Tree inspections
Discover everything you need to know about tree coverage, inspections, and the process involved, ensuring a safe and well-maintained environment for all. You can find out more about trees and the law on the RHS website.
- Customers are responsible for maintaining any trees located within the boundaries of their property. It's expected that they take appropriate steps to ensure their trees are regularly maintained and do not pose a risk to people, neighbouring properties, or public spaces. This includes pruning and ensuring that trees do not overgrow or cause obstructions
- If the tree is only over hanging (no cause for damage etc) into a complainant’s garden, then it’ll be down to the complainant to cut back and offer the cuttings but the tree owner doesn’t have to accept as per common law
- However, if a tree presents an immediate health and safety concern, for example, if it becomes diseased, unstable, or poses a danger to the public, please contact us. VIVID reserves the right to intervene, in such cases, we may carry out necessary works to address the issue and, depending on the circumstances, recharge the costs to the tenant. This could apply particularly if the lack of maintenance over time has contributed to the issue
- All tree works should be subject to a local authority search to check if the tree/s are protected and if they require planning permission
- We look after any trees in communal spaces to ensure that they are not overgrown and are maintained
- If you feel there is a tree that we look after that needs attention, please get in contact with us
We routinely survey any trees in communal spaces on our land every 2 years, using an approved contractor.
Customer garden trees can be inspected upon request depending on the situation.
We will inspect:
- Safety issues
- Dead or dying trees
- Broken or damaged branches
- Trees causing property damage
- Trees obstructing footpaths, roads, or services
What won't inspect:
- Non-safety issues
- Trees blocking light into property or garden
- Trees dropping leaves, seeds, fruit, or sap
- Trees overhanging boundaries
- Trees causing growth of moss, algae, or lichens on hard surfaces
- Trees being too big or tall
- Trees causing allergies
- Once an inspection has been raised, we will contact you to arrange a site visit
- A visual inspection will be completed from ground level
- Arrange any specialist involvement if necessary
- Identify hazards and take necessary measures
- Determine required works and let you know what they are
- Inform you about any required works
- Ensure we meet our legal duty to contact local planning authority for restrictions
- Check for Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs), Conservation Areas (CAs), or Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)
- Submit planning application if restrictions apply
- Wait for consent (which can take up to 6 weeks)
- Works must adhere to the approved consent
- Provide a copy of consent to our contractor
- Failure to obtain consent can result in fines and prosecution
To raise a tree inspection, please get in touch and our customer experience team can help get this sorted.
- Tree location for ownership and accessibility assessment
- Name, address, and contact number of the person reporting
- Description of the problem to determine safety issues
