uk Home & property emergencies tree leaning toward house • uprooted tree after storm • storm damaged tree risk • tree about to fall on home • fallen tree near property • cracked trunk after high winds • exposed roots after severe weather • neighbour tree leaning over • tree threatening roof • tree threatening windows • hanging branches after storm • storm cleanup tree danger • power lines near tree • fallen cable near home • emergency tree make safe • windblown tree near building • dangerous tree on road • tree on verge outside house

What to do if…
a tree has uprooted or is leaning toward your home after severe weather

Short answer

Get everyone away from the “fall zone” (the side the tree is leaning toward) and keep well clear of any cables or lines. If there’s an immediate risk to life/serious injury, call 999; otherwise arrange urgent help via the landowner (council/highways for public land, or an insured tree surgeon for private land).

Do not do these things

Don’t stand under the leaning side or near the lifted root plate (uprooted trees can shift suddenly).
Don’t touch, approach, or try to move anything near overhead lines or fallen cables.
Don’t try to cut, pull, brace, or “tie back” a storm-damaged tree yourself.
Don’t use ladders or go onto the roof near the likely fall path.
Don’t let children/pets into the garden/driveway area around the tree.
Don’t assume “it’s stable because it’s stopped moving” — storm damage can fail later.

What to do now

Create a safety perimeter immediately.
Move everyone to a safer part of the home away from the fall path (or leave the building if the safest rooms are still in the fall zone). Keep well back from the tree and any hanging branches.
Check quickly (from a distance) for electrical hazards and treat them as live.
If the tree is touching lines, there are cables on the ground, or you see/hear sparking/arcing:
- Call 999 if there’s immediate danger to life/serious injury.
- Report it to the electricity network operator:
  England/Scotland/Wales: call 105 (free).
  Northern Ireland: use your electricity network’s emergency line (not 105).
  Keep everyone away until professionals confirm it’s safe.
If it’s affecting a road/pavement or public land, report it to the right authority.
- If it’s an immediate danger, call 999.
- Otherwise, report an obstruction/dangerous tree to your local council/highway authority (or National Highways if it’s a motorway/trunk road in England).
If you rent or live in a managed building, tell the right person early.
Call your landlord/letting agent/building manager (use their out-of-hours/emergency number). Ask them to arrange urgent “make safe” work. Safety comes first—do not wait for permission if you need to move out of danger.
If it’s on private land (yours or a neighbour’s), get urgent professional help.
Contact an insured tree surgeon/arborist for an urgent make-safe visit. Say: “tree uprooted/leaning toward the house after severe weather.”
Reduce the impact if it falls (only if safe and quick).
Without going near the tree: move cars/bins/garden furniture out of the fall zone; keep doorways/exits clear.
Document and notify your insurer early.
Take photos/video from a safe distance (lean angle, exposed roots, proximity to roof/windows, any visible damage) and contact your home insurer—especially if you may need emergency works.
If the home has been struck or looks structurally compromised, treat it as unsafe.
If you see major cracking, sagging, or sudden movement, leave the building. Call 999 if there’s immediate danger. Only shut off utilities if you can do so without entering the risk area.

What can wait

You do not need to decide liability or “whose tree it is” right now.
You don’t need to clear debris immediately (especially not with ladders or chainsaws).
You don’t need full repair quotes before making the situation safe.
You can wait to write formal complaints/claims until the immediate hazard is controlled.

Important reassurance

It’s normal to feel shaken and to want to “fix it fast.” With storm-damaged trees, the safest choice is usually to slow down, keep distance, and bring in the right service—especially if electricity might be involved.

Scope note

This is first-step guidance for the next few hours. Once the area is safe, you may need follow-up help (insurer, council/highways, structural checks, or a qualified tree professional) depending on damage and where the tree stands.

Important note

This is general information, not professional or legal advice. If you think anyone is in immediate danger, call 999. If you cannot confirm something is safe (especially around electricity), treat it as unsafe and wait for professionals.

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What to do if…a tree has uprooted or is leaning toward your home after severe weather