Chelmsford Tree SurgeonChelmsford, Essex

Guide · Checklist

Before you hire a tree surgeon: a checklist for Chelmsford, Essex

Last checked 28 September 2026 · By Chelmsford Tree Surgeon, an introduction service, not a tree firm

What to ask and check before you let anyone start on your trees: qualifications, ARB Approved Contractor status, insurance, the written quote, waste carrier registration and protected-tree checks. There’s a printable PDF version too.

General information, not legal advice.

Climbing arborist roped into a tree, pruning branches

Quick facts: checking a tree surgeon

Chainsaw competence
Chainsaw work on or in a tree should be done by someone holding a relevant certificate of competence or national award, unless a supervised trainee (HSE).
Common certificates
City & Guilds (NPTC) chainsaw units, e.g. 0039-20, 0039-21, 0039-22 and 0039-23 for climbing work.
ARB Approved Contractor
Businesses assessed by the Arboricultural Association. Check the online directory: if a firm isn’t listed, it isn’t approved.
Insurance
Ask to see current public liability cover. Employers must hold employers’ liability insurance (GOV.UK).
Waste
If they take waste away, check the Environment Agency public register (upper tier; numbers start CBDU).
Protected trees
Check Chelmsford City Council’s TPO register and conservation areas map before work is booked.
Written quote
Exactly what will be cut and by how much, stump, waste, clean-up, timing, and who applies for any consent.

Checked 28 September 2026 against: HSE: training and competence; NPTC: chainsaw qualifications; Arboricultural Association; GOV.UK; GOV.UK: dispose of household waste. Details can change, so confirm on the official page before you rely on them.

Who this guide is for: Chelmsford, Essex homeowners, landlords and managing agents comparing tree surgeons, and anyone who has had a knock on the door offering tree work.

Printable checklist (PDF)

These checks are for you to make with whichever tree surgeon you’re considering, including any you reach through us.

Take it to the quote visit. The same checklist as this page on two A4 pages, with space to note each tree surgeon’s answers.

Download the checklist (PDF)

Free to print and share. Please don’t remove the source line.

1. Qualifications and competence

The Arboricultural Association points out that the tree work industry is not regulated by government (Arboricultural Association), so the checks are largely up to you. HSE’s guidance on work equipment says: “Before using a chainsaw to carry out work on or in a tree, a worker should have received appropriate training and obtained a relevant certificate of competence or national competence award, unless they are undergoing such training and are adequately supervised” (HSE: training and competence; see also HSE: chainsaws at work).

  • Ask which City & Guilds (NPTC) certificates the people doing your job hold, and ask to see the cards. NPTC lists chainsaw units including 0039-20 (maintenance and cross-cutting), 0039-21 (felling small trees up to 380mm), 0039-22 (climbing trees and aerial rescue), 0039-23 (using a chainsaw from a rope and harness) and 0039-38 (chainsaw use from a mobile elevating work platform) (NPTC).
  • For climbing work, look for the climbing and aerial rescue and rope and harness units; for a platform, the MEWP unit.
  • Ask when they last did refresher training. Forestry England says HSE recommends regular refresher training for chainsaw operators, at least every five years (Forestry England).
  • Ask whether they work to BS 3998, the British Standard recommendations for tree work, which the Planning Portal says councils usually expect (Planning Portal).

2. ARB Approved Contractor status

The Arboricultural Association’s ARB Approved Contractor scheme assesses tree surgery businesses on tree work, health and safety and customer care (Arboricultural Association).

  • If a firm says it is an Approved Contractor, check the online directory. The Association says that if a contractor doesn’t appear on the register, it isn’t an Approved Contractor.
  • If a firm isn’t in the scheme, that doesn’t by itself rule it out; the other checks on this page still apply.
  • You can also search the Association’s find a professional tool for contractors and consultants.

3. Insurance

  • Ask to see a current public liability insurance certificate. Check the business name matches the quote and the policy hasn’t expired.
  • If they employ staff, GOV.UK says they must have employers’ liability insurance from an authorised insurer and display the certificate (GOV.UK).
  • For work near buildings, roads or power lines, ask how the risk will be managed. For trees near overhead lines, see the network operator advice in our fallen and storm-damaged trees guide.

4. A written quote and specification

  • Get the quote in writing, with the business name and contact details.
  • It should say exactly what will be done to each tree, for example “reduce crown height by about 2m and thin by 15%”, not “cut back” or “tidy up”.
  • Check whether the stump is left, cut low or ground out, and whether branches, logs and chippings are taken away or left.
  • Check access, ground protection and clean-up, the likely date, and whether VAT is included.
  • Ask who will apply for any TPO or conservation-area consent, and make sure the quote says work won’t start until it is granted.
  • If you agreed the job at home, Citizens Advice explains that you usually have a 14-day cooling-off period, with different rules if you ask for work to start sooner (Citizens Advice).

Getting two or three written quotes for the same specification makes them easier to compare.

5. Waste carrier registration

6. Protected trees and wildlife

Warning signs

  • Cold callers offering to cut a tree “today” for cash, or pressure to decide on the spot.
  • No written quote, or a quote that doesn’t say what will be cut.
  • Reluctance to show certificates, insurance or a waste carrier registration.
  • Claims that a TPO or conservation area “doesn’t matter”. GOV.UK says anyone who carries out, causes or permits unauthorised work on a protected tree can face enforcement action.

Frequently asked questions

What qualifications should a tree surgeon have?

HSE guidance says anyone using a chainsaw to work on or in a tree should have received appropriate training and hold a relevant certificate of competence or national competence award, unless they are a trainee under adequate supervision. In practice this usually means City & Guilds (NPTC) chainsaw units such as 0039-20 (maintenance and cross-cutting), 0039-21 (felling small trees), 0039-22 (climbing and aerial rescue) and 0039-23 (using a chainsaw from a rope and harness) (HSE; NPTC).

What is an ARB Approved Contractor?

It is a business that has been assessed by the Arboricultural Association and continues to meet its standards for tree work, health and safety and customer care. The Association says that if a firm isn’t on its online directory, it isn’t an Approved Contractor. The scheme is one useful check rather than the only one: a firm that isn’t listed may still be competent, and the other checks on this page still apply.

What insurance should a tree surgeon have?

Ask to see a current public liability insurance certificate and check the business name and expiry date. If they employ staff, GOV.UK says employers must have employers’ liability insurance and display the certificate (GOV.UK).

Does a tree surgeon need a waste carrier registration?

If they are taking your branches, logs or chippings away as a business, GOV.UK says you should check they are on the Environment Agency’s register of waste carriers (upper tier). Registration numbers for carriers in England start with CBDU (GOV.UK; public register).

Who checks whether my tree is protected?

Ultimately it’s your responsibility as the tree owner, but a good tree surgeon will ask and can often apply for consent on your behalf. See our TPO and conservation area guide.

Can I cancel if I agreed the work at home?

Often, yes. Citizens Advice explains that you usually get a 14-day cooling-off period when you arrange a service away from the business’s premises (for example, at your home), above a small minimum value. Different rules apply if you ask for work to start within the 14 days. See Citizens Advice: cancelling a service.

Sources

All checked 28 September 2026. We link to the official page rather than repeat details that change often.

About this guide

Written and checked by Chelmsford Tree Surgeon. We’re an online introduction service: we don’t carry out tree work ourselves, and we don’t vet, accredit or vouch for any tree surgeon. Facts are checked against the official sources listed above, and the page shows the date they were last checked. Spotted something out of date? Email [email protected].