Am I liable if I strap a tree up as an emergency fix and then it comes down?

[WillTimberlake]

Very good advise from Shane and Yorkshireman. As Dean has mentioned, it'll obviously make him aware that it could come down and your booking it in for future, if it does fall you can always go and tidy it up if he wants you to. I wouldn't strap it, or brace it etc but the blame will soley be on you, whereas if you don't touch it then your all clear. I wouldn't worry about it, if he's that desperate to get it done he'll call someone else Merry Xmas all.

[samiad]

Nice one. How does this sound?

 

"Hello Andrew, I just got back from my holidays. I think that tree should be removed. Hard to say if it will or wont blow over but there's always a chance especially in weather like this! Would you like me to book it in my first available slot?"

[samiad]

any maybe throw in an offer of emergency call out?

[Shane]

That sound fine - ball in his court, youve offered all you can.

Just don't get caught out doing a half-measure temporary fix which then fails and becomes your fault.

Manage expectations and theres no nasty surprises.

[Steve Bullman]

Tell him if you could predict if a tree was going to fall down or not you'd be a very rich man

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

The chances are the customer has been conscious of the potential problem for years.... but wants you to take responsibility tomorrow!

 

Don't do a half assed temp fix that could fail and leave you liable, give them a price, put it in the diary and do the job properly.

 

If it fails before then it's their responsibility for leaving it too long before addressing the potential problem.

[treeseer]

Why not bid to do a proper cabling job?

 

Materials are ~50 pounds and last 30+ years

Rigguy, Inc >> Solving Your Challenges Through Innovative Solutions

 

Included bark should not be fatal, too easy to fix.

[Philip Anderson]

Why not bid to do a proper cabling job?

 

Materials are ~50 pounds and last 30+ years

Rigguy, Inc >> Solving Your Challenges Through Innovative Solutions

 

Included bark should not be fatal, too easy to fix.

 

On a leylandii ??? Why bother cabling?

[SiW]

I do seem to remember a case a number of years ago where a tree surgeon offered a professional opinion that a tree was dangerous and needed to be removed, there was a delay in any works been carried out and the tree fell on the house, the tree surgeon was successfully sued because he failed to carry out the work in a suitable time after stating dangerous. That's what insurance is for

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

I do seem to remember a case a number of years ago where a tree surgeon offered a professional opinion that a tree was dangerous and needed to be removed, there was a delay in any works been carried out and the tree fell on the house, the tree surgeon was successfully sued because he failed to carry out the work in a suitable time after stating dangerous. That's what insurance is for

 

That's an interesting point! Don't suppose you remember any detail we could look up?