Terms and Conditions of Service
We are very keen to provide a quality service and a high level of customer satisfaction. Please take a few minutes to read the terms and conditions of our contract.
Standard of work: All work shall be completed in line with BS3998 (Recommendations for Tree Work) where appropriate unless instructed otherwise by the customer. We shall undertake the work in a competent manner in compliance to the specification and price contained in our quotation.
Acceptance of the contract and programming of the work: All customers are entitled to a 14-day cooling off period following acceptance of the quotation. When you accept the quotation, we will start the work planning process which may include dealing with permissions from the Local Authority. We will advise you of the estimated completion date for your work. In the event of a cancellation, we may charge a percentage of the quotation to cover any preparatory work already undertaken and any costs already incurred. Amendments to the contract must be made in writing.
Evoke Tree Services Ltd reserves the right to cancel the contract at any time and for any reason and shall not be liable for any penalties or costs. Reasons for cancellation may be diary error, IT error, client error, third party error, changes in circumstances, misunderstanding, unreasonable or antisocial behaviour of the customer.
In the event of the contract having to be cancelled by the client a cancellation fee may be incurred. This is a discretionary fee. This will be as follows:
More than 1weeks’ notice – No charge.
Less than 1 weeks’ notice – 20% of contract value
48 hours or less – 50% of contract value
24 hours or less – 100% of contract value
Site Conditions: The Contract price is based on the site conditions existing at the time of the preparation of the estimate remaining unchanged
Complaints procedure: In the unlikely event that you have any cause for complaint please contact the office within 7 days and we will endeavour to correct the situation in a timely manner.
When do I pay? When the job is completed you will be advised by the team leader. Please raise any queries with the team leader before they pull off the job. The office will invoice ‘signed off’ jobs within 7 days. All contracts and instructions are accepted on the basis of payment of full invoice price within 7 days of the date of invoice. Where applicable, value added tax (VAT) shall be charged at the current rate.
Disposal of waste; do you take everything away? Most customers these days require removal of all arising waste material from site and this will normally be specified in the quotation. Woodchips make useful garden mulch and we are increasingly finding clients requesting that the chips are left for their own use. Timber may also be left for firewood, but it is not normally left in sizes ‘ready for the fire’ unless specified in the quotation.
Stump grinding: Stump grinding involves the removal of the tree stump but does not include the removal of lateral roots or stump chippings unless otherwise specified. Stump grinding will be to a depth of 150mm below the immediately adjacent ground level. Stump grindings will be used to backfill the resulting hole as they decompose rapidly. The chippings can be removed from site, but this would incur an additional cost. If in the process of stump grinding, we uncover buried asbestos waste, material suspected to be buried asbestos waste or other hazardous material, we will cease the excavation immediately. The customer agrees to settle the invoice in full in line with our payment terms on the basis that we shall complete the operation once a specialist contractor has cleared the material. The customer will meet the costs of the clearance of the hazardous material.
Will my neighbours be affected? Sometimes it is necessary to have access to a neighbouring property, particularly when branches overhang. It would be very helpful if you could inform them of your intention to carry out work and the date on which it will take place.
Do I need to protect my walls or lawns? Whilst our staff will operate with care and diligence often our work entails the carrying of large amount of material over lawns and past features. Please make sure that vulnerable surfaces (such as white walls) are adequately protected (builder’s polythene is a good method) and that fragile objects are moved (such as pots etc.). Our staff will be more than happy to move heavier objects for elderly or disabled clients. Lawns tend to recover rapidly but very wet weather can give rise to muddy conditions. We are able to provide boards to protect the lawn. However, this is not a standard procedure and may incur an additional cost. If in doubt, please discuss with our office.
Felling: When a tree is removed, we will use the term “fell to ground level”. Ground level means the level of the land directly adjacent to the stump. As trees grow, they accumulate stones, metal and debris. This may inhibit the stump being cut to its lowest possible height as we will not risk damage to our equipment. The final height of the stump will be at the discretion of the arborist. Quotations for felling are based upon the assumption of trees being free from metal, stone, or other hidden obstructions. In the event of a tree being impossible to fell in the normal way, we reserve the right to re-quote accordingly.
Crown Reduction: This operation reduces the overall size of the crown. To avoid ambiguity, the specified end result will be stated either as the tree-height and branch-spread which are to remain, or the average equivalent in branch length (in metres). End results shall be specified for individual branches if the growth pattern of the tree creates a need for this, or where clearance from a specific object is required. All final cuts are to the discretion of the climbing arborist.
Crown Thinning: In crown thinning, an even density of foliage is removed to create a well- spaced and balanced branch structure which could, if required, provide an adequate framework for a possible future crown reduction. If the objective is to lessen the overall loading on a defective branch or stem, crown reduction and reshaping should be chosen in preference to crown thinning. The percentage of the leaf-bearing twig structure to be removed in crown thinning should be kept to the minimum required to achieve the objective and, in any case, should not exceed 30%. The percentage shall be stated in the work specification. Material shall be removed systematically from throughout the tree rather than from the inner crown only. Cutting branches back to the main stem will generally be avoided, although structurally weak or hazardous branches shall be removed if there is no alternative.
Hedge trimming: When we carry out any hedge trimming work the term “Trim” will mean any part of the hedge that can be removed with a hedge trimmer. Example being to “trim top and sides. The term “cut back” would mean the use of a chainsaw where a hedge trimmer is not sufficient enough.
What time will the team arrive? Most jobs are completed efficiently and on time. However, occasionally a job will over-run or the weather will prevent us from working to time. The earliest time the team will arrive is 8.00 am However, in the case of smaller contracts, we are not able to estimate an arrival time until late afternoon of the previous day and can only then advise either am or pm arrival. We will of course make every effort to please clients who particularly require a morning or afternoon visit.
Do I need permission? The trees within this contract specification may be in a Conservation Area or be subject to a Tree Preservation Order. Upon acceptance of our quotation, we shall check for the presence of legislative protection. We would be happy to make an application on your behalf for a fee of £40+vat, but would advise that in the event that the client cancels the works after this task has begun, the client will be charged for this work and any associated costs (travel, LPA fees, etc) at a rate of £60+VAT per hour.
Investigation of Private Covenants shall be the responsibility of the Owner and no liability shall attach to Evoke Tree Services Ltd for a breach any such Covenant.
Do you replace trees/shrubs that die? We endeavour to obtain good quality plants that comply to BS3936 (Nursery Stock – Specification for Trees and Shrubs) which are handled with care and planted to industry standard. It is important however that you look after your new plantings and ensure that they are regularly watered and maintained. Trees and shrubs that fail due to circumstances beyond our control shall not be replaced. Please ask our staff for guidance on how to look after new trees if in doubt.
Do I need to treat the stump after felling? The majority of conifers will cease to grow following felling and will decay naturally. Some deciduous species will send up shoots. We try to avoid the use of chemicals but on request will apply a single treatment to manufacturer’s specification. Further treatments (if required) will attract additional cost. Alternatively, we can provide advice on products that can be bought from garden centres that can be used to treat stumps to prevent re-growth. No guarantee can be given as to the efficiency of a pesticide after application, due to conditions beyond our control.
Underground and overhead services: Although every reasonable effort shall be made to locate the presence of underground services, unless a plan showing the exact location of underground pipes, wires or cables has been forwarded to us by the Owner of the land or his agent prior to the formation of the Contract; we shall be under no liability for any damage caused as a result of work performed under the Contract to such pipes, wires or cables, or for any damage to property resulting there from, and the Owner of the land or his agent shall be solely liable for any such damage. Any charge for the removal of power lines or telephone cables shall be the responsibility of the Owner, unless otherwise agreed in writing with us.
Measurements: All measurements mentioned in any correspondence are approximate.
Insurance: Evoke Tree Services has £10 million Public Liability Insurance and a copy of the certificate is available on request. We will operate in accordance with good industry practice, their Health & Safety Policy and Procedures and undertake Site Specific Risk Assessments (the outcomes of which may place constraints on the site whilst works are in progress, i.e. the client can’t access their shed without prior agreement from ground staff.)
General: Completion dates shall be contingent upon weather conditions.
Twelve months after the submission of the quotation, we reserve the right to withdraw and re-price work, unless otherwise agreed in writing on acceptance of instructions from the Owner.
Debt recovery: In the unlikely event that you were to miss the agreed payment terms we will send you a gentle reminder that payment is due and would then expect this payment to be made immediately. If this is ignored, we would issue a final notice with the intention of charging interest of 8% on unpaid fees. Then a letter of intended action dependent on outstanding debt, small claims court or engaging a debt recovery agency.
Customer Information and Data Protection: Please be reassured that we only use your personal information for the purposes of completing your tree work. Our IT systems are secure, and we don’t share your details with anyone unnecessarily. We will share your details with the Local Authority if we need to make an application for permission to undertake the work and whilst it is unlikely, in certain circumstances work might need a licence from the Forestry Commission. Please refer to our customer privacy notice for full details.
