records. These terms may be updated from time to time, and the version in force at the time of booking will normally apply to the specific work agreed.