The Council isn’t responsible for trees it doesn’t own, for example trees in a neighbours garden or on private land. It has no legal duty to take action or cover damage caused by trees owned by others.
Unfortunatley we are unable to respond to requests for work on trees that are not owned by Oldham Council.
For trees the Council does own, we usually agree to:
- Remove trees or branches that are a serious risk.
- Keep roads and footpaths clear to required standards.
- Remove growth blocking streetlights or signs.
- Trim growth touching your property if it’s not something you can reasonably fix yourself.
- Prune trees causing significant problems that are beyond what you can handle yourself.
We usually won’t prune or remove our trees for issues like:
- A small loss of light or shade, including for solar panels.
- Leaves, fruit, or twigs falling.
- Minor branch overgrowth.
- Restoring or creating views.
- Bird droppings, honeydew, or similar problems.
- Poor TV or satellite signal.
- Clearing phone lines, unless the service provider requests it in writing.
We will not respond to respond to requests for this type of work.
Trees on school grounds
Contact the relevant school if you want to request work on a tree on school grounds.
What you can do yourself
You have the legal right to trim vegetation (including roots) crossing your property line, but you must follow these rules:
- Check for restrictions: Before starting, make sure there are no Tree Preservation Orders or Conservation Area rules. Contact the Council Planning department to check.
- Stay within your boundary: You can only trim up to your boundary and must avoid harming the tree or shrub’s long-term health or stability.
- Avoid causing damage: Do not destroy the tree or make it unsafe. Cutting major roots can affect stability, and you could be held responsible for any accidents. The Council will take legal action if a Council-owned tree is recklessly or intentionally damaged.
- Dispose of cuttings properly: Don’t dump them on Council land, as it’s unsightly, inconsiderate, and may count as fly-tipping.
Request a tree inspection
You can ask the Council to inspect a tree by completing our 'Request a tree inspection' form:
We handle a lot of tree service requests, so we follow a set schedule for inspections and work.
- Routine tree requests will be inspected in your area during the scheduled month.
- If work is needed, it will be done the next month.
- Emergencies are handled immediately, outside of this schedule.
After events like major storms, the schedule may be delayed.
| Month | Inspections | Operations |
|---|---|---|
| January | Oldham East | Oldham West (Town Centre) |
| February | Saddleworth and Lees | Oldham East |
| March | Failsworth and Hollinwood | Saddleworth and Lees |
| April | Chadderton | Failsworth and Hollinwood |
| May | Royton and Shaw | Chadderton |
| June | Oldham West (Town Centre) | Royton and Shaw |
| July | Oldham East | Oldham West (Town Centre) |
| August | Saddleworth and Lees | Oldham East |
| September | Failsworth and Hollinwood | Saddleworth and Lees |
| October | Chadderton | Failsworth and Hollinwood |
| November | Royton and Shaw | Chadderton |
| December | Oldham West (Town Centre) | Royton and Shaw |