House buying- please help!

[Z03]

Has anyone ever bought a house near a big tree? We are viewing a house which we really like the look of, however on the home report it was given a 3 for the fact there are 2 big trees in the back garden. It said expert advice from a contractor should be sought. It didn’t explicitly say what the issue was, however presumably it’s the roots causing structural problems to the house?

DH and I actually like the trees and wouldn’t want to cut them down anyway, but does anyone have any experience or knowledge about buying a house with big trees in the back garden? Is it normal for home reports to flag it as a concern just based on the trees alone, ie, does it automatically get a 3 if the trees are a certain distance from the house or is it definitely problematic?

TIA.

It depends on the type and size of the tree

If it fell would it hit the house for example?
Some types of trees roots never extend beyond the canopy , others like willow can cause pipes to break

The report will flag it but it would need a tree expert to say if the roots could cause problems , if the tree is basically sound

Can increase home insurance
Can mean every few years you need to pay a few hundred to a tree surgeon to check it out and remove dangerous branches
But many people live happily with large trees

Yes they are a concern. Because :

a) They can fall down, damaging your property, or someone elses. Even if the entire tree does not come down, a large branch could do significant damage.

b) The roots can do damage to yours and other peoples properties. Even removing the tree may cause issues, as the nature of the ground around the tree when it is chopped down may change.

c) The trees may have TPOs on them or your house may be in a conservation area. This means that it is a lot of hassle to arrange to prune them, and to chop them down as it involves getting permission from the local council. Sometimes it is very difficult to get permission to cut down trees with TPOs even if they pose significant issues. Anyone can request that a TPO is placed on a tree at any time (not just the council). Whether it will succeed or not depends on many factors.

d) There are costs associated with maintaining them and if necessary chopping them down.

How much of a threat they pose depends on the situation. Whether there is a big garden/whether they are far away from the property. What kind of trees they are. What condition the trees are in. Whether there are people around likely to request that a TPO is placed on the trees.

If you decide to take on a house with a large tree(s) you need to do it with your eyes open to the potential issues they can cause and the expense/issues you may incur as a result.

The reward you get is a lovely tree to view and the privilege of providing safe custody of the tree to allow everyone around to view and enjoy it (including future generations and wildlife). Some people believe this is more than worth the costs and risks involved. Some don't.

It depends on the type of tree and the distance from the house. They could damage your foundations if left but also when cutting down can cause significant damage due to the way they’ve been draining the soil, and the sudden shift could cause problems. It may also mean you need piling foundations (which is expensive) if you want to extend the house. It’s possible that the surveyor has just covered their own back by putting the detail of the tree in there. You should speak to a structural engineer or someone knowledgeable about trees to find out more.

All of what GasPanic says and also some insurance companies ask you to declare trees over/within 10 metres