FAQs for Trees

A list of frequently asked questions can be found below:

How do I know if a tree is protected - and how can I find out if the Council manage the land?

You may find the Council's online Interactive Mapping applications useful in the first instance. This online system has a series of mapping applications that help to provide specific information for residents, and for the purposes of tree related enquiries the following mapping applications may be of use.

Links are provided in the list below; however, the Glasgow City Council homepage also provides a  Public Gallery of maps.

• The 'Environment and Conservation' mapping application shows the location of designated Conservation Areas Listed Buildings and Built Conservation Areas and Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) Tree Preservation Orders information. Other environmental legal designations, such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Local Nature Reserves, are also shown within this application.
• The mapping application Is this land maintained by the council? shows areas of Council managed land such as parks, open spaces, and roadside verges. Please note that not all council owned land is shown here.
• The mapping application Is my road, footway or path adopted for council maintenance? shows the roads and footways that have been adopted for maintenance by Glasgow City Council.

If the ownership or management of the land where the tree that your enquiry concerns is not shown as belonging to the Council on the above mapping applications, then you should consider assessing whether the tree is perhaps privately owned.

The ownership of privately owned land can be researched through the Registers of Scotland (RoS). The RoS can be contacted by post or in person at their Glasgow Office at St Vincent Plaza, 319 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G2 5LD, by phone on 0800 169 9391, by Email or Online.  Please be aware that the Registers of Scotland may charge to carry out an ownership search.

Please note that the Council cannot provide any assistance with private land ownership searches.

If you are a local housing association tenant or a private tenant, and the tree is located within your garden or common area, then please contact your landlord in the first instance.

The tree is on Council land, or is protected by the Council, who should I contact?

There is a helpful flow chart below that may help you to establish who the best contact within the Council may be for your enquiry.

Who do I contact if it's an emergency?

If you feel that your enquiry about a tree is an emergency (i.e., an immediate and imminent threat to life or property), then you should contact the Customer Care Centre Enquiry Line on 0141 287 9700, or Police Scotland on 999.

A neighbour's trees are overhanging my garden. Can I cut them back?

Provided the tree is not protected, you may prune the branches back to the boundary line.

You may not cut back beyond that line or enter your neighbour's property to do the work unless they have given permission for you to do so. Legally the cut branches still belong to your neighbour, but you should check if they want them back. If not, then you should dispose of the branches responsibly. It is unacceptable just to throw the debris back over the boundary line, which may result in legal action being taken, as this could be considered to be a 'nuisance' in law. If the tree is protected, then you must seek the Council's permission as noted in the earlier sections of this document.

There is no legal obligation or requirement on a landowner to cut back the height or spread of a tree or its branches.

There is a tree on the pavement outside my house. Who is responsible for its maintenance?

If the pavement is an adopted footway that is maintained by Glasgow City Council, then the Council is responsible for the tree. If it is a private pavement, then the landowner is responsible. Your property deeds should tell you whether you share responsibility for the tree. Trees on Council owned land will be pruned in compliance with the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 (as amended).

Footways should have a height clearance of 2.4 metres. There should also be sufficient width to allow the safe passage of pedestrians, pushchairs, wheelchairs etc.

Roads should have a height clearance of 5.2m to allow sufficient clearance for vehicles which might ordinarily be expected to use the road to gain access.

A tree on land adjoining my property looks dangerous and I am concerned that it may damage my property. What can I do?

The owner of the land is responsible for any trees on it and for taking reasonable steps to ensure that their tree(s) are maintained in a reasonably safe condition. The Council has no powers to make an owner carry out works to a tree unless it is likely to affect a public road or footway. If you have spoken to the owner without success, then you may have to seek legal advice.

How can I be sure the Arborist will do a good job?

Always use a reputable arboricultural contractor who is properly trained, equipped, and insured. Ask to see references, their Public Liability Insurance, and their test certificates. We recommend that you get three estimates for the work from businesses with proper addresses where you can contact them if problems arise.

The industry standard that applies to tree work is the 'British Standard for Tree Work Recommendations (BS 3998:2010)'. - Please note that Glasgow City Council recommends that all tree works should be carried out to British Standard 3998, as a minimum.

When is a Council tree protected?

While the majority of Glasgow City Council's trees are not formally legally protected, the Council has taken the decision to voluntarily treat all of its trees as if they are covered by Tree Preservation Orders.

However, the Council is still bound by the legal obligations set out in the previous 'Protected Trees' section of this document. Conservation Area status, TPOs and planning conditions are all applicable to the Council's trees, as well as to the general public.

What factors make a tree or part of a tree unsafe?

Trees can develop defects, but the vast majority of these defects do not make a tree dangerous. Defects may include minor dead wood where squirrels have stripped bark or minor decay pockets where bark has been damaged and the tree has suffered bacterial or fungal infection. It is the type and extent of the defect that is important in determining whether or not a tree is dangerous.

Often, taking the advice of a competent arboriculturist is the only sure way to check whether the risk of the failure of a tree (or a part of a tree) is likely.

Further information on tree safety is available at the following internet sites:

• National Tree Safety Group - Managing Trees for Safety
• National Tree Safety Group - Common Sense Risk Management of Trees
• Forest Research - Hazards from Trees
• Health and Safety Executive - Management of the risk of falling trees or branches.

A tree has mushrooms growing on it - will this harm the tree?

The presence of mushrooms (also known as 'fungi') on a tree is often an indicator of decay within the roots or stems and must be taken seriously. Not all mushrooms cause decay on a living tree and some only live on dead wood. An expert opinion is likely to be needed to identify whether the mushrooms seen on any particular tree will make the tree dangerous.

A neighbouring tree(s) is too tall, can it be reduced.

Glasgow City Council does not recommend that broadleaved trees are reduced in height as this is considered to be poor arboricultural practice and is contrary to the advice given in 'British Standard 3998:2010 Tree work - Recommendations'.

Glasgow City Council recommends that all tree works should be carried out to this British Standard as a minimum. Reducing the height of a broadleaved tree can lead to structural problems with the tree in the future, and this is why the British Standard advises against such works. All tree works that are carried out by Glasgow City Council are to British Standard 3998:2010.

Is a swaying tree a dangerous tree?

A tree swaying in the wind does not, in itself, make it dangerous or at risk of falling over. Trees are naturally designed to bend and sway in the wind. The flexibility in the stem and branches is a natural defence mechanism that helps to prevent failure. As long as there are no significant defects in the tree, and as long as the base of the tree and the ground around the base of the tree do not move, then the tree is likely to be safe.

Is a tree with a lean a dangerous tree?

A tree that shows a pronounced lean is not necessarily unsafe. If the tree has grown with the lean (a natural lean), then it will have grown extra roots on the opposite side from the lean in order to hold itself up. However, trees that grow straight and then develop a lean later on (an unnatural lean) are likely to have stability issues and should be checked by an experienced and qualified person for safety.

Why haven't the trees near to my property been maintained for many years?

All works that are carried out on a tree cause the tree harm and are detrimental to its health, and it is often this damage that leads to structural problems later in the life of the tree. Consequently, Glasgow City Council would recommend that the minimum amount of pruning works should always be undertaken to solve a problem with a tree. Ideally, no pruning works to the tree would be the best course of action - and this approach is supported by the British Standard for Tree Work Recommendations (3998: 2010).

Does the Council inspect and provide advice for privately owned trees?

The Council does not offer tree consultancy services to Glasgow residents or businesses.

If you are look for independent professional advice, then you should contact either the Institute of Chartered Foresters or the Arboricultural Association as these organisations maintain registers of practicing members.

Will the Council carry out works to a tree in my garden or other privately owned tree?

Glasgow City Council does not carry out works on privately owned trees other than as part of its Roads Enforcement process. Neither does the Council offer a commercial tree service to Glasgow residents or businesses - regardless of whether or not they are council tax or rates payers.

Can the Council supply me with timber?

Glasgow City Council currently recycles the timber that it generates from its tree safety works program for positive uses, such as using woodchip as mulch in shrub beds, supporting local wood-based charities and environmental community projects.

I have a problem with leaves/fruit falling into my garden/property from a nearby tree, can this be controlled?

All parts of a tree belong to the owner of the land on which the tree is growing. However, once a tree begins to shed its leaves in the autumn then, from a legal standpoint, these leaves are considered to have become 'feral' (i.e., wild, and undomesticated) and stop being in the ownership of the tree's owner. Strictly speaking, the leaves that fall in the autumn don't really belong to anyone. Therefore, it is a landowner's responsibility to clear the leaves from their own property, should they so wish, no matter where the leaves originate from.

While the information on the ownership of falling leaves noted above states that the leaves stop being in the ownership of the trees owner once they have fallen from the tree, this is not the case for falling fruit. Legally, any fruit that falls naturally from a tree still belongs to the owner of the tree.

Please note that the Council will not undertake remedial works to its trees in response to natural process such as leaf fall, seed fall, or the presence of insects or other wildlife such as birds or squirrels.

If guttering is being blocked by leaves, it is the responsibility of the owner of the property to have their gutters cleared.

Your tree owner cannot be held responsible for any trips or slips caused by wet leaves on your driveway/footpath.

What will the Council do about bird droppings falling onto my property and making a mess?

In Scotland all wild birds and their nests are protected by law. Consequently, Glasgow City Council will not carry out tree works due to the presence of birds or birds' nests in a tree.

What can be done about insects from a nearby tree coming in through my windows?

Insects occur naturally in trees, and this is to be expected. Pruning the tree(s) is unlikely to prevent this from happening. Glasgow City Council will not remove or prune trees due to the presence of insects.

A sticky residue is falling on my washing/car roof/driveway from a nearby tree - what can be done about this?

The clear sticky residue that often appears to be originating from trees, especially from certain species of tree such as lime and sycamore, is known as 'honeydew'. This honeydew is not being produced by the trees themselves and rather is being produced by various types of insects such as aphids - mainly whitefly and greenfly. Once the honeydew has fallen, it is often infected by a fungus known as 'sooty mould' which makes it turn black in colour.

Honeydew and sooty mould can cause problems by discolouring car paintwork, making footpaths slippery, and getting onto drying washing.

Glasgow City Council will not carry out works to a tree because of the presence of honeydew.

Ivy is growing on a tree - does this do it any harm?

Ivy is a natural British shrub that is common in the landscape and that has very useful biodiversity benefits. Generally speaking, ivy does not cause significant harm to trees. Glasgow City Council will only remove ivy from a tree where there is considered to be a good reason to have it removed - i.e., where there is a suggestion that a defect such as an excessively large cavity or a fungal infection may be being hidden.

What happens if trees affect my allergies?

Allergies are often caused by the pollen that is produced by growing plants. The majority of flowering plants produce pollen as a natural process, and this pollen can be blown great distances by the wind due to its extremely small size. It is unlikely that people who suffer from pollen allergies are only being affected by nearby trees. It is more likely that the pollen is being produced by a variety of plants at varying distances from the sufferer. The pruning or removal of a nearby tree is unlikely to solve this problem. The majority of trees in Scotland only produce pollen for a short amount of time very early in the growing season.

Consequently, Glasgow City Council does not consider the close presence of trees to be a major contributory factor to pollen allergy sufferers and will not prune or remove trees for this reason.

The lower growth from the base of a street tree is obstructing the footway - can the Council control this?

Certain species of tree - notably lime trees - will produce growth on their lower stems and at their bases as part of their natural life cycle. This is known as epicormic growth. The Council will prune the epicormic growth from lime street trees as and when it becomes a significant problem.

Please contact the Council's Enquiry Line on 0141 287 9700, to report excessive epicormic growth on any of the Council's street trees.

Neighbouring trees are shading my property - can the Council come and prune or remove them?

There is no legal obligation for a property owner to prune or remove their trees for reasons of light loss to a neighbouring property. A 'right to light' is very difficult to prove and only refers to buildings and light, not to gardens and sunlight. This should not be confused with the High Hedges Legislation, which deals with 'nuisance' privately-owned hedges. In Scotland, the law of nuisance cannot be used to enforce a right to light. Nuisance is an infringement of the occupier's enjoyment of the 'natural rights' incidental to possession of their property, and the scope of these rights is fixed by law. There is no 'natural right' to the enjoyment of access to light or air. In relation to solar panels, the issue of shading should be taken into consideration prior to installation. Glasgow City Council will not prune or fell trees solely because they are shading solar panels.

What is the difference between a high (overgrown) hedge and trees?

A new law regarding 'nuisance' high hedges came into force in Scotland in 2014 - the High Hedges (Scotland) Act 2013. This legislation helps to address the problem of high hedges which interfere with the reasonable enjoyment of residential properties.

Further information on the High Hedges (Scotland) Act 2013 can found on the Council's website at High Hedges information.

What can I do about trees obscuring views from my property?

In Scotland there is no legal right to a view. Therefore, a previous view that is now obstructed by trees cannot be legally regarded as a nuisance. Glasgow City Council will not remove or prune a tree in order to enhance a view.

What can the Council do about trees that are obscuring street lighting?

Street lights are provided to make our highways safer for users during the hours of darkness, and in most cases, trees will be pruned to allow light to percolate on to the highway. Where it is difficult to ensure the right amount of light to the highway then an engineering solution may be sought.

What can the Council do about trees that encroach overhead services such as telephone or power cables?

If the tree is entangled in telephone or electrical wires then please contact the owner of the cables i.e., BT, Scottish Power etc., as only approved tree contractors are authorised to prune around these services, and it is their responsibility to ensure that clearance is maintained around their equipment.

What can the Council do about tree roots that are affecting a public footway or a public footpath?

Cutting the roots of any tree is generally ill-advised as it is likely to affect the tree's health and may affect its stability. If a tree is covered by a Tree Preservation Order, or if it is growing within a Conservation Area, then an application to the Council will be required before root pruning can take place.

Generally, the Council's Roads team will take expert advice prior to repairing roads or footpaths that have been disturbed by tree roots and usually an engineering solution can be applied.

How can I prevent roots from a neighbouring tree affecting my boundary wall, driveway, footpath and/or house?

Tree roots do not normally exert sufficient pressure to dislodge the foundations of a dwelling house, or other heavily loaded structure. Occasionally they will affect lighter loaded structures such as garden walls, and when this occurs there are sometimes engineering solutions available, such as bridging the root with a lintel that allow both tree and wall to co-exist, but in general a tree root will not affect your house because the weight bearing down on the foundations is too great.

Generally, subsidence caused by trees will only affect buildings that are built upon highly shrinkable clay soils or made-up soils. There are no known areas of highly shrinkable clay in the Glasgow area.

It is recommended that a specialist company is used to identify what the cause of any subsidence is and to recommend remedies. This can often be carried out by your home insurance company.

Roots from a neighbouring tree are getting into my drains and causing problems - can I control this?

It is very unusual for roots to physically break through drains and associated pipe work. However, tree roots are opportunistic, and if an old pipe with poor joints is leaking into the surrounding soil, this will often attract tree roots that may then exploit the existing weakness. Then, when repairs are being carried out, a proliferation of tree roots is found, and this often leads to the blame for the broken pipe being placed on a nearby tree. However, the replacement of faulty drains/pipes with modern materials will usually eliminate the leak and stop root penetration problems from reoccurring.

My TV/satellite signal is being disrupted by neighbouring trees - can I have the trees pruned or removed?

Legally, there is no obligation for an individual or a public organisation to rectify the loss of a television or radio service as a result of trees. Similarly, signal interference is not defined as a 'nuisance' in British law.

The television licence that UK homeowner's pay for is a legal permit to operate a television receiver - it does not offer a legal right to receive a reception.

If you are suffering persistent loss of satellite signal, make sure that you evaluate all possible causes before blaming your neighbour's trees. It is possible there is a fault with the aerial or that the installation itself is defective. An approved installer will be able to help you to determine the cause of the signal loss and ensure that the satellite is in the best possible position to provide a strong signal.

You should contact the service provider as Glasgow City Council do not prune or remove trees for the improvement of TV or satellite reception.