tree (very) close to house we want to buy - subsidance concern or insurance difficult

Welsh_Totster

The house we are buying has a small (15-20ft) willow in the front garden which rang alarm bells when we first viewed and I said that it would have to go if we bought the place. Our surveyor duly brought it to our attention in the survey. The street is near a conservation area but not in it thank good ness and I checked if there was a TPO on the tree with the local council. Theres no TPO and the councill tree office actively encouraged me to get it chopped down as and I quote "Willow trees really should not be planted in peoples gardens no matter how long the garden is, theyre too evasive and can cause serious problems". She wanted to know why I wanted to know if there was a TPO on it, i told it was cos I wanted to chop it down when we moved in!

No problems with mortgage or with insurance on the place though and they were both told about the willow (and its impending doom)

Horizon81

Not sure if I can post links to extenal websites, I'm guessing not. So... go google and search for 'direct line subsidence' The first link should take you to PDF that direct line provide. On one of the pages it tells you about trees - how tall they grow, troublesome types and more importantly what constitutes a safe distance from your house.
Personally I wouldn't buy a house with such a tree so close as it's just a danger for subsidence or heave. Removing the tree could do more harm than good.

googler

Isn't removing the tree more likely to cause subsidence than leaving it there? If it's left in place, the roots grow larger, and typically, RAISE the ground level where they expand.

Take the tree away, take the roots away, or leave the roots to decay, and the ground above is more likely to settle, surely?

clutton_2

i have 6 ash trees within 6-20 feet of one of my properties which i have owned for 30 years, and have never had any trouble at all...

Its when you start disturbing roots and uprooting mature trees that you get trouble with heave

elfen

My mum has a yew in her back garden. It is pretty big, and does block the light, but it's not been that much of a problem (probably 3-5m from the house)

dacouch

googler wrote: »

Isn't removing the tree more likely to cause subsidence than leaving it there? If it's left in place, the roots grow larger, and typically, RAISE the ground level where they expand.

Take the tree away, take the roots away, or leave the roots to decay, and the ground above is more likely to settle, surely?

Tree roots typically damage water pipes, the water leaking un detected into the ground is often what does the damage.

The advice on trees is not always to remove them, the risks of subsidence can often be reduced by lopping and crowning every few years