How to find a competent person to determine if my tree is in a safe condition.

A neighbour has complained to the council about the canopy of my willow tree extending over the boundary of their property, and I have received a letter from the council saying that I need to maintain the tree in a safe condition and I should have the tree inspected by a competent person.

I note that there is a Arboricultural Association but it doesn’t seem to indicate how to find a competent person in Bristol.

Can someone please advise me?

 

You can find a local Arboricultural Association approved contractor on this page of their website - there's a box to search via postcode.

I'd also suggest getting in touch with your council's own Tree Officer and asking if they can suggest someone - have always found them very knowledgeable and helpful, here in London.

 

Find your local Stihl or commercial supplier, these tend to know the good ones from the bad ones.

I use a local one I know who go by the book and are very good.

 

Thanks very much for your reply.

The tree is 25 yo, taller than my house and it’s difficult to judge, but it goes over one boundary about about 3m.

Yes, I know that another neighbour is unhappy about the leaves, the prevailing wind blows them into his garden.

 

Hi Oldcodger

Arborist here. What you're looking for is an arboricultural consultant - someone who can make a thorough inspection of your tree and write a report detailing their findings. Consultants have all the qualifications, experience and insurances in place to provide these reports. What they will not do is say how 'safe' your tree is. No tree professional uses that word, and if you find someone who does then their advice should be double-checked. What a consulting arborist will advise is along the lines of what the 'likelihood of failure' is [low, medium, high etc.]

As others have pointed out the Arb. Assoc. has a list of approved consultants should you wish to go down that route. Also just Google 'arb consultant / consultancy' and your area and you should get a good list of names. Just make sure they have professional indemnity cover.

TBH though any good tree surgeon will be able to offer perfectly sound advice and suggest what, if anything, should be done to your tree. At the end of the day it's all about you being able to provide evidence of taking reasonably practicable care of your tree/s to avoid any damage or injury to neighbouring parties should anything happen.

 

Thanks HarmonyArb. The council wrote to me, saying that they had explained to the complaint that “the only specific responsibility a land-owner has regarding their trees is to maintain them in a safe condition” but I accept your expertise in this matter. He further said that “the owner of the trees that have potential to cause damage to a third party’s property must have them inspected by a competent person and undertake the recommendations generated by that inspection”.

 

I'm not disputing that paragraph, but I'd like to add something.
Back in Christmas 2013 we had some very bad gales and a tree across the road from my sisters house was blown down, it landed on the car parked in their driveway and also smashed the roof in on their garage, 20ft to the right and it would have taken out most of the front of their bungalow.

The owners of the tree were not liable, apparently, and they had to claim on both their house insurance and car insurance, which as you all know really hikes up premiums the following years, even if the insurance companies say that it doesn't.

They and and a neighbour had complained about the tree appearing unsafe in strong winds to the owners, but apparently that didn't matter either.

 

Well that is interesting. I wonder if the tree owners had previously had a survey / work undertaken and that all reasonable precautions had been met? Maybe it was claimed that no-one could have foreseen the damage that this particular gale would cause.

 

The squeeze on council budgets have led to a lot of departments having to cut back on what they should / could do. Where I am the council used to have two tree officers and one wildlife officer. Now they got rid of one tree officer and the wildlife officer and the remaining tree officer has to cover both jobs. There's just not the time, money or staff available any more. Unless something causes specific damage I think the council's are stuck as to what they can offer. A lot of work is also going out to subcontractors and that's just messing things up even more.

People can be so proud and protective of their trees until the time comes to spend money on them. Of course oaks grow back after cutting and of course you're entitled to trim off overhanging branches. But, of course, you also have to live with the fallout that would cause. I don't envy you in the least. It begs the question; what's more difficult - the tree or the neighbour?

 

I think it was considered "an act of god", but the tree itself was a balsam poplar growing very close to a drainage ditch, the water table where they live is not that far down anyway.

The hole where the roots came out the ground was just filled with water.

The tree was growing within the grounds of a nursing home, not sure if that has any bearing on the matter.