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Which survey?CostWarning signsHow we inspectPlanning surveys (BS 5837)Landlords and agentsSubsidence and insurersBuying or sellingWhat the report includesChoosing a surveyor
Which Tree Survey Do You Need?
"Tree survey" can mean several different things. The right one depends on why you want it.
| Your situation | Survey you probably need | What it covers |
|---|
| Worried about a tree's health or whether it is safe | Tree health and safety survey (tree risk assessment) | Condition, visible defects and risks, and recommended work or monitoring |
| You own or manage several trees, a site or a rental property | Regular inspection programme | Periodic inspections with a record of findings and actions |
| Building or extending near trees | BS 5837 tree survey, often with an impact assessment and protection plan | Records the trees and how the design affects them, for planning |
| Applying to work on a protected tree | Tree report to support the application | The tree's condition and the reasons for the work |
| Cracks in a wall, an insurer or a subsidence claim | Arboricultural report on tree and building | Whether a tree is likely to be involved, and what to do |
| Buying or selling a property with large trees | Tree report for a property transaction | The tree's condition and its relationship to the building |
What a Survey Can and Cannot Tell You
Most tree surveys are carried out from ground level by visual inspection, so they are a snapshot of what can be seen. A BS 5837 planning survey is not a tree risk assessment, and the two answer different questions. No survey can guarantee that a tree will never fail.
How Much Does a Tree Survey Cost in Croydon?
A tree survey in Croydon typically starts from £260 for a single-tree health and safety inspection and from £460 for a BS 5837 planning survey, rising with the purpose, the number of trees and the level of reporting.
| Survey | Indicative cost |
|---|
| Single tree health and safety inspection with short report | From £260 |
| Several trees on one property, with schedule | Quoted per site, rising with the number of trees |
| Ongoing inspection programme (landlords, managing agents) | Quoted per site |
| BS 5837 tree survey for a small residential plot | From £460 |
| Impact assessment, protection plan or method statement | Additional, quoted per site |
| Tree report to support a TPO or conservation area application | Quoted per site |
| Urgent reports | Typically higher |
These are guide figures. After we've seen the trees, you get a fixed written quote. See the cost guide.
| What affects the price | Why it matters |
|---|
| Purpose of the survey | Health and safety, planning and property reports each need different work |
| Number and size of trees | More or larger trees take longer |
| Level of reporting | A summary report costs less than a full schedule, plans and assessment |
| Planning documents | An impact assessment, protection plan or method statement are extra |
| Detailed testing | Aerial inspection or decay testing adds to the work |
| Deadlines | Urgent reports may cost more |
| Follow-up work | Any tree work recommended is priced separately |
Warning Signs a Tree Needs Checking
You don't need a survey for every tree. But these signs are worth having looked at, especially near a house, road, play area or boundary.
| What you see | What it may mean |
|---|
| Fungus (brackets, mushrooms) at the base or on the trunk | Decay in the roots or wood |
| Dead branches, thinning crown, early leaf drop | Stress, disease or root problems |
| Cracks, splits or a large cavity in the trunk | Structural weakness |
| Sudden or new lean, or soil heaving at the base | Root failure; keep clear and get advice |
| Branches rubbing or two stems with bark squeezed between them (included bark) | A weak union that can split |
| Bark peeling, oozing or bleeding | Disease; common causes include bleeding canker on horse chestnut |
| Previous topping or heavy cutting | Weak regrowth that can break |
| Ash with dieback in the crown | Ash dieback; see our ash dieback guide |
| Cracks in nearby walls, sticking doors, or damaged drains | Possible root or subsidence issue; see below |
If a tree is leaning, uprooting or has already failed in part, treat it as urgent. See emergency tree work.
How We Inspect a Tree
| Level | What it involves | Best for |
|---|
| Ground-level visual inspection | A walk-round assessment of the crown, trunk, root collar and ground, using recognised visual tree assessment methods | Most homeowner and landlord surveys |
| Detailed inspection | Closer examination of a specific defect, which can include aerial inspection from a climber, a sounding mallet or decay-detection equipment such as resistance drilling or sonic tomography | A tree with a known or suspected defect, or a valuable tree |
| Monitoring | Repeat inspections to track a defect or condition over time | Trees you want to keep but that need watching |
We rate risk using a recognised, structured approach (for example QTRA or VALID) so the report gives a clear, comparable result rather than a gut feeling.
Tree Surveys for Planning Applications (BS 5837)
If you're building, extending or changing a driveway near trees, the council may expect a tree survey with your application. The standard used is British Standard 5837:2012, Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction. Croydon Council's local validation list sets the exact requirements, and trees on neighbouring land can count too.
| Document | What it does |
|---|
| Tree survey and schedule | Records each tree: species, size, condition, category and root protection area |
| Tree constraints plan | Shows trees and root protection areas on the site so the design can respond |
| Arboricultural impact assessment | Sets out how the layout affects the trees |
| Tree protection plan | Shows fencing and ground protection during construction |
| Method statement | Explains how work near trees will be done |
Tree Categories
| Category | Meaning |
|---|
| A | High quality, remaining life of at least 40 years |
| B | Moderate quality, at least 20 years |
| C | Low quality, at least 10 years, or young trees with a stem under 150mm |
| U | Cannot realistically be kept for more than 10 years |
How Big Is the Root Protection Area?
The root protection area (RPA) is the ground around a tree that must be protected during building work. For a single-stem tree, BS 5837 calculates its radius as 12 times the trunk diameter, measured at 1.5m above ground, up to a maximum radius of 15m. So a tree with a 60cm trunk has an RPA radius of about 7.2m, which is often well beyond a typical garden boundary. That's why a tree in a neighbour's garden can still limit your extension.
Who Can Sign Off a Planning Survey?
For planning documents, councils generally expect the work to be done by a suitably qualified arboriculturist. For BS 5837 planning surveys we work with an independent arboricultural consultant. Either way, we'll say plainly whether your job needs a specialist.
Tree Surveys for Landlords, Managing Agents and Property Owners
If you own or manage land with trees, you have a duty to take reasonable care that they don't injure people or damage property. This comes from the Occupiers' Liability Acts 1957 and 1984, the Health and Safety at Work Act and the common law of negligence. There's no fixed legal inspection frequency. The standard is a reasonable, proportionate approach: more frequent checks for larger trees near roads, paths, car parks, buildings and play areas.
A sensible approach has three parts:
- A tree record showing where the trees are, what they are and their condition
- Regular inspections, commonly every one to three years depending on risk, and after major storms
- A written record of what was found and what was done
This follows the principles in the National Tree Safety Group's guidance, Common sense risk management of trees. We can set this up for rental properties, blocks, housing associations, schools, churches and commercial sites, and provide a report to pass to the owner, freeholder or insurer.
Tree Surveys for Subsidence, Cracks and Insurance Claims
Cracks in walls, sticking doors or damaged drains near a tree can have several causes. Broadly, northern Croydon (Norbury, Thornton Heath, Upper Norwood and Crystal Palace) sits on clay soil that shrinks in dry weather, while the southern hills (Purley, Kenley, Coulsdon, Sanderstead and Selsdon) sit on chalk. Clay-soil subsidence claims often involve nearby trees, but proving it takes evidence.
A tree report in these cases typically covers the tree's species, size, distance from the building and likely root influence, alongside the structural engineer's findings and any monitoring and soil data. Don't remove a large tree near a building until your insurer or a structural engineer has advised, because removal can sometimes make things worse as the clay swells back. See trees near buildings.
Tree Surveys When Buying or Selling a House
Large trees near a property can affect a sale, a mortgage valuation or insurance. A tree report can help if:
- Mature trees stand close to the house, drains or boundary walls
- The survey, valuer or insurer has mentioned trees
- You're planning an extension, driveway or garden building after you buy
- The trees may be protected by a TPO or sit in a conservation area (many roads in Upper Norwood, South Croydon and Purley do)
We can check the protection status as part of the report. Most buyers use it to decide on the price, the work needed or whether to proceed.
What a Tree Survey Report Includes
| Section | What it tells you |
|---|
| Plain-English summary | The key findings and what to do next, on the first page |
| Tree schedule | Reference, species, height, stem diameter, age class and condition |
| Observations | Visible defects and health, with photos |
| Risk and recommendations | What work, if any, is advised and how urgently |
| Protection status | Whether each tree has a TPO or is in a conservation area |
| Site plan | Where each tree is, numbered to match the schedule |
| Re-inspection advice | When to look at the trees again |
| Limits of the survey | What was and was not inspected, and the date |
Your report is yours to keep. You're free to take it to other contractors for quotes, and we'll give honest advice even where the recommended work is minimal or nothing at all. Turnaround: usually within 5 working days.
Who Should Carry Out a Tree Survey?
Look for a surveyor with relevant qualifications such as the Level 4 Diploma in Arboriculture, a professional tree inspection certificate and professional membership, plus professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask to see them. Ask for a sample report, and ask how they keep advice objective if they also carry out the work. See how to choose a tree surgeon.
Protected Trees and Your Property
Check Protection First
Croydon Council says a tree preservation order (TPO) stops visually important trees being removed or pruned without formal permission, and that you must give six weeks' written notice before work to a tree in a conservation area. Fines of up to £20,000 can follow for cutting down a protected tree without permission, and up to £2,500 for pruning one. We check both as part of every survey. TPO guide and conservation area guide.
Croydon Council says it is often helpful to get professional advice when completing a tree works application, which is where a tree report can help. A report that sets out the tree's condition, the reasons for the work and a precise description of the pruning or removal gives your application the best chance of being validated first time. If you think a tree is affecting your building, the council advises consulting your insurer, an arboricultural consultant or a structural engineer.
Tree Surveys Across Croydon
We carry out tree surveys across the borough, including Addiscombe, Shirley, Thornton Heath, Norbury, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, South Croydon, Selsdon, Sanderstead, Purley, Coulsdon and Kenley (CR0, CR2, CR5, CR7, CR8, SE19 and SW16).
