--- title: "Tree Surveys & TPO Advice in Perthshire | Highland Tree & Garden Services" description: "Tree condition checks, TPO and conservation area guidance across Perth & Kinross and Tayside. Know what consent you need before any tree work starts." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/#organization", "name": "Highland Tree & Garden Services", "url": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/", "logo": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/favicon.png", "image": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/favicon.png", "email": "info@highlandgardenservices.co.uk", "telephone": "07475 783877", "founder": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrew Donaldson" }, "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "Templemill Farm Cottage", "addressLocality": "Crieff", "addressRegion": "Perthshire", "postalCode": "PH7 4HL", "addressCountry": "GB" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066147793027", "https://maps.app.goo.gl/Emr3zS3irc1Maaew7" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/#website", "name": "Highland Tree & Garden Services", "url": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/", "inLanguage": "en-GB", "publisher": { "@id": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/#organization" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Service", "@id": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/services/tree-surveys-tpo-advice#service", "serviceType": "Tree Surveys & TPO Advice", "name": "Tree Surveys & TPO Advice", "provider": { "@type": "LocalBusiness", "@id": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/#localbusiness", "name": "Highland Tree & Garden Services", "telephone": "07475 783877", "email": "info@highlandgardenservices.co.uk", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "Templemill Farm Cottage", "addressLocality": "Crieff", "addressRegion": "Perthshire", "postalCode": "PH7 4HL", "addressCountry": "GB" }, "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": 4.9, "reviewCount": 16 } }, "areaServed": [ { "@type": "City", "name": "Crieff" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Perth" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Comrie" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Pitlochry" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Aberfeldy" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Dundee" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Stirling" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Auchterarder" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Callander" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Blairgowrie" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Killin" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Dunkeld" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Kinross" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Methven" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Scone" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Bridge of Earn" } ], "description": "Tree condition checks, TPO and conservation area guidance across Perth & Kinross and Tayside. Know what consent you need before any tree work starts.", "url": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/services/tree-surveys-tpo-advice" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I find out if my tree has a TPO?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The local planning authority holds the register — Perth & Kinross Council for most of our area, with Stirling and Angus councils covering the western and eastern edges. We will tell you at the site visit whether we think protection is likely and point you at the right department; the definitive confirmation always comes from the council." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I prune a tree in a conservation area?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Not without giving the planning authority prior written notice — generally six weeks in Scotland for trees above the threshold size — during which they can decide to make a TPO. It applies even when the tree is entirely within your own garden." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What happens if work is done without consent?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Unauthorised work on a protected tree is a criminal offence and can carry a substantial fine, with a replanting requirement on top. The liability sits with the tree's owner as well as the contractor, which is why we always check before quoting." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is there an exception for a dangerous tree?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "There are limited exemptions for dead trees and for work urgently necessary to remove an immediate risk of harm, but the threshold is high, notification is still required, and photographic evidence of the danger matters. Never rely on the exemption without advice." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you charge for the tree assessment?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The site visit and our practical assessment are free, as with all our quotes. If you need a formal written arboricultural report for planning or a legal matter, that is a consultancy product we do not provide and we will say so." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you tell if a tree is dying?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "We can identify the visible indicators — dieback in the crown, fungal fruiting bodies, bark loss, cavities, poor annual growth, root damage — and give you a practical view. Internal decay testing with specialist equipment is a consultant's job, and we will tell you when a tree warrants one." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "My neighbour's tree overhangs my garden — what can I do?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In Scotland you generally may cut back growth to the boundary line, but the material remains the neighbour's property and the tree may still be protected. Talking to the neighbour first is nearly always cheaper than the alternative; we are happy to explain to both parties what the tree actually needs." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you handle the council application for me?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "We will guide you through what needs submitting and provide the technical description of the proposed works for your application. The application itself is made by the tree's owner, which is how the councils prefer it." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How often should big trees be checked?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For large trees close to a house, a boundary or a public path, every couple of years is sensible, plus a look after any severe storm. For let and commercial property, a documented periodic check supports your duty of care." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which councils and areas do you cover?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Mainly Perth & Kinross — Crieff, Perth, Comrie, Auchterarder, Blairgowrie, Pitlochry, Aberfeldy and Killin — plus Stirling Council for Stirling and Callander, and Angus and Dundee City to the east." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Services", "item": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/services" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tree Surveys & TPO Advice", "item": "https://highlandgardenservices.co.uk/services/tree-surveys-tpo-advice" } ] } ] --- Templemill Farm Cottage, Crieff Mon–Sun 8am–6pm [info@highlandgardenservices.co.uk](mailto:info@highlandgardenservices.co.uk)[07475 783 877](tel:+447475783877) [![Highland Tree & Garden Services](/__l5e/assets-v1/48ec0e26-a739-4a8a-9e92-dad369429e88/highland-logo.png)](/) [Home](/) About [About](/about)[Reviews](/reviews) [Services](/services) [View all services](/services)[Tree Surgery](/services/tree-surgery)[Fencing](/services/fencing)[Soft Landscaping](/services/soft-landscaping)[Low-Maintenance Gardens](/services/low-maintenance-gardens)[Hedge Trimming & Removal](/services/hedge-trimming)[Lawn Installation](/services/lawn-installation)[Gravel Drives & Pathways](/services/gravel-driveways)[Bark Mulch & Woodchip](/services/bark-woodchip)[Hardwood Logs](/services/logs)[Stump Grinding](/services/stump-grinding)[Garden Maintenance](/services/garden-maintenance)[Emergency Tree Work](/services/emergency-tree-work)[Tree Surveys & TPO Advice](/services/tree-surveys-tpo-advice) [Service Areas](/areas) [View all service areas](/areas)[Crieff](/areas/crieff)[Perth](/areas/perth)[Comrie](/areas/comrie)[Pitlochry](/areas/pitlochry)[Aberfeldy](/areas/aberfeldy)[Dundee](/areas/dundee)[Stirling](/areas/stirling)[Auchterarder](/areas/auchterarder)[Callander](/areas/callander)[Blairgowrie](/areas/blairgowrie)[Killin](/areas/killin)[Dunkeld](/areas/dunkeld)[Kinross](/areas/kinross)[Methven](/areas/methven)[Scone](/areas/scone)[Bridge of Earn](/areas/bridge-of-earn) [Our Work](/our-work)[Contact](/contact) [07475 783 877](tel:+447475783877)[Get Free Estimate](/contact) [Home](/)[Services](/services)Tree Surveys & TPO Advice Tree Surveys & TPO Advice # Tree Condition Checks & TPO Advice Across Perth & Kinross Know Where You Stand Before You Cut A straight assessment of the trees on your property, what work they actually need, and whether that work needs council consent first. Free site visit, fixed price for any work that follows, no deposit. [Get My Free Estimate](/#contact)[Call 07475 783 877](tel:+447475783877) 16 verified 5-star reviews · Fully insured · Working across Perth & Kinross, Stirling and Angus - 9+ years back in the trade (since 2017) - Fully insured — Public & Employers' Liability - SEPA-registered waste carrier - Fixed-price quotes — no deposits taken - Workmanship guaranteed on fencing, turf & plants Overview ## What tree surveys & tpo advice actually involves. ### What it is This is the assessment work that comes before tree surgery: walking your trees, identifying what is sound and what is not, recommending the right work in the right order, and — critically in Perthshire — establishing whether the tree is protected by a Tree Preservation Order or stands in a conservation area, in which case work without consent is a criminal offence. It is advice and paperwork guidance, not a substitute for a formal arboricultural consultancy report where planning requires one. ### Who it's for Homeowners in Crieff, Perth and Dunblane conservation areas who want to reduce a tree and are unsure whether they can. Buyers with a survey that flags trees close to a building. Landlords and letting agents with duty-of-care obligations. Estates and farms with mature parkland trees. Anyone who has had a letter from the council, a neighbour's solicitor or an insurer asking about a tree. ### When it's needed Before you commit to any work on a mature tree, before you buy a property with significant trees on it, after a storm when several trees have shifted, and at least once every few years for large trees near a house, a boundary or a public path. Winter is the easiest time to see structure in deciduous trees; summer is better for reading canopy health and foliage. ### Why professional help matters Two separate risks sit here. The first is physical: misjudging a defect on a mature tree over a house. The second is legal: felling or heavily pruning a protected tree can bring a substantial fine, and 'I didn't know it was protected' is not a defence. Knowing which trees in Perth & Kinross are likely to be covered — and how the council's process actually runs — saves both. Free site visit Fixed price. No deposit. Waste taken away. Quotes usually turned around same or next day. Speak to Andrew directly. [Get My Free Estimate](/#contact)[Call 07475 783 877](tel:+447475783877) Fully insured SEPA registered 4.9 · 16 reviews Mon–Sun 8am–6pm If it's left ## What happens when this gets put off. The reason people call us is almost always that the small job is now a bigger one. Here's what's usually happening under the surface. ### Unlawful work on a protected tree Cutting a tree covered by a Tree Preservation Order, or a tree over 75mm diameter in a conservation area, without the required consent or notice is an offence in Scotland, and it can carry a serious fine. Contractors who 'just get on with it' leave the owner carrying that. ### Missed defects on a big tree Fungal brackets at the base, cavities, included forks, deadwood over a path — every one of them a warning that has been visible for a while. Owners are held to a standard of reasonable care, which starts with actually looking. ### Wrong work at the wrong time Topping a mature tree creates weak regrowth and a worse problem in five years. Over-lifting a crown destabilises it. Bad advice costs more than no advice. ### Problems at sale or planning stage Trees near proposed extensions, drives or drainage routinely hold up planning in Perth & Kinross. Establishing the position early is far cheaper than discovering it mid-application. ### Common mistakes we're called in to fix - Assuming a tree in your own garden is automatically yours to fell — in a conservation area, it usually is not. - Taking a neighbour's word, or a contractor's, on whether a TPO applies rather than checking with the council. - Asking for 'a good hard cut back' on a mature specimen — topping is the fastest way to ruin a tree. - Ignoring fungal fruiting bodies at the base because the canopy still looks green. - Getting a quote for felling before anyone has established whether felling is legal or even necessary. Our process ## Step by step, so nothing surprises you. 1. 01 ### Free site visit We come out, walk the trees with you and listen to what is actually worrying you — light, leaves, a neighbour, a survey, a noise in the wind. 2. 02 ### Visual condition check A ground-level visual assessment of each significant tree: species, rough age class, structure, obvious defects, fungal activity, deadwood, ground disturbance around the base and what sits within falling distance. 3. 03 ### Protection status check We establish whether the property sits in a conservation area and whether a Tree Preservation Order is likely to apply, and we point you at the correct Perth & Kinross Council (or Stirling, or Angus) process for confirming it and applying. 4. 04 ### Plain recommendations What needs doing, what does not, and in what order — deadwooding, crown reduction, crown lift, thinning, monitoring, or removal. Written in plain English with reasons, not a list of jargon. 5. 05 ### Quote and carry out the work If the tree is unprotected, or once consent is granted, the same insured team can carry out the work at a fixed price with no deposit. If you would rather a full formal arboricultural report for planning, we will tell you that is what you need. Why book us ## Specific outcomes — not vague promises. ### You find out before you cut The consent question answered at the start, not after a letter from the council. ### Honest recommendations Including telling you a tree is fine and needs nothing — we would rather keep a customer than sell a felling. ### Local council knowledge Working across Perth & Kinross, Stirling and Angus every week, on conservation-area streets in Crieff, Perth and Dunblane. ### One team, start to finish The people advising are the people who would do the work — fully insured, SEPA-registered for the waste. ### Useful for insurers and buyers A clear written summary of tree condition supports a claim, a sale or a duty-of-care file. ### Free to get an opinion The site visit costs nothing and there is no deposit on anything that follows. In detail ## Tree Surveys & TPO Advice — the full picture. Perthshire has an unusually high concentration of protected and significant trees. Crieff, Perth, Dunblane, Auchterarder and Aberfeldy all have conservation areas with substantial Victorian planting; the region's estates and policies are full of mature specimen trees planted in the 1800s that are now at the age where structural defects appear. If you own a large tree here, the odds that it carries some form of protection are far higher than they would be in a modern estate — which is exactly why the question deserves asking before a chainsaw is booked. ### Methods & materials #### What a Tree Preservation Order actually does A TPO is made by the local authority — Perth & Kinross Council for most of our area — and it makes it an offence to cut down, top, lop, uproot or wilfully damage the protected tree without written consent. TPOs can cover a single tree, a group, or a whole woodland. Consent is applied for using the council's process, and conditions such as replanting are often attached. Exceptions exist for dead trees and for work urgently necessary to remove an immediate danger, but the bar for 'urgent' is high and the council must still be notified. #### Conservation areas Separately from TPOs, trees above a certain size in a conservation area are protected by default. In Scotland you generally must give the planning authority six weeks' written notice before carrying out work on such a tree, giving them the chance to make a TPO. Plenty of Crieff and Perth townhouse gardens fall into this category and their owners have no idea until they enquire. #### Felling permissions beyond planning Larger-volume felling outside a garden can also require a felling permission from Scottish Forestry, which is a separate regime from TPOs and conservation areas. It rarely affects a single garden tree, but it does affect shelter belts, woodland edges and estate work, and it is worth establishing before a contractor starts. #### What we look at in a condition check Root plate and ground for lifting or cracking; base and buttress for cavities, wounds and fungal brackets; stem for included bark, splits, bulges and old failure points; union points and major limbs for weakness; canopy for deadwood, dieback and unbalanced weight; and the target beneath — a house, a road, a play area or an empty field. A defect over a paddock and the same defect over a nursery are entirely different risk conversations. #### Where a formal report is needed instead If you are submitting a planning application involving trees, dealing with a subsidence claim or in a legal dispute, you will likely need a formal arboricultural report to a recognised standard from a consultant. That is not what we provide, and we will say so plainly rather than sell you something that will not be accepted. What we give you is a practical condition assessment and clear guidance on consent. ### Variations we cover #### Single-tree opinion The most common request: one big tree, one worried owner. Free visit, straight answer on condition, protection status and what work is sensible. #### Whole-property tree walk For larger gardens, estates and farms — every significant tree looked at, prioritised into urgent, this-winter and monitor, so budget can be planned rather than reacted to. #### Pre-purchase check Before you buy: what condition are the trees in, what will they cost to maintain, and are they protected in a way that limits what you can do with the garden. #### Post-storm reassessment After a failure, the surviving trees have lost shelter and may have hidden damage. A walk-round after a bad storm is the cheapest insurance there is. #### Landlord and duty-of-care checks For let properties, holiday lets and commercial premises where a written record of periodic tree inspection supports your obligations under occupiers' liability. #### Residential vs commercial For homeowners this is usually about one tree and one decision. For estates, farms, letting agents and businesses it is about a population of trees, a budget, and a defensible record that inspections took place and recommendations were acted on. We work with both, and we are open about the boundary between practical advice and formal consultancy so nobody ends up with the wrong document at the wrong moment. Conservation-area and TPO enquiries handled across Crieff, Perth, Dunblane, Auchterarder and the wider Perth & Kinross area. [See service areas](/#areas) FAQs ## Straight answers to the questions we're asked most. Can't see yours? Give Andrew a call on [07475 783 877](tel:+447475783877). ### How do I find out if my tree has a TPO? ### Can I prune a tree in a conservation area? ### What happens if work is done without consent? ### Is there an exception for a dangerous tree? ### Do you charge for the tree assessment? ### Can you tell if a tree is dying? ### My neighbour's tree overhangs my garden — what can I do? ### Do you handle the council application for me? ### How often should big trees be checked? ### Which councils and areas do you cover? Related ## Often booked alongside tree surveys & tpo advice. [ ### Tree Surgery Felling, pruning, crown reduction and removals — all by fully qualified climbers. Learn more ](/services/tree-surgery)[ ### Emergency & Storm-Damage Tree Work Storm damage and fallen trees made safe — priority response, fully insured. Learn more ](/services/emergency-tree-work)[ ### Stump Grinding & Removal Stumps ground out below ground level — no digging, no scarring, garden usable again. Learn more ](/services/stump-grinding)[ ### Hedge Trimming & Removal From annual cuts to overgrown-hedge rescues, all cuttings taken away. Learn more ](/services/hedge-trimming) [See all nine services](/#services) Ready to book? ## A fixed price for your tree surveys & tpo advice — usually within 24 hours. Free site visit. No deposit. Fully insured. Waste taken away under our SEPA licence. Workmanship guaranteed. [Get My Free Estimate](/#contact)[Call 07475 783 877](tel:+447475783877) Mon–Sun 8am–6pm · Based at Templemill Farm Cottage, Crieff ![Highland Tree & Garden Services](/__l5e/assets-v1/48ec0e26-a739-4a8a-9e92-dad369429e88/highland-logo.png) Specialist tree surgery and landscape transformation for rural and semi-rural properties across Perthshire and Tayside. Fully insured. SEPA-registered. Fixed-price quotes. [Follow on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066147793027) Services - [Tree Surgery](/services/tree-surgery) - [Fencing](/services/fencing) - [Soft Landscaping](/services/soft-landscaping) - [Low-Maintenance Gardens](/services/low-maintenance-gardens) - [Hedge Trimming & Removal](/services/hedge-trimming) - [Lawn Installation](/services/lawn-installation) - [Gravel Drives & Pathways](/services/gravel-driveways) - [Bark Mulch & Woodchip](/services/bark-woodchip) - [Hardwood Logs](/services/logs) - [Stump Grinding](/services/stump-grinding) - [Garden Maintenance](/services/garden-maintenance) - [Emergency Tree Work](/services/emergency-tree-work) - [Tree Surveys & TPO Advice](/services/tree-surveys-tpo-advice) Areas Covered - [Crieff](/areas/crieff) - [Perth](/areas/perth) - [Comrie](/areas/comrie) - [Pitlochry](/areas/pitlochry) - [Aberfeldy](/areas/aberfeldy) - [Dundee](/areas/dundee) - [Stirling](/areas/stirling) - [Auchterarder](/areas/auchterarder) - [Callander](/areas/callander) - [Blairgowrie](/areas/blairgowrie) - [Killin](/areas/killin) - [Dunkeld](/areas/dunkeld) - [Kinross](/areas/kinross) - [Methven](/areas/methven) - [Scone](/areas/scone) - [Bridge of Earn](/areas/bridge-of-earn) Company - [About](/about) - [Our Work](/our-work) - [Reviews](/reviews) - [Leave a Google review](https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJH7L3G5aVsUIR5_S3HtahOYc) - [Contact](/contact) Contact - Templemill Farm Cottage Crieff, Perthshire PH7 4HL - [07475 783 877](tel:+447475783877) - [info@highlandgardenservices.co.uk](mailto:info@highlandgardenservices.co.uk) - Mon–Sun 8am–6pm © 2026 Highland Tree & Garden Services. 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