Who Needs a Tree Condition Survey? (Manchester & Greater Manchester)

Wondering who actually needs a tree condition survey? This plain-English guide explains when inspections are essential for homeowners, landlords, schools, hospitals, businesses, local authorities and highways teams, developers, housing associations, and insurers. I outline what a professional survey includes—root to crown checks, context and target assessment, condition and risk ratings—and what you’ll receive in a clear, photo-rich report with proportionate recommendations. You’ll learn typical re-inspection intervals, how surveys support UK duty-of-care laws, and why “trees that look fine” can still hide defects. Based in Manchester, we carry out expert tree condition surveys across the city and Greater Manchester—Salford, Stockport, Trafford, Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, Oldham, Tameside and Wigan—with practical advice that protects people, property and budgets while retaining canopy. If you manage a single garden or a large portfolio, this article helps you prioritise works, schedule checks after storms or site changes, and choose qualified PTI-certified arborists for defensible, evidence-based decisions. Clear, calm and jargon-free, it’s written for real-world decisions today.

Who Needs a Tree Condition Survey?

Last month I checked a mature oak beside a Stockport play area. Looked fine at a glance, but a long lateral over the swings carried too much end-weight and there were old pruning wounds with fungal activity at the buttress. The fix wasn’t felling—it was selective reduction, deadwood removal and a 12-month review. Safer for families, canopy kept, budget sensible. That’s the point of a tree condition survey: proportionate decisions grounded in evidence.

Based in Manchester? We carry out expert tree condition surveys across Manchester and Greater Manchester—Salford, Stockport, Trafford, Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, Oldham, Tameside and Wigan.

So, who actually needs one?

• Homeowners & landlords: Trees near boundaries, drives, play areas or neighbours.
• Property/facilities managers: Retail parks, offices, hotels, industrial sites with public footfall and vehicles.
• Schools, hospitals & care settings: High occupancy and vulnerable users; plan checks.
• Local authorities & highways: Parks, cemeteries, verges—risk-based regimes with auditable records.
• Developers & planning applicants: Early constraints and BS 5837 considerations.
• Housing associations & managing agents: Portfolio consistency, budgets and priorities.
• Insurers, loss adjusters & legal teams: Post-incident or proactive evidence.

What happens during a survey?

I work methodically from ground to crown and note context (targets):

• Roots & buttress: stability, soil disturbance, decay indicators.
• Lower/mid stem: cavities, cracks, fungal bodies, wounds.
• Crown & branching: structure, unions, symmetry/asymmetry, end-weight.
• Foliage & tips: vitality, dieback, stress.
• Pathogens & defects: fungal, bacterial, viral signs.
• Surroundings: buildings, roads, paths, lighting, overhead cables.

Each tree receives a condition rating (good/fair/poor/dead) and a risk rating, followed by proportionate recommendations (monitoring, pruning, deadwood removal or, where justified, removal).

What you receive

• Tree details (species, age class, dimensions, location).
• Photo-backed health and structural observations.
• Risk assessment in relation to real targets.
• Prioritised, evidence-based actions and re-inspection interval.
  This shows you’ve taken reasonable steps—important under the Occupiers’ Liability Act (1957) and Health & Safety at Work etc. Act (1974).

How often should you survey?

• High-risk/public sites: about 12–18 months.
• Private gardens/lower-risk: typically 2–3 years.
• After storms or site changes: book an extra check.

Who should carry it out?

Choose a qualified, experienced arborist. Professional Tree Inspection (PTI, Lantra) is the industry benchmark and widely expected where reports may be scrutinised.

FAQs (quick and honest)

My trees look fine—do I still need a survey?
Often, yes. Significant defects can be hidden or subtle; catching them early saves money and reduces risk.

Is this the same as a mortgage tree report?
No. Mortgage reports focus on property risk (e.g., subsidence). A condition survey covers health, structure and safety in context.

Will you always recommend felling?
No. Most outcomes are proportionate: targeted pruning, deadwood removal, monitoring, or habitat creation where appropriate.

Do you cover Greater Manchester?
Yes—citywide and all surrounding boroughs.

Ready to book?

Need a tree condition survey in Manchester? I’ll provide a clear, photo-rich report with prioritised actions so you can protect people and property—sensibly and compliantly.