Start With the Basics: Qualifications and Accreditation

Anyone can buy a chainsaw and print a business card, so the first job when you are considering a tree surgeon is to establish what they actually know. Ask directly what qualifications they hold. In the UK, you would expect to see NPTC or Lantra certificates for chainsaw use, aerial tree work, and felling, along with a City & Guilds or similar qualification in arboriculture. Anyone regularly working at height should also hold a current first aid at height certificate, and if they are using a woodchipper or stump grinder, there should be separate tickets for those machines.

Accreditation is a useful short cut, though not the whole story. Membership of a recognised trade body, or certification under a national competence scheme, shows that a business has been assessed on health and safety, insurance and working practices. Ask which scheme they belong to and check the registration number yourself. A genuine professional will not be offended — they will expect the question.

Insurance: The Details That Actually Matter

Public liability insurance is the one that protects you. If a limb lands on your conservatory, or a fence panel is crushed by a falling trunk, you want to know the work is covered. Ask for the level of cover and, more importantly, ask to see the certificate. Cover of at least two million pounds is common, but five million is a sensible benchmark for larger jobs. Never accept a verbal assurance.

Then ask about employers' liability insurance. This is a legal requirement for anyone employing staff, and it matters to you because you could be held partly responsible if an uninsured worker is injured on your property. If the tree surgeon turns up with a team of three, they need it. Your household policy will almost certainly not fill the gap.

References, Experience and the Right Kit

A good tree surgeon will happily give you two or three recent references from similar jobs, and those references should include work on the same species or the same kind of site. Removing a mature oak over a garage is a different task from pruning a young apple tree, so ask whether they have done this sort of work before. Look at their equipment, too. Proper climbing and rigging gear, helmets, protective trousers and a well-maintained chipper tell you more about a business than any glossy leaflet.

• Ask how long they have been trading under the current name.
• Ask whether the people doing the climbing are directly employed or subcontracted.
• Ask what happens if the weather turns and the job runs over.
• Ask for photographs or a site visit to a job in progress if you are unsure.

Waste Disposal and the Legal Paperwork

Every load of arisings — branches, cordwood, stump grindings — has to go somewhere, and that somewhere must be licensed. Ask where the waste will be taken and whether the company holds a waste carrier registration. Under the duty of care rules, you as the householder have a responsibility to ensure your waste is disposed of legally, even when you have paid someone else to do it. If the answer is vague, that is a red flag.

If timber is being left for you, agree what length it will be cut to and where it will be stacked. If a stump is being ground out, confirm how deep and whether the grindings are being removed or left as fill. These small details cause a surprising number of arguments later.

Getting the Quote and the Contract in Writing

Ask for a written quotation rather than a rough figure given at the door. The quote should state the species, the exact work to be done, the height and spread reductions in metres, whether climbing or a mobile platform will be used, and whether the price includes VAT, stump removal and waste removal. Be wary of a price that is dramatically lower than the others you have received — it usually means something is being skipped.

Before work starts, confirm the arrangements in writing. A short email or a signed acceptance of their quotation, listing the work, the price and the date, is enough to avoid most disputes. Ask about payment terms: many firms take a deposit for large jobs and the balance on completion, and you should never be asked to pay the full amount up front in cash. If a tree is protected by a Tree Preservation Order, or the site is in a conservation area, confirm in writing who is applying for permission and that consent has been granted before anyone starts a saw.

On the Day: Supervision and Sign-Off

Ask who will be on site and who is in charge. On larger jobs, a named supervisor should be present throughout. Make sure you know what time they will arrive, how access will work, and whether your driveway, lawn or borders need protecting. Once the work is done, walk the site with the supervisor before they leave. Check that the tree has been left in the shape you agreed, that the site is clear, and that any promised stump work has been carried out. Only then pay the balance. A brief, polite inspection and a written note of anything outstanding protects both of you, and it keeps a good working relationship intact for the next time your garden needs a professional eye.