Tree Surgeons Southfields Service Terms and Conditions
These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which Tree Surgeons Southfields provides arboricultural and tree care services to domestic and commercial clients. By booking any service, the customer confirms that they have read, understood and agreed to these terms. These conditions apply to all quotations, inspections, scheduled works and associated waste handling unless otherwise agreed in writing. For clarity, references to tree surgeons Southfields, Southfields tree surgeons, and tree surgery services refer to the services provided by our team under one trading arrangement.
These terms are intended to create a fair and transparent agreement. They explain how bookings are accepted, when payments become due, the circumstances in which cancellations may occur, the limits of liability, and the rules relating to green waste and other arisings. If any provision is found to be unenforceable, the remainder of the terms will continue in full force. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights where you are dealing as a consumer.
The customer is responsible for ensuring that all information provided before and during the booking process is accurate and complete. This includes, where relevant, access instructions, ownership status, tree location, known hazards, previous works, and any restrictions that may affect the delivery of the service. Where services are arranged by someone acting on behalf of an owner, the person placing the booking confirms that they have authority to do so and accepts responsibility for instructions given.
All quotations are based on the information available at the time of assessment and may be revised if the scope of work changes or if hidden conditions are discovered. Examples include decay, storm damage, unstable ground, protected trees, nesting birds, obstructions, or the presence of utilities. Unless expressly stated otherwise, quotations are valid for a limited period and may be withdrawn or amended after that time. The final price may also change if the customer asks for additional work once the team is on site.
Booking process begins when the customer accepts a quotation or agrees to proceed following an inspection. A booking is not confirmed until it has been acknowledged by the company and a date or estimated period for attendance has been assigned. The company may request a deposit, written confirmation, or further information before confirming the appointment. Booking requests are subject to availability, weather conditions, legal checks, and operational capacity. Customers should not assume work will proceed until formal confirmation is given.
For certain types of tree surgery, including work that may require consent, permissions, or third-party approval, the customer must ensure that all necessary authorisations are obtained before the agreed start date. While the company may provide general information about common requirements, it does not act as the customer’s legal representative and does not guarantee that permission will be granted. If required approvals are not in place, the company may postpone or cancel the booking without liability for any resulting delay.
Payments are due in accordance with the terms stated on the quotation or invoice. Unless agreed otherwise in writing, full payment is required upon completion of the works, and any deposit requested in advance is non-interest bearing and applied toward the final balance. The company accepts payment by the methods specified at the point of booking or invoicing. If payment is not received by the due date, the company may charge statutory interest and reasonable recovery costs in line with applicable UK legislation.
Where work is carried out in phases, the company may invoice separately for each stage. If the customer fails to make payment on time, the company reserves the right to suspend further services, withhold completion documentation, or retain ownership of materials and arisings until the account is settled in full. Prices are stated exclusive of VAT unless otherwise noted. Any estimate of duration or labour is indicative only and does not amount to a fixed guarantee where unforeseen conditions arise.
In some cases, additional charges may apply if access is restricted, waste volumes exceed the quoted amount, machinery must be hired unexpectedly, or the customer requests urgent attendance. The company will ordinarily seek approval before carrying out chargeable additional work, but this may not always be possible where immediate action is necessary to protect people, property, or the stability of a tree. The customer agrees to pay for reasonable extra costs properly incurred in carrying out the service.
Cancellations and rescheduling are permitted subject to the conditions below. If the customer wishes to cancel or change a confirmed booking, they should notify the company as early as possible. Cancellations made with sufficient notice may avoid charges, but deposits may still be retained where administrative, scheduling, or preparatory costs have already been incurred. Short-notice cancellations, especially where staff, equipment, or permits have been arranged, may result in a cancellation fee reflecting the company’s losses.
If the company must cancel or reschedule because of unsafe weather, equipment failure, staffing issues, access problems, legal concerns, or any event beyond its reasonable control, it will use reasonable efforts to arrange a new date. The company will not be liable for indirect losses arising from such changes, including loss of earnings, inconvenience, or consequential expense, except where liability cannot lawfully be excluded. Customers are advised to keep access available and to inform the company promptly of any circumstances that could affect attendance.
The company may also cancel a booking where the customer has failed to disclose material information, has not obtained necessary permissions, has not secured access, or has not made payment in accordance with these terms. In such cases, any deposit may be applied toward losses and administration costs. Where a customer repeatedly reschedules or fails to attend agreed appointments, the company may require advance payment for future work or decline further bookings entirely.
Health, safety and site conditions are central to the delivery of all tree care services. The customer must take reasonable steps to ensure the site is safe and accessible on the agreed date. This includes moving vehicles where requested, warning of underground services, informing the company of aggressive animals, and keeping children, pets, and unauthorised persons away from the work zone. The company may refuse to start or may stop work if conditions are unsafe.
While the company takes reasonable care to protect adjacent property, lawns, fences, sheds, ornaments, and other features, some level of disturbance is often unavoidable in arboricultural work. The customer accepts that foot traffic, branch movement, equipment access, and the use of machinery may leave marks or temporary disturbance. The company will use reasonable skill and care, but it does not guarantee that every surface will remain entirely unaffected by necessary operations. Where the customer requests additional protection measures, these may incur extra cost.
Liability is limited to direct losses caused by negligence or breach of contract and only to the extent permitted by law. The company does not exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence, fraud, or any other matter that cannot be excluded under UK law. Subject to this, the company will not be responsible for pre-existing defects, hidden decay, structural weakness, subsidence, disease progression, or damage arising from inaccurate information provided by the customer or from conditions outside the company’s reasonable control.
Where the company is asked to carry out pruning, reduction, removal, stump work, or related arboricultural services, the customer acknowledges that trees are living organisms and that results may vary according to species, season, health, and site conditions. The company does not guarantee regrowth patterns, future structural stability, or the avoidance of disease after completion. Advice given verbally or in writing is offered in good faith based on observations at the time, but it should not be treated as a warranty unless expressly stated in the contract.
The company shall not be liable for delay or failure to perform if caused by events beyond reasonable control, including severe weather, storms, flooding, fire, epidemic, industrial action, or supply chain disruption. If such an event continues for a prolonged period, either party may have the right to cancel the affected booking without further liability, except for payment for services already delivered. Customers should ensure that sensitive items are removed from work areas before attendance to reduce the risk of accidental disturbance.
Waste regulations apply to all green waste, timber, brash, stump grindings, soil, and related arisings generated during tree surgery. Unless otherwise agreed, the company will remove and dispose of such waste in accordance with applicable environmental law, duty of care requirements, and waste carrier obligations. The customer must not instruct the company to dispose of waste unlawfully, and the company may refuse any request that would breach regulations or create an environmental risk. Disposal methods may include recycling, composting, chipping, or authorised transfer to licensed facilities.
The ownership of removed timber, woodchip, and other arisings will pass according to the terms agreed in the quotation. Where the customer wishes to keep logs, mulch, or other material, this must be agreed before work begins and may affect pricing, loading, or disposal charges. If arisings are left on site at the customer’s request, the company is not responsible for their subsequent use, movement, decay, insect activity, or storage conditions. The customer must ensure any retained material is managed safely and lawfully after handover.
Protected trees, planning controls, and statutory duties are the responsibility of the customer to identify and disclose, although the company may offer general assistance where appropriate. If work cannot proceed because a tree is subject to a preservation order, is within a conservation area, or requires additional consent, the company may suspend or cancel the booking until matters are resolved. Any guidance provided does not constitute legal advice. The customer remains responsible for compliance with all local and national requirements relating to tree work.
The company will carry out services using reasonable skill and care and in accordance with generally accepted arboricultural practice. However, it does not guarantee a particular aesthetic result where a tree’s condition, location, or prior maintenance limits what can reasonably be achieved. Any photographs, sketches, or descriptions provided before work are illustrative only. Minor variations in cutting angles, stump height, final crown shape, and debris levels may occur depending on the method required and the conditions encountered on site.
Complaints and dispute handling should begin with written notice from the customer describing the issue in reasonable detail. The company will review the matter and may request supporting evidence such as photographs or access to the site. Both parties agree to act reasonably and in good faith to resolve concerns without unnecessary delay. If a remedy is appropriate, it may include corrective work, a partial refund, or another proportionate solution, depending on the circumstances and any applicable legal obligations.
If the customer fails to raise a concern within a reasonable time after completion, the company may be less able to investigate the issue effectively. Any claim that work was not carried out as agreed must be supported by clear evidence and must relate to the specific service described on the quotation or invoice. No implied waiver arises if the company chooses not to enforce a right immediately. Any delay in enforcement does not prevent later action.
The company may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time. The version in force at the time of booking will apply to that booking unless a change is required by law or expressly agreed by both parties. Updated terms will not alter completed work retrospectively. If any wording is inconsistent with a mandatory statutory provision, that provision will prevail only to the extent necessary, and the remainder of these terms will continue to apply.
Governing law and jurisdiction apply to all contracts formed with Tree Surgeons Southfields. These Terms and Conditions are governed by the law of England and Wales. Any dispute arising out of or in connection with the services, the quotation, the booking, or these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, unless the customer has mandatory consumer rights requiring a different forum. By proceeding with a booking, the customer accepts that these legal rules apply to the contract.
Nothing in these terms affects the parties’ obligations to comply with applicable health and safety law, environmental law, consumer legislation, or contractual duties that cannot legally be excluded. In the event of conflict between a quotation and these terms, the quotation will prevail only where it expressly states that a different arrangement applies and only to the extent that such arrangement is lawful. All other matters remain governed by these standard terms and any written variation agreed by the company.
By instructing the company to proceed, the customer confirms acceptance of these conditions in relation to tree surgeons Southfields services, arboricultural works, and associated waste handling. These terms are designed to keep the service clear, safe, and professionally managed. They protect the interests of both the customer and the company by setting expectations before work starts and by defining responsibilities throughout the booking, delivery, and completion stages.