Terms and Conditions

1. About these terms

These terms apply to tree surgery, hedge care and related work carried out by RACT Tree Services. They form part of our contract with you once you accept a written quotation from us.

2. Quotations

Quotations are free and carry no obligation. Unless stated otherwise on the quotation itself, a quotation is valid for 30 days and is based on the work being as described and the site being as seen at the time of our visit.

Where the work turns out to differ materially from what was quoted — for example hidden decay, restricted access, or additional material to remove — we will stop, explain the position, and agree any change in price with you before continuing.

3. Your responsibilities

• Confirming that you own the tree or hedge, or that you have the owner’s permission for the work.
• Providing safe and reasonable access to the site on the agreed day.
• Moving vehicles, garden furniture, pets and anything else that could be damaged or that would obstruct the work.
• Telling us about anything we could not reasonably see, such as buried services, drains, cables, soakaways or septic tanks.

4. Tree Preservation Orders and Conservation Areas

Many trees are protected by a Tree Preservation Order, by their location in a Conservation Area, or by a planning condition. It is the tree owner’s responsibility to obtain consent from the local planning authority before work begins. We are happy to advise, and we can help with an application, but we cannot carry out protected work without written consent being in place.

5. Wildlife and nesting birds

It is an offence to damage or destroy an active bird’s nest, or to disturb bats or their roosts. If we find protected wildlife during a job, we will stop that part of the work and discuss the options with you.

6. Waste and site clearance

Unless the quotation says otherwise, arisings — branches, brash, chip and logs — are removed from site. Where you have asked us to leave logs or chip, they will be stacked in a reasonable, agreed position. Stump grinding produces a volume of chip and soil that is normally left in the hole unless removal has been quoted for.

7. Weather and rescheduling

Climbing and dismantling work cannot be carried out safely in high winds, storms or lightning. If we have to postpone for weather or safety reasons, we will contact you as early as we can and offer the next available date. No charge arises from a postponement of this kind.

8. Cancellation

Where you engage us as a consumer away from our business premises, you have a legal right to cancel within 14 days of accepting the quotation. If you ask us to begin work within that period and then cancel, we may charge for the work already carried out. Please send any cancellation to info@racttreeservices.com.

9. Payment

Payment terms are shown on your quotation and invoice. Unless agreed otherwise, invoices are due within 14 days of the work being completed.

10. Liability

We carry out work with reasonable care and skill in line with current arboricultural practice. We are not liable for pre-existing defects, for damage arising from information about the site that was not disclosed to us, or for the natural decline of a tree that was already in poor condition.

Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for anything else that cannot lawfully be limited.

11. Complaints

If something is not right, please tell us as soon as possible so we can put it right. Contact us on 07376942863 or at info@racttreeservices.com.

12. Governing law

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and any dispute will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.