Terms and Conditions for Tree Surgeons Southwark

These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which tree surgeons in Southwark provide arboricultural services to domestic and commercial customers. By making a booking, accepting a quotation, or allowing work to begin, the customer agrees to be bound by these terms. They are intended to create a fair, clear, and practical framework for the supply of services, including tree pruning, felling, stump work, hedge cutting, emergency call-outs, and related site operations. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer.

The service contract is formed between the customer and the provider once a quotation has been accepted in writing, by email, message, or other recorded method, and a date has been agreed. In some cases, a site inspection may be required before final pricing can be confirmed. Any quotation is based on the information available at the time and may be revised if the scope of work, access conditions, tree condition, or legal requirements differ from the information originally provided. A revised quotation will be issued where necessary before the work proceeds.

All tree surgery services are delivered subject to reasonable availability of staff, machinery, seasonal conditions, and compliance with applicable legislation. We reserve the right to refuse or defer work where the site is unsafe, permissions are missing, or the customer has failed to provide accurate information. These terms apply to all services unless a separate written agreement expressly states otherwise. In the event of any conflict, the specific written agreement will take priority over these standard terms.

Booking Process

To make a booking, the customer must provide accurate details about the property, the trees or vegetation to be managed, the access arrangements, and any known hazards such as overhead utilities, unstable ground, asbestos, or protected habitats. The provider may ask for photographs, maps, or additional information before confirming a date. A booking is not guaranteed until accepted by the provider and, where required, any deposit or advance payment has been received.

Once a booking is accepted, the customer is responsible for ensuring that the site is available on the agreed date and that any necessary permissions have been obtained. This includes, where relevant, permission from landlords, managing agents, neighbours, local authorities, or other third parties. If the work requires consent under tree preservation rules, conservation constraints, lease conditions, or other legal controls, the customer must disclose this before the job starts. The provider may suspend or cancel the booking if required approvals are missing.

On the day of the appointment, the customer or an authorised representative should be available to confirm the scope of work and answer any practical questions. If no one is present, the provider may proceed using the written instructions supplied in advance, provided it is safe and reasonable to do so. The provider is not responsible for misunderstandings caused by vague, incomplete, or changed instructions that were not clearly recorded before the work commenced.

Payments

Prices are normally stated in the quotation and may be inclusive or exclusive of VAT depending on the provider’s tax status, which will be clearly stated if applicable. Unless otherwise agreed, full payment is due immediately upon completion of the work. For larger projects, staged payments or a deposit may be required. Any deposit is used to reserve labour, equipment, and scheduling time and may be non-refundable where stated in the quotation and permitted by law.

Accepted payment methods may include bank transfer, card payment, cash, or another method agreed in writing. The customer must ensure funds are available and that payment is made in full without deduction, set-off, or chargeback unless required by law. If payment is overdue, the provider may charge reasonable late payment interest and recovery costs in accordance with the applicable legislation for business and consumer transactions. Any dispute about an invoice must be raised promptly and in writing.

Cancellations and Rescheduling

The customer may cancel or request to reschedule a booking by giving reasonable notice. Where notice is given before the team has been dispatched and before any non-recoverable costs are incurred, no cancellation charge may apply. However, if specialist equipment, waste containers, climbing gear, traffic management, or other resources have been allocated, the customer may be charged for those costs where lawful and proportionate. The exact treatment of deposits and cancellation fees will depend on the circumstances and any terms stated in the quotation.

The provider may cancel, postpone, or modify the planned service due to adverse weather, unsafe access, mechanical failure, staff illness, legal restrictions, or other events beyond reasonable control. In such cases, the provider will aim to rearrange the work within a reasonable time, but no guarantee of a specific date can be made. The provider is not liable for any indirect loss arising from a necessary rescheduling, including loss of earnings, inconvenience, or third-party penalties, except where liability cannot lawfully be excluded.

Liability

The provider will take reasonable care and skill when carrying out all tree surgery services. However, customers acknowledge that arboricultural work involves inherent risks, including falling branches, movement in the canopy, hidden decay, underground obstacles, and unpredictable tree behaviour. The provider will not be responsible for damage or loss caused by inaccurate instructions, hidden defects, pre-existing weakness, or circumstances that could not reasonably have been identified before work began, provided reasonable care was taken.

Where the provider is found liable for direct loss or damage, liability will be limited to the value of the relevant contract or, where appropriate, the amount recoverable under the provider’s insurance, whichever is lower, to the extent permitted by law. Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot legally be excluded. Customers are expected to protect valuable items, inform the provider of sensitive surfaces or structures, and remove fragile objects from the work area before operations begin.

The provider is not liable for deterioration, failure, or hidden issues revealed as part of normal tree care, such as internal decay, root instability, or dieback that becomes apparent after pruning or felling. Trees are living assets, and their condition may change over time due to weather, disease, pests, or environmental stress. Any advice given verbally or in writing is based on the observations available at the time and should not be treated as a guarantee of future performance or structural safety.

Customer Responsibilities

The customer must ensure that the site is reasonably clear, accessible, and safe for the work to proceed. This includes moving vehicles, securing pets, protecting vulnerable fixtures, and warning the provider about hidden services or hazards. The customer should also arrange for any necessary parking permissions, lifting restrictions, or access arrangements. If the team is delayed or unable to begin because access is blocked or information was incomplete, additional charges may apply for waiting time, reattendance, or wasted attendance where lawful.

The customer is responsible for confirming ownership or authority to instruct work on the trees or land in question. If the customer is acting on behalf of another person, company, landlord, or managing agent, they warrant that they have authority to do so. The provider may rely on the customer’s instructions unless it becomes reasonably apparent that those instructions are unlawful or unsafe. Any request that would breach planning controls, wildlife law, or health and safety requirements may be refused.

Waste Regulations

All green waste, timber, branches, leaves, and related arisings will be handled in line with applicable UK waste legislation and duty of care requirements. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the provider may remove, recycle, compost, chip, or otherwise lawfully dispose of arisings generated by the works. Waste transfer arrangements may be documented where required. The customer should not assume that all timber, logs, or chip will be left on site unless this has been expressly agreed before the work commences.

Where waste is left with the customer, it becomes the customer’s responsibility from the point of handover, subject to any statutory obligations that cannot be excluded. The customer must not instruct the provider to dispose of waste unlawfully, including tipping in unauthorised locations or mixing controlled waste with prohibited materials. If hazardous materials are discovered, such as chemicals, contaminated soil, or other non-green waste, the provider may stop work and arrange appropriate handling or specialist disposal at additional cost if permitted by law and agreed by the customer.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These terms and any dispute or claim arising from them shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, except where consumer protection law provides otherwise. If any part of these terms is found to be unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable, that part will be severed to the minimum extent necessary and the remainder will continue in full force and effect.

If the provider is prevented from performing the service by events outside reasonable control, including severe weather, accidents, strikes, transport disruption, illness, fire, flood, or changes in law, the provider will not be liable for delay or non-performance to the extent such events prevent completion. This does not affect any rights you may have under law where the provider has failed to exercise reasonable care. Any time estimate provided is approximate unless expressly stated as fixed in writing.

Any variation to these Terms and Conditions must be agreed in writing by both parties. Verbal assurances or informal messages will not change the terms unless clearly confirmed as a written amendment. These terms represent the entire agreement between the provider and the customer in relation to the service, superseding prior discussions, drafts, or promotional statements, except where mandatory law requires otherwise. Customers are encouraged to review the quotation carefully before confirming a booking.

By proceeding with a booking for tree surgeons Southwark services, the customer confirms that they have read, understood, and agreed to these terms. The provider aims to deliver a professional and compliant service while maintaining clarity on responsibilities, payment expectations, cancellation rules, waste handling, and legal boundaries. These terms are designed to support transparent service delivery and a fair working relationship for every project, from routine maintenance to more complex arboricultural operations.