Tree Surgery Questions Answered

Not always, but check before any work starts. A Tree Preservation Order, conservation area status or a planning condition can change what you're allowed to do. Our tree permission guide covers the main checks.

TPO consent is an application for specified work on a tree already protected by an Order. A section 211 notice tells the council about proposed work on a qualifying conservation area tree with no TPO, and normally gives it six weeks to respond. Our TPO and conservation area applications page explains both routes.

Usually some of them do. Leeds City Council explains that written notice and evidence may still be needed, normally at least five working days beforehand for certain work. Different rules apply where work is urgently needed to deal with an immediate risk of serious harm.

Generally you can cut back to the boundary line, but not beyond it, and not if a TPO or conservation area rule applies. Read what you can do about overhanging trees before you start.

There's no reliable single price, because tree size, condition, access, proximity to buildings and waste handling all affect the cost. Our tree surgery prices page explains what drives a quote and how to compare quotes fairly.

Not necessarily. Felling generally deals with the tree above ground, and stump work is a separate item unless you agree it as part of the job, so ask for it to be listed clearly in the quotation.

It should describe the work and the method in writing. It should also say whether timber and branches are removed, whether stump work is included and whether any application or survey costs are separate.

We need your postcode, a brief description, what you want to achieve and two or three photographs taken safely from the ground, including one of the access route. Use the form on this page for the details, then email the photographs to [email protected].

It depends on the tree's condition, because a tall tree isn't automatically unsafe. Targeted pruning often solves problems such as a branch rubbing a roof, while removal can be the right choice where serious decay or structural damage means the tree can't sensibly be kept.

It depends on the species and the reason. Many deciduous trees suit dormant-season pruning, while cherries and plums are generally pruned in summer. Our pruning timing guide goes through the details.

There's no blanket ban for ordinary garden trees, but active wild bird nests are protected by law, and bats and their roosts can have further protection. Check for wildlife immediately before work starts, and delay anything non-urgent if you need to.

No. Grinding reduces the stump in place and leaves most deeper roots to decay, while excavation lifts out the stump and more of the root mass. Our guide to stump grinding vs stump removal compares the two.

Keep people and pets away, and don't try to move or cut it. If there is immediate danger to life, call 999. If electricity cables are involved, stay well clear and call the network operator on 105. Our emergency tree work page has more on what to do next.

Leeds City Council has a tree emergencies page for immediate dangers to public highways. It doesn't normally deal with trees on private land unless they create an immediate danger to the highway or public land.

Please don't assume a 24-hour service. Send us the details by form or email, say that it's urgent, and we'll let you know what we can do and when. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999 first.