Three Years of Climate Action with Ecologi
At Tree Law, trees sit at the heart of everything we do. Every day we work on cases involving tree protection, subsidence, development pressures and environmental responsibility. It therefore felt important that, as a business, we also take practical steps to reduce and offset our own environmental impact. Three years ago we began using Ecologi […]
Talking to Customers About Tree Risk: Providing Clarity Without Over-Promising
Customers are increasingly proactive about property risk — particularly when trees are involved. Arborist reports, surveys, and recommendations for removal often prompt policyholders to seek reassurance about future insurance cover. These conversations can be delicate. Customers want certainty; insurers must avoid giving it prematurely. The Core Challenge When no damage has occurred, customers often ask […]
Trees Near Your Home: What Insurance Can (and Can’t) Tell You in Advance
Trees can enhance a property, but when they’re planted too close to a building — or concerns arise about their condition — they can quickly become a source of anxiety. One of the first questions homeowners often ask is whether their insurance will respond if something goes wrong. The answer, however, is rarely a simple […]
Felling Licence – Who needs one?
When Do You Need a Felling Licence? If you’re planning to cut down trees in the UK, one of the first legal questions you should ask is: do I need a felling licence? Tree felling is regulated by law, and carrying out work without the correct permission can lead to enforcement action, fines, and a […]
Subsidence: The Origin Story
The meaning of subsidence (at least in the insurance and legal context) owes far more to post-war lending practices and reputational risk than to geotechnical science. Understanding how we got here explains much of the confusion, disagreement, and litigation that still surrounds subsidence claims today. POST-WAR LENDING AND THE BIRTH OF “SUBSIDENCE” COVER During the […]
What Is a Subject Access Request (SAR) — and How Do You Make One to Your Local Authority?
A Subject Access Request (SAR) is a valuable right under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) that enables individuals to request personal information held about them by organisations, including local authorities. If you need to access records or documents held by your local authority, whether it’s regarding planning, tree preservation, housing, or any other service, making a […]
What Is a Subject Access Request (SAR) — and How Do You Make One to Your Insurance Company?
If you’re in dispute with your insurance company, feeling kept in the dark, or simply want to understand what information they hold about you, a Subject Access Request (SAR) can be a powerful (and often under-used) tool. This document explains what a SAR is, when it is useful, and how to make one properly to your insurer. WHAT IS A […]
Garden Offices: A Growing Risk for Insurers
Garden offices have boomed since 2020, fuelled by hybrid working and the desire for separate home workspaces. Yet many were built quickly, often on shallow slabs, close to mature trees — and they’re now becoming a significant and under-reported source of subsidence and structural claims. 1. The Construction Problem Most garden offices are lightweight, timber-framed […]
Tree Owner’s Responsibility for Leaf Litter
*(England & Wales)* 1. General Position Fallen leaves, twigs, fruit, blossom, and similar natural detritus are regarded in law as “natural occurrences”. Their mere presence on neighbouring land, in gutters, or drains does not normally give rise to liability in nuisance, negligence, or trespass. The law distinguishes between encroachment (e.g. roots or branches growing into […]
Tree Root Subsidence — Balancing Cost, Carbon and Reputation
Unlike most insured perils, subsidence doesn’t stop when you make a claim. It continues quietly, season after season, until the cause is removed or controlled. That’s what makes mitigation both essential and sensitive. The duty to mitigate Once evidence shows that a tree is causing movement, the claimant — and by extension their insurer — […]
