Terms and Conditions for Tree Surgeons Marylebone
These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which tree surgery services are provided by our team of tree surgeons in Marylebone and surrounding areas. By requesting a quotation, making a booking, or allowing us to carry out works, you agree to be bound by these terms. Please read them carefully before instructing any arboricultural work. They are designed to protect both the customer and the service provider by making the booking process, payment obligations, cancellation rights, liability limits, waste handling, and legal responsibilities clear from the outset.
For the purposes of these Terms, references to “we”, “us”, and “our” mean the tree surgery business providing the service, and references to “you” or “the customer” mean the person, company, property owner, tenant, managing agent, or other party requesting or authorising the work. These terms apply to domestic and commercial customers alike unless a separate written contract states otherwise. If any part of these Terms is inconsistent with a written quotation or agreement signed by both parties, the written agreement will take precedence to the extent of the inconsistency.
We reserve the right to update these Terms from time to time. Any updated version will apply to future bookings and future works only, unless otherwise agreed in writing. No variation of these Terms will be effective unless confirmed by us in writing. Headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation. If any provision is found to be unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force.
Booking Process
A booking is usually made after an initial enquiry, site assessment, or review of photographs and relevant information supplied by you. For many types of arboricultural work, we may need to inspect the tree, access arrangements, surrounding structures, utilities, and any signs of decay, disease, instability, or storm damage before confirming the scope of works. A quotation may be verbal or written, but the final agreed work will normally be confirmed in writing before the job begins. Acceptance of a quote, whether by email, message, signed document, or verbal instruction followed by attendance on site, creates a binding agreement for the specified service.
It is your responsibility to provide accurate information during the booking stage, including the location of the trees, ownership status, any known restrictions, and whether permission from a landlord, freeholder, neighbour, or managing agent is required. If access is limited or if there are underground or overhead hazards, this must be disclosed in advance. We may refuse or delay a booking if we consider that the work cannot be performed safely, lawfully, or without appropriate permission. The customer is also responsible for ensuring that any necessary consents, including planning permission, conservation approval, or other permissions, are obtained before the work starts, unless we have expressly agreed in writing to obtain them on your behalf.
Once a date is agreed, we will aim to attend as scheduled, but all dates are estimates unless specifically stated as fixed appointments. Weather, traffic, supply issues, emergency work, equipment failure, or safety concerns may require us to reschedule. We will use reasonable efforts to notify you of any change. If you ask us to change the date after booking, we may need to offer the next available slot. Where a site is not ready, access is unavailable, or the tree cannot be worked on safely, we may treat the booking as cancelled by the customer and apply reasonable charges under the cancellation section below.
Payments and Pricing
Prices will normally be set out in a quotation or estimate. Unless otherwise stated, quotations are based on the information available at the time and on the assumption that the site conditions, tree conditions, and scope of works remain as described. If additional work is required due to hidden defects, unexpected access problems, emergency requirements, or changes requested by you on the day, we may revise the price accordingly before carrying out the extra work. All prices are quoted in pounds sterling and may be subject to VAT where applicable.
Payment terms will be confirmed in advance. For smaller domestic jobs, payment is commonly due on completion of the work, while larger projects may require a deposit or staged payments. We may ask for full or partial payment in advance to secure the booking, purchase materials, reserve machinery, or allocate staff. Unless otherwise agreed, invoices are payable immediately or within the number of days stated on the invoice. Late payment may result in suspension of further work, the recovery of reasonable debt collection costs, and interest where permitted by law. Any bank charges arising from failed or reversed payments may also be added to your account.
Where a quotation states that waste removal, stump grinding, traffic management, or specialist equipment is included, that inclusion applies only to the items expressly mentioned. Any additional items not included in the written quotation may be charged separately. We recommend that you check the quotation carefully before accepting it. Acceptance of the quote indicates that you understand the scope, price, and any assumptions or exclusions. If the customer is a business, we may require a purchase order reference or other billing information before attendance.
Cancellations, Delays, and Missed Appointments
You may cancel or rearrange a booking by giving reasonable notice. The amount of notice required may depend on the size and nature of the work, whether staff, machinery, or subcontractors have already been allocated, and whether any permits or disposal arrangements have been arranged. If you cancel at short notice, especially after we have reserved time, mobilised equipment, or incurred costs, you may be charged a reasonable cancellation fee to cover lost time and unavoidable expenses. Deposits may be non-refundable where this has been stated in advance or where we have already incurred costs in reliance on your booking.
If we need to cancel or postpone a job due to unsafe conditions, severe weather, illness, equipment breakdown, access issues, or circumstances beyond our control, we will normally offer an alternative date. We will not be liable for indirect losses arising from a reschedule, including loss of use, inconvenience, or business interruption, unless required by law. If you fail to provide access, do not respond to reasonable communications, or are not present when required and attendance is necessary, we may charge a call-out fee or treat the booking as cancelled. In the event of repeated missed appointments, we may refuse further work.
Where work is postponed because conditions on site are materially different from those described at booking, any extra attendance, inspection, or waiting time may be chargeable. This includes, for example, blocked access, parked vehicles preventing safe operations, uncollected utilities information, or refusal of access to agreed work areas. We will always act reasonably and fairly, but our ability to proceed depends on safe, lawful, and practical working conditions. Customers are encouraged to ensure the site is fully prepared before the scheduled arrival time.
Liability and Service Standards
We will carry out tree surgery services with reasonable care and skill, in accordance with accepted arboricultural practice and applicable safety standards. However, tree work is inherently risky and involves natural materials that may behave unpredictably. Unless otherwise agreed, we do not guarantee a particular aesthetic outcome, regrowth pattern, flowering result, or long-term condition of a tree. Some trees may respond to pruning, reduction, or removal work in ways that cannot be fully predicted, even where the service is performed correctly.
Our liability for loss or damage is limited to the extent permitted by law. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded. Subject to that, we shall not be responsible for pre-existing defects, hidden decay, structural weakness, unstable root systems, fallen branches caused by adverse weather after completion, or damage arising from inaccurate information supplied by you. We are also not liable for delays or failure to perform caused by events outside our reasonable control.
Where we remove trees, branches, stumps, or related materials, you acknowledge that natural variation, hidden defects, and site conditions may affect the result. If a tree was already unsafe, diseased, storm-damaged, or structurally compromised, our work may reveal or worsen pre-existing conditions that were not reasonably detectable beforehand. In such cases, we are not responsible for the underlying condition itself. Any advice we provide about tree health, maintenance, or risk is given in good faith based on the information and inspection available at the time, but it should not be treated as a warranty or a substitute for specialist reports unless expressly stated.
Waste Regulations and Site Clearance
All green waste, timber, arisings, soil, and related material will be handled in accordance with applicable waste management laws and environmental duties. Where we remove waste from site, it will be transported, processed, recycled, reused, or disposed of through lawful channels. We aim to maximise recycling where practical, including chipping wood, composting suitable arisings, and diverting material away from landfill where possible. The customer should not remove, burn, or dispose of our work waste unless we have expressly agreed that the material will remain on site or be collected by you.
Unless the quote states otherwise, waste removal may be included only for the material generated by the agreed work. If additional waste is present on site, such as pre-existing garden waste, building rubble, old fencing, concrete, or unrelated debris, we may decline to remove it or may charge extra. Waste left on site by request becomes your responsibility once the work is complete, and you must ensure that any onward storage or disposal complies with environmental and local authority requirements. We do not accept responsibility for waste we are instructed to leave behind after lawful transfer of responsibility has been agreed in writing.
We may be required to keep records relating to waste transfer, load contents, or disposal destination. You agree to provide any information reasonably needed for compliance, including confirmation that you have authority to permit the removal of waste from the property. Where regulated waste is suspected, including diseased plant material, contaminated soil, or material affected by pests, we may apply additional handling requirements or refuse to remove it unless appropriate arrangements are made. Customers must not ask us to undertake any action that would breach environmental law, duty of care requirements, or site-specific rules.
Customer Responsibilities
You must ensure the work area is reasonably accessible and safe, including clearing vehicles, securing pets, and warning occupants of the presence of contractors and machinery. You are responsible for advising us of any known hazards such as hidden drains, overhead cables, fragile surfaces, underground services, nesting wildlife, or contamination. If you are not the legal owner, you must ensure that you have authority to instruct the work. Where a neighbour’s property may be affected by access or overhanging branches, you should take reasonable steps to obtain permission or notify the relevant party if required.
You must not interfere with safe working practices or instruct us to carry out any task that would be unsafe, unlawful, or beyond the agreed scope. Our team may stop work if conditions become dangerous or if new information indicates that continuation would be unsafe. In those circumstances, any time spent on site, inspection work, or partial completion may still be chargeable. You should inspect the completed work promptly and raise any concerns within a reasonable time so they can be reviewed while the site conditions and records are still fresh.
Intellectual Property, Complaints, and Final Provisions
Any written reports, quotes, photographs, diagrams, or assessments we prepare remain our intellectual property unless transferred in writing. You may use them for the purpose for which they were supplied, such as obtaining permissions or recording the scope of works, but you may not reproduce or sell them without permission. If you have a complaint, you should raise it as soon as possible and provide enough detail for us to investigate fairly. We aim to resolve disputes informally where possible and may request photographs, site notes, or an opportunity to revisit the property where appropriate.
These Terms, together with any accepted quotation or written agreement, form the entire agreement between the parties in relation to the relevant service and supersede prior discussions to the extent permitted by law. No person other than the parties to the contract shall have any rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any term of this agreement, unless expressly stated otherwise. A failure or delay by us in enforcing any right does not amount to a waiver of that right.
The contract is governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms, the quotation, or the provision of tree surgery services shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, except where mandatory consumer law provides otherwise. By instructing our tree surgeons Marylebone team, or by accepting a quotation for arboricultural work, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions.