Tree Surveys & Reports
BS 5837 Tree Surveys & Arboricultural Reports for London & the South East
Professional, written tree surveys for planning applications, property purchases, mortgages, insurance claims and risk management. Reports prepared by qualified arborists with 10+ years of London experience. Suitable for council submission, lender review and legal use.
★ 5-star rated on Google · 10+ years experience · Free, no-obligation estimates
Compliant
BS 5837
10+ yrs
Experience
300+
Reports Issued
£10M
Insured
5–10 days
Turnaround
Everything You Need to Know
About Tree Surveys & Reports
What It Is
A tree survey is a written, professional assessment of one or more trees, prepared to a recognised standard (most commonly BS 5837:2012 for development, or QTRA / VALID for risk). It includes a tree schedule, plan, condition data, retention category and recommendations.
Who It's For
Homeowners applying for planning permission near trees. Buyers commissioning a pre-purchase tree report. Developers submitting BS 5837 Arboricultural Impact Assessments. Insurers and loss adjusters needing subsidence-related arboricultural input. Estate managers, schools and commercial landlords managing tree-risk.
When You Need It
Before submitting any planning application within the root protection area of a tree. Before exchanging on a property with significant trees. After a subsidence claim, storm damage, or notice from a neighbour. As part of an annual tree-risk inspection programme on any site with public access.
Why Professional Help Matters
Local planning authorities now expect a BS 5837 survey alongside most applications affecting trees. Mortgage lenders increasingly require an arboricultural opinion on properties with mature trees nearby. And under the Occupiers' Liability Acts, owners of land where the public has access have a positive duty to inspect their trees and act on findings.
What Goes Wrong Without a Proper Tree Survey
Planning applications submitted without a BS 5837 survey are routinely refused validation, costing weeks of delay and the £258+ application fee.
Buying a property without a tree report can leave you liable for the cost of remedial work — or worse, subsidence claims — within months of completion.
Trees damaged or felled during construction without an Arboricultural Method Statement frequently trigger retrospective TPO enforcement and heavy fines.
Untrained 'tree health checks' carried out by jobbing tree surgeons are not accepted by councils, lenders or courts. You need a written report from a qualified arborist.
After an incident — a falling limb, a subsidence claim — the first question asked by insurers and solicitors is 'when was the tree last formally inspected?' No record means no defence.
How We Deliver
Tree Surveys & Reports
Brief & Scope
Phone consultation to confirm exactly what the survey is for — planning, purchase, risk, subsidence — and what standard is required.
Site Inspection
On-site visual tree assessment (VTA), measurement of stem diameter, crown spread, height, condition and species. Photos taken of every tree.
Data & Plan
Tree positions plotted on a scaled plan. Tree schedule populated with all required data fields for the chosen standard.
Written Report
Full written report including findings, retention categories, root protection areas, recommendations and any further survey work needed.
Submission Support
We can liaise directly with your planning consultant, architect, solicitor or insurer to answer queries on the report.
Why Clients Choose Us
for Tree Surveys & Reports
Reports Accepted by Every London Borough
Our BS 5837 surveys are formatted for direct submission to LPAs across London, Surrey, Kent and the South East.
Suitable for Mortgage & Legal Use
Written, signed reports on letterhead, with arborist credentials and date. Suitable for lender, insurer or court use.
Clear, Plain-English Recommendations
Every report ends with a prioritised, plain-English action list — what to do, when, and why.
Plans Drawn to Scale
Trees plotted on Ordnance Survey or topographical site plans, with root protection areas and crown spreads accurately shown.
Fast Turnaround
Most reports delivered within 5–10 working days of site visit. Urgent turnaround available.
Independent Professional Opinion
We are an independent arboricultural practice — our recommendations are not influenced by any wish to sell follow-on works.
BS 5837 Surveys, Risk Reports and Pre-Purchase Inspections
BS 5837:2012 'Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction' is the British Standard governing how trees should be considered during development. A BS 5837 survey is the foundation document for any planning application that involves trees on or adjacent to a site, and most London boroughs require it to validate the application.
A BS 5837 survey produces three things: a Tree Survey Schedule (every tree with species, dimensions, condition, life expectancy and retention category A/B/C/U); a Tree Constraints Plan (showing root protection areas and shade patterns); and, where development is proposed, an Arboricultural Impact Assessment with a Tree Protection Plan and Method Statement.
Pre-purchase tree reports are commissioned by buyers — often on solicitor's advice — when a property has significant trees within influencing distance of the building. The report identifies any structural issues, decay, recent inappropriate work, TPO status and likely future maintenance liabilities. It can be the difference between completing on a property and walking away.
Tree Risk Assessments are required by any owner or occupier of land where the public, employees, customers or visitors have access. The Occupiers' Liability Acts 1957 and 1984 create a positive duty to inspect trees and act on identified hazards. We carry out QTRA-aligned and VALID assessments depending on client preference.
For councils, housing associations and large estates we provide annual inventory inspections — every tree mapped, photographed, condition-assessed and given a recommended next-action date. Data is supplied as a spreadsheet, a PDF report and a GIS-compatible plan.
Subsidence-related arboricultural reports are a specialist area. We work with loss adjusters and structural engineers to identify tree implication, recommend proportionate works (root pruning, crown reduction, removal) and document the evidence trail required to settle insurance claims.
Mortgage valuation referrals are increasingly common — surveyors flag a property as 'tree adjacent' and the lender requires an arboricultural opinion before releasing funds. We provide concise, fixed-format reports that lenders are familiar with, usually within 5 working days.
Every report is signed by a qualified arborist holding NPTC and Lantra qualifications. We carry £10M public liability and £1M professional indemnity, and our reports are accepted by every London borough planning department, all major lenders, and the leading insurance loss-adjusters.
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Tree Surveys & Reports?
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