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Property solicitors are warning landlords that they could soon be looking at personal injury claims or worse if they don’t take care of trees growing on their land. A large number of trees and heavy branches have fallen in the recent spell of nasty weather. Obviously it is difficult to prevent this type of thing from happening, but if the tree is subsequently found to have been diseased, rotten or dead, any people affected by the fall are within their rights to claim for compensation.
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Landlords Legal Requirements
Landlords have a legal requirement to ensure the safety of neighbours and passers-by by making sure any trees on their land are safe. If a healthy tree is felled in strong winds and there is nothing you could have done to prevent this from happening, you are probably safe, but if the tree was in a poor condition, you will be at fault. Unfortunately, personal injury claims are expensive and the last thing any landlords wants is to see end up paying out thousands of pounds in damages.
Check Boundaries
One useful piece of advice from property lawyers who are used to dealing with this type of claim is to check your property boundaries. Don’t assume that a tree is not your responsibility because it sits behind a neighbour’s fence—double check your property deeds to be absolutely sure in case a fence has been erected in the wrong place. Landlords are also advised to record how they deal with fallen trees in the event of an insurance claim.
