How to Choose a Tree Surgeon: 7 Checks Before You Hire
Tree surgeons (arborists) fell, reduce, prune and remove trees and stumps. It is dangerous work at height with chainsaws, so insurance and qualifications matter more here than in almost any other trade. These seven checks take less than half an hour and filter out most of the operators you'd regret hiring.
1. Read reviews across more than one platform
Search the company name plus “reviews” and look at several sources, not just the one the company links to. Hammerscore company pages for tree surgeons combine ratings from multiple platforms into one score with links to the originals.
Read the negative reviews first. What matters is whether the same complaint repeats and how the business responds — a calm, specific reply is a good sign; blaming every customer is not.
2. Verify the credentials that matter
Competent tree surgeons hold NPTC or Lantra certificates for chainsaw and climbing work. Arboricultural Association Approved Contractor status is independently assessed — verify it on the Association's directory.
3. Confirm insurance
Ask to see a current public liability insurance certificate. This covers damage to your property and injury to others. For larger jobs, also ask how your deposit is protected and whether any guarantee is insurance-backed.
4. Get three written quotes
Describe the same job to three companies and compare written quotes line by line. A proper quote lists the work, materials, start date, duration, payment stages and VAT. The form on any Hammerscore company page can request quotes from similar companies nearby.
5. Check the paperwork trail
The name on the quote, invoice and van should match the business you checked. Limited companies can be verified free on Companies House; sole traders should still give you a trading address and landline.
Red flags specific to this trade
Any one of these deserves a pause; two together mean look elsewhere.
- no public liability insurance for work at height
- offering to top a tree — a discredited practice
- doorstep offers after storms with pressure to decide immediately
After the job
Pay by a method with a record, keep the paperwork, and leave an honest review — good or bad. It is the most useful thing you can do for the next person searching this company's name.
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