The wind has dropped, it's light outside, and there's a tree across the lawn, a branch on the shed roof, or a trunk resting against the house. It's a horrible thing to wake up to, and it's easy to rush. This guide walks you through what to do, in order, so you stay safe and keep your options open with your insurer and the council.
Step 1: Make everyone safe
Before you think about the damage, think about people.
- Stay out from under the tree. Storm-damaged trees often have “hangers”: snapped branches caught in the crown that can drop without warning. Treat the whole area under and around the tree as a no-go zone.
- Keep children and pets indoors until the tree has been looked at.
- Power lines: call 105. If a tree or branch is touching, leaning on or near overhead cables, stay at least 10 metres away and call 105, the free national number for power cuts and damage to the electricity network. Never try to move a branch off a cable, even with something that seems non-conductive.
- Danger to life: call 999. If anyone is injured, trapped, or the tree has hit a building and you're worried it might collapse further, call 999 straight away.
- Gas smell? If a falling tree has hit your house and you can smell gas, leave the building and call the National Gas Emergency number on 0800 111 999.
Step 2: Is it blocking a road or pavement?
If a tree has come down across a public road, pavement or footpath, report it to the council so it can be made safe and signed. If it's causing an immediate danger to traffic, call 999.
Depending on where you live, that's:
| Area | Council |
|---|---|
| Sale, Stretford, Altrincham, Hale, Bowdon | Trafford Council |
| Knutsford | Cheshire East Council |
Step 3: Record everything before it's moved
Your photos are your evidence. Insurers will want to see what happened, and once the tree has been cleared, it's gone. Before anything is cut or moved:
The base and break point matter more than people think. They can show whether the tree was healthy and simply overpowered by the wind, or whether there was decay that might have been spotted earlier.
Step 4: Call your insurer early
Ring your home insurer as soon as everyone is safe, even before you have a quote for the work. Ask them:
- Is the damage to my home or outbuildings covered?
- Is removing the tree covered, and is there a limit?
- Do you need to send an assessor before work starts?
- Can I go ahead with urgent work to make the property safe?
Policies vary a lot. Many cover removing a tree only when it has damaged something insured, not when it has simply fallen onto the lawn. Your insurer's answer decides what happens next, so get it on record.
Step 5: Put the chainsaw down
It's tempting to get the tree cleared yourself, especially if it looks simple. It almost never is.
| What it looks like | What's actually going on |
|---|---|
| A trunk lying flat on the ground | Parts of it are under huge tension and compression. Cut in the wrong place and the timber can spring, split or kick back violently. |
| A tree that has tipped over with its roots out | The root plate can be heavier than the trunk. Cut the trunk free and the root plate can rock back upright, trapping anyone nearby. |
| A branch resting on the roof | It may be holding other branches in place. Remove it and the load shifts, sometimes onto the roof. |
| A tree that's leaning but standing | It may be one gust away from coming down, and there's no safe way to judge that from the ground without experience. |
Storm clean-up is some of the most dangerous work tree surgeons do. It's a job for a trained, insured team with the right kit.
Step 6: Check whether the tree is protected
A storm doesn't switch off Tree Preservation Orders or Conservation Area rules. Some trees across Hale, Bowdon, Altrincham and the wider area are protected, and the rules still apply to what's left standing.
Here's how it works when a protected tree is dangerous:
- Work that is urgently necessary because a protected tree poses an immediate risk of serious harm can go ahead without waiting for consent. You must give the council written notice as soon as practicable after the work.
- Only the work needed to make it safe counts. Removing a dangerous broken limb is one thing; felling the whole tree “while we're here” is another, and can lead to prosecution.
- Dead protected trees that aren't an immediate danger still need at least 5 working days' written notice to the council before work.
- Anything beyond making safe, like a crown reduction on the rest of the tree, goes through the normal process: council consent for TPO trees (councils aim to decide within 8 weeks, and you can't start until you have it), or 6 weeks' notice for Conservation Area trees.
If you're not sure whether your tree is protected, ask before any cutting starts. It's far easier to check first than to explain afterwards.
Whose tree, whose problem?
This is the question we get asked most after a storm. These are general pointers only. Your insurer, and in a dispute a solicitor, will give you the definite answer for your situation.
| Situation | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Your tree, your property | Your own home insurance. Check what's covered for damage and for removal. |
| Neighbour's tree lands on your property | Usually your own home insurance first. Your neighbour is normally only liable if they knew, or should have known, the tree was unsafe and did nothing. |
| Your tree lands on a neighbour's property | Tell your neighbour and your insurer straight away. The same rule applies the other way round. |
| Council or street tree | Report it to the council. If it damaged your property, ask them how to make a claim. |
That second row surprises a lot of people. Storms are usually treated as nobody's fault, which is exactly why checking your trees before the weather turns matters. Our guide to the 5 warning signs to check before winter storms shows you what to look for.
Can the tree be saved?
Not every storm-damaged tree has to come down. If the trunk and roots are sound and the tree has lost one or two limbs, it can sometimes be kept with careful work:
- Removing broken and torn branches back to a clean point
- Crown reduction to rebalance the tree and cut wind load after it has lost limbs on one side
- Monitoring over the following seasons to make sure it recovers
If the tree has lifted at the roots, split down the main trunk, or lost a large share of its crown, removal is usually the safer choice. Where it stands close to a house or road, it often has to come down in sections, piece by piece, rather than in one fell.
What happens when we come out
When you call us about storm damage, here's what to expect:
- We assess the tree and the area around it, including anything still hanging in the crown.
- We make it safe first: removing the immediate danger before anything else.
- We check protection status and talk you through any notice the council needs.
- We clear the damage, using sectional felling where space is tight.
- We look at the rest of the tree, and any others nearby that took a battering in the same storm.
Quick checklist: the morning after a storm
Frequently asked questions
Can I cut up a neighbour's tree that's fallen into my garden?
You shouldn't start cutting it yourself, for safety reasons alone. Speak to your neighbour and your insurer first, and check whether the tree is protected. The timber belongs to the tree's owner, so agree with them what happens to it.
Will my insurance pay to remove the tree?
It depends on your policy. Many cover removal only when the tree has damaged something insured, like your house, garage or shed, and often up to a set limit. Ask your insurer before work starts.
The tree is still standing but now leans. Is it dangerous?
A fresh lean after a storm is a serious warning sign, especially if the soil on the opposite side has cracked or lifted. Keep clear and get it looked at quickly.
Do I need council permission to clear a fallen protected tree?
Work that is urgently necessary to remove an immediate danger can go ahead, but you must notify the council in writing as soon as practicable afterwards. Anything beyond making it safe needs the normal consent or notice.
Should I wait for the insurer's assessor before making it safe?
If the tree is an immediate danger, making it safe comes first. Take plenty of photos, keep receipts, and tell your insurer what you're doing.