are councils liable for damage caused by trees

User #432148 12060 posts. I don't mind the tree but its roots have cracked the pavement and are causing serious damage to my garden wall. Winter rains and strong winds can often result in fallen trees and associated damage. Until 2013 homeowners were not generally considered liable for damage caused in this way by tree roots because they lacked the necessary foresight. The recent case of Khan & Harrow Council & Another [2013] (Ramsey J handed down his judgment on 3 September 2013), which concerned damage caused to a property by tree roots, considered when a person will be liable for damage caused by roots from trees on their land. If your neighbour does not agree to have the problem resolved, you can apply to a district court for an order for removal or trimming. Some rare trees can be valued at tens of thousands of dollars. The only difference is that the planning authority's permission is required before carrying out any remedial work. The cedar tree was planted by council in 2009. If your actions cause damage or ultimately kill a neighbor’s tree, you may be found liable for up to three times the replacement cost of the tree. Only a court can do this. What if I have evidence that the damage to my property is being caused by Borough Council owned trees? After obtaining several quotes to fix the problem, talks between the neighbours broke down and we were instructed to commence proceedings in the Local Court to seek orders that the roots be trimmed back and the sewerage lines … Council Not Liable for Tree Roots Subsidence. A property owner whose Victorian townhouse was severely affected by subsidence has failed to convince the Court of Appeal that the local authority and a housing association (the respondents) should be held liable to compensate her for the damage. Am I liable if I cause damage to a neighbour’s tree as a result? You should contact:-Head of Law and Administration Stafford Borough Council Civic Centre Riverside Stafford ST16 3 AQ But if the tree was planted on the boundary, you are probably a co-owner. Mr and Mrs Khan owned a property in Stanmore, Middlesex. The owner of the land upon which the tree is situated is usually the one who is liable for damage caused by the roots of that tree. Justice Cull said errors included the judge restricting the duty of care on the council to ''inspect and maintain'' the trees in St Omer Park, rather than a duty to undertake reasonable steps to prevent known risk of damage from its trees. Is this right?Answer: A tree is the Question: I've just bought an end-of-terrace house with a tree outside on the public path. Council land. Is the Tree’s Owner liable for any Damage? An individual will generally be liable for the cost of the damage caused by their tree. Things that the council is responsible for removal of tree stumps alongside public roads, unless left in place for safety reasons repairing damage to roads caused by tree roots surfacing protecting council-owned trees using Tree Preservation Orders The property was constructed in about 1981, and it comprised a two storey detached house with attached single storey garage. Where an overhanging tree or branch falls, the tree owner would be liable if the damage caused was reasonably foreseeable. Once Islington Council were presented with evidence, we felled two street trees and also allowed for a tree with a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) on the neighbouring property to be removed. The Council does not have responsibility for trees which it does not own, has no obligation to take action in relation to privately-owned trees and is not liable for damage caused by trees in others' ownership.. In her decision, dated July 31, Justice Helen Cull found Judge Hassan erred and the council was liable to Plaza for the damage caused. Dreyfus27. 13. Where trees cause damage and it is not a storm, for example your tree was dead, damaged or a species prone to having branches fall and you have a reasonable suspicion it might fall down you should take steps to address the danger. However, your chance of making a claim would usually depend on demonstrating that the owner had been negligent; if the tree was obviously unsafe through disease or damage, for example. damage from the tree and the council has failed to take reasonable action in response to the request, the council may be liable for any damage to property that would have been averted if the council had taken reasonable action when requested. She also claimed that the leaf litter had damaged her pool and was likely to cause further damage. One of the most common questions attorneys get asked involves the situation where neighbors are disputing who is responsible for damage or issues arising from a nuisance tree growing over the property line.. Take the situation where your neighbor has a tree on their property that grows over the property line, and that tree’s roots are damaging your cement patio. Not necessarily. Is the local authority liable? Council reserves its right to recover all or any costs that have been unnecessarily or unreasonably incurred by the Council in successfully defending insurance claims made against the Council. And if trees fall or drop branches across property lines, it can become difficult to determine who is responsible. Where damage to public spaces including footpaths and driveways is suspected to have been caused by roots from street trees, residents are advised to contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on 9083 8000 for inspection by a Council officer. In this case all of the damage (some £200,000) occurred prior to Islington Council being informed that there was damage or that the trees were implicated in that damage. Mrs Kane owned a neighbouring property, within the … The owner of the tree may be responsible for damage caused to a neighbor’s property but only if it can be found that the tree’s owner failed to properly maintain the tree. Background. A tree planted on your neighbour's land belongs to them, and they will be liable for any damage it causes. An adjoining landowner may still be held liable for injuries caused by a tree well if the adjoining landowner created the defect or unsafe condition, or used the tree well for a special purpose such as installing a fence or varying the tree well’s construction. Contact an arborist or your local council about whether the tree can be removed. If you believe a tree has caused damage to your private property - such as to buildings, fences, driveways or vehicles - what you need to do depends on where the tree is located. The general legal position in the Northern Territory is that where damage is caused to a dividing fence, the owners of land on either side of the fence must equally contribute to the cost of the repairs. Local residents are now asking who is responsible for the cost of repairs to a dividing fence when the damage has been caused by a fallen tree from a neighbouring property during the storm. Did you know? We are responsible for trees on land owned by the Council. Speci c legal advice should be sought in these situations. A Melbourne council has been ordered to pay a woman more than $400,000 to demolish and rebuild her home after a tree it planted was found to have caused dozens of cracks and damage.. Angela Livingston has been fighting the City of Melbourne since she noticed the cracks in 2012.. Mature plane trees grow on … If the tree or branches cause damage, then you may be liable. We are responsible for trees on land owned by the Council. However, an occupier of land in question (for example, a tenant) may also be liable if they are in the position to take steps to ‘abate’ (bring to an end) the nuisance. If it is proved that a council tree has damaged your property, or could cause damage in the future, we may carry out work on the tree. No, the owner retains responsibility and duty of care to the public for the tree's condition, safety and any damage the tree may cause. We rarely investigate complaints about legal liability. When can a TPO be put on a tree? It is the duty of every property owner to maintain their property, including trees, in a safe and hazard free condition. Damage caused by tree roots. To hold the owner responsible for a tree that was not previously overhanging the boundary or where the tree was overhanging public land such as a road it is necessary to show that the owner knew or should have known that the tree or branch was in a dangerous condition … This was a claim for damage to a property caused by the roots of trees for which the council was responsible. If a tree causes damage, the owner may be liable. Depending on the size and type of the tree, the typical replacement cost can be anywhere from $500 to $3000. The question arises, therefore, to what extent is a local authority with the responsibility for the highway and trees on it, liable for loss and damage caused in the unfortunate event of a vehicle striking an overhanging tree? The tree owners disagreed with the removal of the tree but were prepared to remove the overhanging branches subject to permission from the local council, which enforced a tree protection order over the tree. In law you would be considered negligent. Both occupiers and anyone with responsibility for trees e.g. Sometimes branch removal can lead to tree failure due to disease, a change in the balance of the tree, or different wind loading that causes the tree to blow over. The Mrs car was parked on a public road, owned by the local council (as well as the trees), later when she came back, the car was completely damaged, windscreen shattered and heavy damage to the bonnet and roof (glass bits everywhere). 245—Liability for injury, damage or loss caused by certain trees (1) A council is not liable for any damage to property which results from— the planting of a tree in a road; or the existence of a tree growing in a road (whether planted by the council or not). If the tree is on Council land, such as a naturestrip, park or garden: Report an issue online. There was a note from the tree surgeon (contracted by the council) explaining damage has been done from a falling branch and he gave a contact number to … Or contact Council. Tree damaging pipes. The tree that caused the damage was overhanging into the road and so I applied to the council for some insurance as there was no warning of overhanging trees and at no point did I mount the kerb. Recently we were engaged by a homeowner to claim costs from their neighbour arising from a dispute about a tree causing damage to our client's sewerage line. Council liability for injury or damage to property Can we help? Thankyou for your advice. His insurer said it was clear the damage was the direct result of council “negligence”. Before Council is obliged to pay compensation for any injury, loss or damage suffered, it must be established that this injury, loss or damage was caused as a result of Council's negligence. Whirlpool Forums Addict reference: whrl.pl/Rf9g3x. It is very rare for underground water pipes to be broken by tree roots. The damage is obviously from the tree but the council says it's not its responsibility and I have to pay for repairs to my wall myself. This is because we cannot make a ruling that a council is liable or order that compensation be paid. For example, if neighbour A fails to maintain their tree and it falls onto neighbour B’s property causing damage, neighbour A will generally be liable for that damage. It is the second time a case over council liability for hot water cylinder damage from chlorine has failed. But in June 2015 the council replaced a section of footpath that was damaged by the roots, and removed “quite substantial” tree roots found growing near Ms Lomuto’s property. Background. Is the council responsible for protected trees? However, a decision in 2013, Khan and Khan v Harrow Council and Kane, raised doubts about that view. The Duty of Care Owed by Tree Owners. The Council, as highway authority, has powers to deal with trees under the Highways Act 1980, which are on land next to the road and are a risk to users of the road. You should write (keep a copy) to your neighbour expressing your concern and ask them to have the tree’s health checked by an arboriculturist. If a tree has not been the cause of clay shrinkage, its removal cannot cause heave - any surplus water will simply drain away. Yes. When it comes to damage caused by falling trees, monies can be recovered in certain circumstances if the person responsible for the tree is found to have been negligent.
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