What to Do with a Storm-Damaged Tree (And What Not to Do)

Storm-damaged trees are one of the most common emergency calls we receive, and they are also situations where the pressure of an unexpected event causes homeowners to make decisions that make the problem worse — whether by underestimating risk, attempting work themselves, or acting without understanding their obligations under planning law. This guide covers what to do with a storm-damaged tree in practical, step-by-step terms: how to assess the immediate situation safely, when to call in professionals, how insurance works, and how Tree Preservation Orders interact with emergency situations.

The Immediate Priority: Is Anyone at Risk Right Now?

The first and only question in the immediate aftermath of storm damage is whether there is an immediate risk to the safety of people. Everything else can wait. Before approaching any damaged tree, assess from a safe distance:

• Are there hanging branches above any area where people might walk or stand? A partially broken branch held in the crown by surrounding branches is called a widow-maker. It is stable only until something dislodges it — another gust, vibration from passing traffic, or someone walking beneath it and inadvertently disturbing the tree.
• Has the tree come into contact with overhead power lines? If a tree or branch is touching overhead electricity cables, treat the situation as live. Do not approach. Call your network operator’s emergency line (105 in the UK) and keep people well clear.
• Is the root plate partially lifted? An uprooted tree can appear deceptively stable while sitting on a partially lifted root plate. Wet soil, continued wind, or vibration can cause it to shift further — sometimes with very little warning.
• Has the tree struck a building? If any part of a tree has impacted a building, do not re-enter or remain in any affected room until the structural integrity of the building has been assessed by a structural engineer or the fire service.

If the situation involves an immediate risk to the public — a tree across a public highway, a hanging branch directly over a pavement — contact your local authority’s emergency out-of-hours line, or call 999 if the hazard is immediate and severe. The relevant councils in our area maintain 24-hour emergency lines for exactly these situations.

Why You Should Not Attempt Storm Damage Work Yourself

We understand the instinct to deal with a problem immediately — especially when a large branch is sitting on a fence, a greenhouse, or blocking your driveway. But storm damage tree work is genuinely the most dangerous category of arboricultural work, even for professionals. The combination of factors that make it hazardous are specifically the opposite of controlled, planned tree work:

• Wood under tension and compression — a branch that has fallen partially or is wedged against another structure has stored mechanical energy in it. When that energy is released by a chainsaw cut, the movement can be sudden and violent, in a direction that is not always predictable. This is the most common cause of serious arboricultural injury.
• Unstable anchor points — a tree that has been partially uprooted may look secure but is not. Attempting to stand on or near the root plate, or to cut the stem of a partially uprooted tree, can cause sudden catastrophic movement.
• Hanging and snagged material — a branch snagged in the crown of another tree, held only by other branches, can fall without any warning and without any action from the person below.
• Chainsaw kickback risk — elevated when cutting in awkward positions, from below, or into material under tension. Kickback injuries are among the most severe sustained in any tool-related accident.

The decision to do nothing and call a professional is not passive — it is the correct active safety decision. Keeping people away from the fall zone while help is arranged is itself a risk management action.

Document Everything Before Any Work Starts

If you have any intention of making an insurance claim — and in most storm damage situations you should check whether a claim is possible — thorough documentation should be your first action once the immediate safety situation is managed. Use your phone camera to take photographs from multiple angles and distances, capturing:

• The damaged tree in context — its position relative to buildings, fencing, and adjacent structures
• Close-up shots of the point of failure (crown split, root plate, junction failure)
• Any damage to property — roof, fencing, vehicle, outbuildings — from every angle that shows the extent
• The general weather conditions if visible (downed fences, other storm damage nearby) to support the context of a storm event

Note the date and approximate time of the storm event. Your insurer will ask for this information, and the photographs provide evidence that the damage was caused by the specific storm rather than pre-existing neglect.

How Storm Damage Insurance Works

Most standard household building and contents policies cover storm damage to buildings, outbuildings, fencing, and other structures on the property. What varies significantly between policies is whether the cost of removing the fallen tree is covered. Some policies include tree removal, others cover only the property damage caused by the fallen tree, and others exclude tree work entirely. Reading the policy wording before you commit to any removal work is important.

Where tree removal is covered, your insurer will typically want to send an assessor before any work starts — or at minimum see the damage documented in photographs. Arranging and paying for removal before contacting your insurer risks invalidating or reducing your claim. Always contact your insurer first and get their approval process clear before booking any contractor.

Some points worth noting:

• If your tree has fallen onto a neighbour’s property and damaged it, their claim is against their own insurer, not yours, in most cases — unless you had been notified that the tree was dangerous and failed to act
• If a neighbour’s tree has fallen onto your property, the same applies in reverse — your insurer handles your property damage, not your neighbour’s liability
• Prior notice of a tree’s dangerous condition can establish negligence — if you have previously been told (in writing) that a tree is dangerous and failed to act, you may be liable for damage it causes to third parties

Tree Preservation Orders and Storm Emergencies

A TPO does not suspend because a tree is storm-damaged. This is one of the most consistently misunderstood points in tree law. If a TPO-protected tree is damaged in a storm, the normal consent requirements remain in force for any significant works — including removal.

There is a genuine emergency exemption: works immediately necessary to remove an immediate risk to public safety do not require prior consent. However, this exemption is interpreted narrowly by councils and courts. It covers immediate action — cutting a branch that is hanging directly over a public footpath and could fall at any moment. It does not cover a general decision to take down the whole tree because it looks damaged, or to tidy up the crown because it is less attractive than it was.

Where emergency works are carried out on a TPO tree, the owner must notify the council as soon as reasonably practicable after the works, providing evidence of the nature of the emergency. We handle this notification on behalf of our clients and document the risk assessment and methodology to protect against any future enforcement challenge.

For areas covered by local planning authorities in our area — Broxtowe, Gedling, Newark and Sherwood, Mansfield, Amber Valley, and others — we are experienced in managing emergency TPO notifications and can advise quickly on the correct approach for your specific situation.

After the Emergency: Assessing What Remains

Once the immediate hazard is dealt with, the remaining tree structure deserves a professional assessment before you decide its future. A tree that has lost a major limb in a storm may be structurally sound in its remaining parts and worth retaining — with appropriate crown balancing and wound management. Alternatively, the storm event may have revealed pre-existing structural weaknesses — internal decay, included bark at a union that has now split, or a root plate that was already compromised — that change the risk calculus for what remains.

We provide written post-storm tree condition assessments suitable for:

• Insurance claim support (evidence of the damage and recommended management)
• TPO consent applications where further works are required
• Legal documentation where liability is disputed
• Planning records where the tree previously had a role in a planning condition or application

Preventing the Next Storm Damage Event

The best storm damage management is done before the storm. The overwhelming majority of storm-related callouts we receive across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire involve trees that had visible warning signs that could have been acted on in the previous two to five years: accumulated deadwood, co-dominant stems, previous poor pruning wounds, or root issues that a professional inspection would have identified.

An inspection every three to five years for mature trees — and before each winter storm season for trees near buildings, paths, or vehicles — is the most cost-effective tree safety investment available. See our guide to warning signs your tree may be dangerous and our seasonal tree care guide for East Midlands gardens for more on what to look for and when.

Frequently Asked Questions

A branch has fallen on my neighbour’s car — am I liable?

Potentially, if you had been warned the tree was dangerous and failed to act on that advice. In the absence of prior notice of a defect, tree owners are generally not liable for damage caused by healthy trees during severe storms. This is a legal question that depends on the specific facts; if significant damage is involved, consult a solicitor as well as your insurer.

How quickly can you respond to storm damage in Nottinghamshire?

We prioritise storm damage callouts across NG and DE postcodes and aim to respond within 24 hours. For immediate life-safety emergencies involving public roads or utilities, contact 999 or 105 first.

Can I cut a hanging branch myself if it is directly over my car?

We strongly advise against attempting to cut hanging branches yourself, even in an apparently simple situation. The stored tension in hanging material behaves unpredictably when cut. Moving the vehicle is the safer first action; call us for the branch removal.

What if my TPO tree has completely blown over?

Even a completely uprooted TPO tree remains subject to consent requirements for its removal. Contact us or the relevant council’s tree officer immediately. In most cases, emergency notification followed by prompt consent is achievable within days where the safety case is clear.