The checklist
If you tick two or more of these, get the tree inspected.
- Fungal brackets at the base or on the trunk — often a sign of internal decay
- Large deadwood in the canopy, or whole limbs with no leaf in summer
- Vertical cracks or seams in the trunk, especially where two stems join
- A sudden new lean, or soil lifting and cracking on one side of the base
- Hollows, cavities or bleeding wounds on the main stem
- Included bark — a tight V-shaped fork rather than a rounded U
- Storm damage: hung-up limbs, split forks or partially uprooted plates
Your legal duty as a tree owner
Under the Occupiers' Liability Acts, a tree owner has a duty of care to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm. In practice that means periodic inspection and acting on obvious defects. Trees near a highway, footpath or boundary carry the highest exposure.
Keeping a dated record of inspections and any work carried out is worth doing — it is what insurers ask for after a failure.
What can be saved
Not every defective tree needs felling. Crown reduction lowers the sail area and the leverage on a weak stem. Deadwooding removes the falling hazard while keeping the tree. Bracing can support a split fork. Removal is the last option, not the first.
When it's an emergency
Call immediately if a limb is hung up over a path, a tree has come down across access, a trunk has split, or a tree is leaning onto a building or power line. For genuinely dangerous jobs in Merseyside and West Lancashire we aim to attend same-day or first thing the next morning.
Common questions
How often should a tree be inspected?
Annually for mature garden trees, and after any severe storm. Trees over highways or in public spaces should be on a formal inspection cycle.
Does my insurance cover storm damage removal?
Often yes where a tree has damaged the property. We can supply written reports and itemised invoices for claims.
Can a leaning tree be safe?
A long-standing lean with sound roots is often fine. A new lean with disturbed soil at the base is not — treat it as urgent.