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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Perfect property has massive oak tree in front garden

95 replies

zippyswife · 07/05/2021 10:35

Firstly I'm clearly very naive and clueless when it comes to trees.

We put in an offer and had it accepted on a property which is perfect and in a lovely leafy area.

I took my mum to view it and she pointed out that the massive oak tree in the front garden 3-4 metres from the house could be a problem. We've had such a nightmare time of moving and I was so excited that an offer had finally been accepted on a property but now I don't know if I should be touching it if there's potential problems.

Dh says it's no big deal as the tree was there a long time before the house (house built in 70s). He thinks I'm overreacting.

We've spent over 2k on survey/solicitors on a property that fell through as the vendors changed their mind so I'm keen not to waste more time/energy/money on this.

Any advice would be really welcome.

OP posts:

Original poster

zippyswife · 09/05/2021 20:07

Ok. There is a TPO on a tree at that address. However, It appears as if a large tree also at the address (a couple of metres from THE tree) has been cut down so how do I know if the TPO relates to the remaining tree or the one that has been taken down?

OP posts:

MissMarplesGoddaughter · 09/05/2021 20:49

My local council has an interactive map of the whole borough on their website. You type in your post code and can easily locate your road. All trees are shown and the ones with TPOs are ringed in red, so it is very easy to know which tree a TPO refers too.

Original poster

zippyswife · 09/05/2021 21:12

@MissMarplesGoddaughter my council's website isn't quite as good. Only TPO trees shown.

I've been reading up on this and I'm on clay soil too which doesn't sound ideal.

OP posts:

HelgaHybrid · 09/05/2021 23:16

Check if it impinges on the natural light inside the house. I’ve removed some gigantic conifers already for that reason, but can’t do much about our other trees with TPOs without incurring large fines. We’ve got an oak that greatly impacts the light in our kitchen. If it didn’t have a TPO, I would have removed it already. It is a pain maintaining them and reducing the crown etc. Before covid, planning permission for our tree works took 11 weeks! Goodness knows what the backlog is like now. Also tree surgeons are a lot more expensive than I expected. Several large trees mean our back lawn is really poor quality (presumably as they take all of the water from the soil). The grass needs lots of time to keep it looking even just ok.

MissMarplesGoddaughter · 10/05/2021 07:33

@HelgaHybrid

Just to say I really agree with all these comments.

When we last had the crown reduced it cost £800 (SE London). I could have had it done slightly cheaper, but as the tree was so near our house I wanted to make sure the tree surgeon was well qualified and had good references and good insurance.

Also to deal with all the leaves and acorns we ended up having an additional garden waste bin from the council at £60 per year.

@zippyswife -if you are not sure whether there is a TPO in place, I would phone the local council and speak directly to someone. Get their response in writing. Every tree surgeon we have used has asked whether there is a TPO in order and they have checked with the local council before doing any work.

I do love trees, but personally I would never buy a property with a large tree in my garden or in any of my immediate neighbours gardens. If you do go ahead, add tree maintenance to your household budget as an increasing, recurring cost.

MissMarplesGoddaughter · 10/05/2021 07:34

p.s. I am on clay soil too, but my house has additional deep piles and foundations.

If the tree is near a garden wall or fence, the roots will also affect the fence or wall.

CellophaneFlower · 10/05/2021 09:27

The thing is though that sometimes insurers will refuse to insure a house with previous subsidence, even though it's been underpinned and is safe. I personally wouldn't be put off by an underpinned house, but I would be put off by having to stick to a vendor's current insurance company and a more limited pool of buyers when I came to sell.

It's the same with knotweed. Experts seem less concerned than they used to be, however, insurers, banks, surveyors etc still don't like to touch these properties, even if it's being treated and under control.

AcornCups · 10/05/2021 11:15

My sister had a large oak tree in the field at the end of her garden. Her garden was small and the tree was huge only issue was when the wind was up she used to worry it would fall on the house, there was a TPO on the tree. She sold her house last year no problem.

Gotthetshirt23 · 11/05/2021 23:16

New neighbours have just cut the oak at the front of theirs down . Seems they don't like birds above the car .

MissMarplesGoddaughter · 12/05/2021 04:12

@Gotthetshirt23

New neighbours have just cut the oak at the front of theirs down . Seems they don't like birds above the car .

Actually, that's another point. If you have to park your car under the tree, everyday there will be bird shit to wipe off. It is corrosive to the paintwork.

AlwaysLatte · 12/05/2021 07:52

NB excess acorns can be collected and someone with a pig would love to collect them - I know someone with a pig and she comes and gets tubs of them from us.

Heyha · 12/05/2021 08:43

@AlwaysLatte

NB excess acorns can be collected and someone with a pig would love to collect them - I know someone with a pig and she comes and gets tubs of them from us.

Yes this is true! I do this too, the pigs love them, this year was brilliant for them as well. With my windfall apple disposal system as well I was really popular with both pigs and people last Autumn 😂

Original poster

zippyswife · 12/05/2021 09:49

This may be a stupid question so apologies in advance but why should I get a full structural survey rather than a homebuyers survey? I have contacted a couple of surveyors and they seem to think a homebuyers survey would be the correct level for the property (taking the tree into consideration) and would hi-light subsidence and other issues. This is clearly all new to me. I want to get it right.

Also I've had a quote from an arborist and he has quoted £900 + vat. Does this seem like a fair price? He said this would be for the pre-mortgage report (is that what I need?).

The mortgage valuation was turned around within an hour yesterday (Halifax) and I've been offered the mortgage already.

I don't want to scrimp on what needs to be done but at the same time don't want to spend over the odds unnecessarily.

I'm feeling stressed out by all this, I can't tell if it's me as I am prone to anxiety or if it's a normal response. DH says he'd rather it didn't have the tree in the garden but the house is great so let's just crack on and enjoy it.

OP posts:

Original poster

zippyswife · 12/05/2021 11:27

Just had another quote from a different arborist for £350 + vat. Wildly different. That's much more palatable!

OP posts:

Heyha · 12/05/2021 12:31

I reckon then normal survey and the better value arborist to set your mind at rest? I've no experience buying in these circumstances though, just the living alongside aspect, so don't take too much notice of me 😂

JoJo6969 · 16/09/2021 18:50

I bought a house 20 years ago with 2 large oak trees very close ( under 10 m ) not on my land
I now have subsidence issues because the trees are taking all the moisture from the clay soil house is build on
I wouldn’t wish this on anyone ( it is a bloody nightmare )
Ask me more if you wish too

PoshWatchShitShoes · 16/09/2021 19:07

Also you might want to think about if it negatively impacts the lightness in the house. We bought a house with a big oak quote close to our kitchen window. Unfortunately it blocks a lot of our morning sunlight. I'd cut ours down if I could, but it's got a TPO

PoshWatchShitShoes · 16/09/2021 19:08

That should say *brightness

Ruthmerri · 20/06/2023 08:02

My neighbour's tree roots 'bellied the pipe' and my ceiling collapsed spewing soiled water around my sitting room. My insurance claim was huge.
Professionals were called in and cctv was fed through the shared soil pipe. It showed a broken clay soil pipe full of roots from the neighbours tree. The roots grew happily drinking up all the water in the pipe thereby causing a blockage. Gradually, instead of flowing away, the solid matter in my soil pipe got stuck and the blockage backed up. Eventually, one fatal flush of the loo caused the collapse of my ceiling. I'm dead worried about trees in a garden and the liability. The clear up took months.
Damage can be subsidence or have.

Ruthmerri · 20/06/2023 08:09

Heave that should be!

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