Tree Surgeons Blackfriars Terms and Conditions
These Terms and Conditions set out the basis on which Tree Surgeons Blackfriars provides arboricultural and related site services to customers. By booking, accepting a quotation, or allowing work to proceed, you agree to be bound by these terms. They are designed to create a clear, fair, and practical framework for the supply of services, including tree pruning, crown work, removals, stump treatment, vegetation clearance, and associated site operations.
These terms apply whether the service is arranged by a homeowner, landlord, business, managing agent, or other customer. For the purposes of this document, references to we, us, and our mean the tree surgery service provider, and references to you and your mean the customer receiving the service. If any part of these terms is not understood, it should be raised before the booking is confirmed.
In order to make the service efficient and safe, we may need to inspect the site, gather details about the trees or vegetation involved, and assess access, nearby structures, utilities, wildlife considerations, and any planning or consent requirements that may apply. The scope of the work will normally be confirmed in writing through a quotation, estimate, or job confirmation. If the scope changes after acceptance, additional charges may apply.
1. Booking Process
A booking with Tree Surgeons Blackfriars is usually made after an enquiry, site assessment, or review of photographs and written details supplied by you. We may provide an estimate subject to a later inspection, or a fixed quotation where sufficient information is available. No work will be treated as confirmed unless and until we have accepted the booking, agreed the date or timeframe, and received any deposit or pre-authorisation required.
During the booking process, you must provide accurate and complete information. This includes details of the trees or shrubs to be worked on, whether the trees are on private land or shared land, whether permission from a landlord, freeholder, or managing agent is required, and whether there are any restrictions affecting access or work times. You must also tell us about concealed hazards, such as underground services, unstable ground, nesting birds, protected species, or nearby overhead cables.
We reserve the right to refuse or postpone a booking if the site is unsafe, the legal authority to carry out the work has not been demonstrated, or the customer has not provided sufficient information. A booking may also be declined where the work would be unreasonable in the circumstances, including where severe weather, emergency response demands, or access issues prevent proper completion. The booking date may be revised by mutual agreement if conditions change.
2. Quotations, Scope, and Variations
Any quotation provided by Tree Surgeons Blackfriars will normally be valid for a stated period, or for a reasonable period if no validity period is specified. Quotations are based on the information available at the time and on the assumption that the work can be carried out without hidden complications. If additional work becomes necessary, such as dealing with unexpected decay, obstruction, root conflicts, or extra waste handling, we may issue a revised price before continuing.
Tree surgeon services often depend on the condition of the tree, the site layout, and the level of risk involved. For that reason, the final method of work may differ from the original plan where a professional judgment indicates that a safer or more appropriate method should be used. We will aim to discuss any major departure from the agreed scope with you before proceeding, unless an immediate decision is required for safety or to prevent damage.
Unless expressly stated otherwise, quotations do not include third-party fees, permit charges, planning costs, traffic management, road closures, scaffold hire, or specialist equipment required for unusual access conditions. If such items are needed, they may be added to the invoice either as separate charges or as part of a revised total. All prices are quoted in sterling and are subject to applicable tax where relevant.
3. Payment Terms
Payment terms will be confirmed at the point of booking or in the quotation. Unless agreed otherwise in writing, payment is due upon completion of the work, on the same day, or within the timeframe stated on the invoice. For larger projects, repeat commercial work, or bookings involving special materials or equipment, we may require a deposit or staged payments in advance.
Accepted payment methods may include bank transfer, debit card, credit card, or other methods we make available from time to time. Cash payments may be accepted only where specifically permitted. Where payment is made by bank transfer, it must clear in full by the due date. If a payment is declined, reversed, or otherwise fails, we may suspend further work and recover any reasonable costs associated with collection.
Any invoice that remains unpaid after the due date may incur interest and administration charges to the extent permitted by law. We may also withhold certificates, final paperwork, or waste transfer records until the account is settled in full. Title to any materials supplied by us may remain with us until payment has been received in full, where allowed by law.
4. Deposits and Retention
Where a deposit is required, it will usually secure a booking date, reserve labour, and cover preparatory costs. Deposits may be non-refundable if cancellation occurs outside the permitted cancellation period or if we have already incurred costs in relation to the job. Any retention or balance payment will be stated clearly in the invoice or quotation so that the financial obligations are transparent.
If you dispute an invoice, you must raise the issue promptly and in good faith, setting out the reason for the dispute and providing any supporting information. Undisputed amounts must still be paid by the due date. We will review reasonable concerns and may issue a corrected invoice where appropriate, but this does not automatically suspend your obligation to pay sums that are not in dispute.
5. Cancellations, Postponements, and Missed Appointments
You may cancel or reschedule a booking by giving us notice as early as possible. If you cancel with sufficient notice, no cancellation charge may apply, although any costs already incurred may still be recoverable. If cancellation occurs after materials have been ordered, equipment has been reserved, or work has been scheduled specifically for your site, we may charge reasonable losses.
If you cancel at short notice, if access is unavailable on arrival, or if the site conditions are materially different from what was described, we may charge a call-out fee or a proportion of the agreed price to reflect wasted time and committed resources. Where a cancellation is caused by weather, safety concerns, or circumstances beyond our control, we may offer an alternative date rather than treat the matter as a customer cancellation.
We may postpone or cancel work if conditions make it unsafe or impractical to proceed, including high winds, thunderstorms, extreme temperatures, poor ground conditions, equipment failure, or the discovery of unexpected hazards. In such cases, we will seek to rearrange the booking within a reasonable period. We will not be responsible for indirect losses caused by a necessary postponement, provided we have acted reasonably.
6. Customer Responsibilities
You must ensure that the site is accessible on the agreed date and that we have lawful permission to carry out the work. This includes arranging access through gates, car parks, communal areas, or neighbouring land where necessary. You should remove or secure fragile items, vehicles, furniture, ornaments, and anything else that could be damaged or obstruct the work area, unless we have expressly agreed to move them.
Tree surgeons rely on the customer to disclose relevant facts. You must tell us if there are children, pets, vulnerable persons, or other site users who need special consideration. You must also inform us of any hidden services, such as water pipes, drainage systems, electrics, or telecoms, especially where roots or stump treatment may affect them. Failure to provide accurate information may affect safety and liability.
Where permission, consent, licence, or authorisation is required, you are responsible for obtaining it before the work starts unless we have agreed in writing to do so on your behalf. This may include landlord consent, freeholder permission, conservation or planning permission, or any other approval required by law. We are entitled to rely on your assurance that such permission has been obtained.
You are also responsible for ensuring that the work area can be used safely and lawfully during the service window. If we consider that the site cannot be made safe because of your acts or omissions, we may stop work until the issue is resolved. Any additional costs caused by delays, missed access, or inaccurate information may be charged to you.
7. Waste Handling and Regulations
Waste generated by tree surgery operations, including branches, trunks, wood chips, leaves, stumps, and soil contamination arising from the work, will be managed in accordance with applicable waste regulations. Unless otherwise agreed, all arisings removed from site become our responsibility once loaded, and will be transported, processed, reused, recycled, or disposed of through lawful channels.
We aim to follow the waste hierarchy by prioritising reuse and recycling where practical. Some material may be retained for biomass, mulch, or other legitimate recovery routes. If you ask us to leave timber, chippings, or foliage on site, this must be agreed in advance, and we may refuse if storage, safety, pest control, or local restrictions make it unsuitable. Left-behind material remains your responsibility once accepted on site.
We will operate in line with relevant UK waste duty of care requirements, and we may provide waste transfer notes or equivalent records where applicable. You agree not to request or permit unlawful disposal, fly-tipping, or the transport of waste by anyone lacking proper authority. If hazardous or contaminated waste is discovered, additional procedures and charges may be required, and work may be paused until the issue is assessed safely.
8. Liability and Insurance
We will carry out our services with reasonable skill and care and in accordance with generally accepted arboricultural practice. However, tree work is inherently risky and can involve uncertain natural conditions, hidden defects, weather impacts, and site-specific hazards. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee that every outcome will be free from change, movement, further growth, or future decline in the tree or surrounding ground.
Our liability for direct loss or damage caused by our negligence will be limited to the amount recoverable under our insurance or, where lower, the total amount paid or payable for the specific work in question, to the fullest extent permitted by law. We will not be responsible for indirect, consequential, or economic losses such as loss of profit, loss of use, or business interruption unless such liability cannot legally be excluded.
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other matter that cannot lawfully be limited. You acknowledge that some minor damage may be unavoidable when working near structures, fences, paving, lawns, or underground features, particularly where root systems are involved. We will take reasonable care but cannot accept responsibility for pre-existing weaknesses or concealed defects.
9. Site Conditions, Risk, and Emergencies
If the work reveals a risk to property, occupants, or the public, we may take reasonable emergency measures, including stabilisation, sectioning, exclusion zones, or temporary suspension of the job. Where urgent action is taken to prevent harm, we may charge for the additional labour, equipment, or attendance required, provided the action was reasonably necessary and proportionate to the risk.
We are not liable for delays or failure to perform caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including severe weather, accidents, supply failure, utility outages, fire, strikes, transport disruption, or legal restrictions. If such an event continues for a significant period, either party may seek to rearrange or, where appropriate, terminate the affected booking without further liability for non-performance, subject to payment for work already completed or costs already incurred.
10. Complaints and Rectification
If you believe the service has not been carried out in accordance with the agreed scope or reasonable professional standards, you should notify us within a reasonable time after completion. We may ask for photographs, a written explanation, or access to the site so that we can inspect the issue. Where a genuine shortfall exists, we may choose to re-perform part of the work, make a fair adjustment, or offer another appropriate remedy.
Complaints do not entitle you to withhold payment for work properly completed, nor do they allow you to carry out remedial work through another contractor and charge us without our prior written consent, unless required by law or agreed in advance. We encourage prompt and reasonable communication so that issues can be resolved efficiently and with minimal disruption.
11. Ownership of Materials and Equipment
Any tools, plant, machinery, or equipment brought onto site by us remain our property at all times. You must not use, tamper with, or move them without permission. If any material is left on site by agreement, ownership and responsibility will depend on the specific arrangement set out in writing. Unless otherwise stated, timber and arisings removed from site are handled as waste or recovered material under our operational control.
We may photograph the site and the work area before, during, and after completion for record-keeping, quality control, training, or compliance purposes. Such images may be used to document the condition of the site and the work performed, but they will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection requirements. We will not use personal information unnecessarily.
12. Governing Law
These Terms and Conditions, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them, are governed by the laws of England and Wales. The parties agree that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, except where mandatory law provides otherwise. If any part of these terms is found to be unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force.
The headings in this document are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation. No waiver of any term will be effective unless stated in writing, and any failure by us to enforce a right on one occasion will not prevent us from enforcing it later. These terms constitute the basis of the contract for services unless expressly varied in writing by both parties.