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A Tree Has Come Down in a Storm: What to Do Next

If you have woken up to a tree across your drive or a branch through the shed roof, the first thing to say is: do not rush in with a chainsaw. Fallen trees are one of the most dangerous things we deal with, and a lot of injuries happen in the clean-up rather than the storm itself.

First, keep everyone safe

  • Keep people and pets away from the tree, and from any other trees that look damaged. Broken branches can still be hanging in the crown and fall later.
  • If a tree is touching or near power lines, stay well back and call 105, the national power cut and electricity emergency number. Never try to move anything near a line yourself.
  • If a tree is blocking a public road, report it to Staffordshire County Council or call 999 if it is causing an immediate danger.
  • If it has hit the house and you think the structure is damaged, or you can smell gas, get out and call the emergency services.

Take photos before anything is moved

Before anything is cleared, take plenty of photos and some video from different angles. Get the base of the tree, the break point, the damage to the property and anything underneath it. Your insurer will want to see these, and it is much harder to show what happened once the tree has been cut up.

Call your insurer

Ring your home insurer as early as you can. Most policies cover damage caused by fallen trees, and many will also cover the cost of removing the part of the tree that has caused the damage. Ask them what they need from you and whether they want to send someone out before work starts.

If the tree came from a neighbour’s garden, it is still usually best to start with your own insurer. Where the tree belonged to someone else, the insurers will generally sort out between themselves who pays.

Getting the tree made safe

A fallen tree is often under a lot of tension. Trunks and branches can be twisted, pinned or bent in ways that make them spring back or roll when cut. This is why we always assess the whole tree before we start, and why we work from the outside in, taking it apart in small, controlled sections.

Once it is safe we can clear the site, take away the timber and green waste, and look at whether the stump needs grinding out. If the rest of the tree is still standing but damaged, we will tell you honestly whether it can be saved with some pruning or whether it should come down.

Questions we get asked

Can you come out straight away?

After a big storm we prioritise jobs where a tree is on a house, blocking access or causing a danger. We will always try to at least make things safe as quickly as possible, even if the full clear-up has to follow a few days later.

Watch out for cold callers

After storms there are always people knocking on doors offering to clear trees for cash. Ask for proof of insurance and qualifications, and get a written quote. A proper company will not mind.

Do I need permission to remove a storm-damaged tree?

If a tree is protected by a Tree Preservation Order or is in a conservation area, there are exceptions for work that is urgently needed to remove an immediate danger, but you should still let the council know. If in doubt, ask us and we can help.

We are here when you need us

M Bissell Trees and Hedges is a Staffordshire tree surgery team covering Stafford, Cannock, Penkridge and the surrounding areas. Our team are NPTC qualified and fully insured, and some are trained to work from elevating platforms for jobs at real height. Call Matt on 07968 421 434 or 01785 82 44 10, or contact us here.