There are the beginnings of a mountain-range rising up from under the cracking asphalt on the pavement outside my house. This has been caused by the roots of the street-trees which will soon be coming through.

Would I be wasting my time contacting the council about the matter and asking them to come and sort it out?

Probably, yeah.

That's what I thought. I suppose I'll have to wait until some unfortunate pensioner trips over and breaks their neck. They'll do something then I suppose.

I should imagine it'll be a hip. It usually is.

Yes, I suppose it will. But why is it that you can only get something done after something bad has happened to justify it?

Originally posted by Sam Miguel
Yes, I suppose it will. But why is it that you can only get something done after something bad has happened to justify it?

Where do you live, I'll come and fall over tomorrow and sue them if you like :)

Thats a good idea actually.

That's all well and good, but for God's sake don't damage the pavement any more when you fall or they might turn the tables on you and sue you instead!

Tell them. At least they'll know about it. Or send them an email...it's quicker. Then you can bug the living daylights out of them until they fix it.

Is it an old tree? Would it need digging up? Shame. I like trees.

I love trees also. It's a crab-apple tree and I guess it must be at least thirty-years old.

The thing is, it's not just the pavement outside our house. There are others and it would be such a big job.

I think I'll start the ball rolling, though.

Definitely tell them. Give them a few weeks then tell them again, then tell your councillor, then tell your MP, then tell me & Belle and we'll get it done.:D

Thanks, I will. I will start the process tomorrow.

Anyone know the e mail address for this particular department?

Just visit www.sheffield.gov.uk.
Find the streetforce link and there will be a contact us section or if you look you should find the relevant link for pavements and report it.

Thanks for that. It's done. I just e mailed them.

I have just received an e-mail form STREETFORCE informing me that the matter is being investigated.

I got home from work tonight to find that the offending area around the street-tree outside my house has been marked up in yellow paint.

Things may be happening!

If a citizen trips on a broken paving stone and the council has not been informed, there are no grounds to sue. If a citizen trips on a broken paving stone and the council has been informed, and had time to act, they are liable.

Excellent! lets all go over it in a conga line!:D

Originally posted by duffman
Excellent! lets all go over it in a conga line!:D

Council tax rise ahoy me thinks!:D

May be worth checking if the roots to these trees are likely to be affecting the foundations to your house in any way.

Just my luck! They've been and done my neighbour's pavement but not mine! And it was me who complained!

Another e mail has been sent today.

And yes, I will say something about the foundations.

Oh no, poor you. Keep trying.

I am really cross about this. Oh, yes. There is still no sign of any fresh tarmac arriving to cover up the unsightly, and may I add, downright dangerous tripping hazards in the form of deep pavement gorges outside my house.

It makes me seethe, it really does. I e-mailed them again today, and if they don't come around and do something about it, I will personally chop the offending tree down, do the pavement job myself (as best I can), and then send the council the bill.

That's how I feel.

Originally posted by Sam Miguel
I am really cross about this. Oh, yes. There is still no sign of any fresh tarmac arriving to cover up the unsightly, and may I add, downright dangerous tripping hazards in the form of deep pavement gorges outside my house.

It makes me seethe, it really does. I e-mailed them again today, and if they don't come around and do something about it, I will personally chop the offending tree down, do the pavement job myself (as best I can), and then send the council the bill.

That's how I feel.

That's how you feel! But you know if the tree was on your propoerty causing the problem the council would probably do the same thing without question!

I received an e mail from STREETFORCE today informing me that they would be seeing to my poorly pavement in the next few weeks.

They say the repair outside my neighbours house was an emergency repair and was carried out immediatley for safety reasons.

They also inform me that the drains on my road will be unblocked as I requested.

I'll let you know what happens.

Exactly 14 months after my official complaint, I came home from work last night to find that a brand-new asphalt layer had been laid outside my house and the two houses either side of me.

It looks very nice, too.

It just goes to prove that If you shout loud enough, you get action.

Even if it is does take a long time.

Originally posted by Sam Miguel
Exactly 14 months after my official complaint, I came home from work last night to find that a brand-new asphalt layer had been laid outside my house and the two houses either side of me.

It looks very nice, too.

It just goes to prove that If you shout loud enough, you get action.

Even if it is does take a long time.
But you still make no mention re-fuzzy's post.Those roots under your house may be a lot more dangerous than someone tripping.

I was told by a tree specialist that the extent of the roots is equal to the extent of the canopy. That seems to mean that if the branches are touching the walls of your house the roots will be touching the foundations :O

If the canopy is cut back, the roots will shrink back to mirror the canopy again .... does anyone know if this is correct?

I'm not a tree surgeon but I have had several dealings with the council, Street Force included. One way to prod them into action is to ask when you complain about something how many working days have they got to respond to the problem. If they're not sure or the relevant official isn't in the office give them a contact number and ask them to get back to you. I've had fly tipping removed within ten days, fencing made good, pavements retarmaced , and have just recently got the council to persuade Tesco's to fulfill their obligations in respect to litter control at their branch on Abbeydale road. The only slight problem is that now the little grannies who live near me now come to me asking for things to be sorted, maybe I should ask the council for a wage?

Our next door neighbour had the same thing outside her house where the tree root had lifted the pavement a couple of inches. She reported it loads of times and they never did anything. We were unloading our shopping one night and an older lady walked past and fell with a real thud. We took her name and address and I emailed Streetforce telling them that we witnessed it all and have told her that if she wanted to make a claim against them we would support her. Its amazing how quickly they were here...

I'm not too worried about the roots. The tree was cropped about four years ago,as were the trees on the whole street, after I complained to the council.

They must hate me. I have the best bit of pavement and the tidiest apple tree on Myrtle Road.

Originally posted by Sam Miguel
Would I be wasting my time contacting the council about the matter and asking them to come and sort it out?

You have to decide if you want a flat pavement or the tree, as the council will almost certainly kill the tree to fix the pavement.

They are coming to chop a large tree down outside my home.They are going to fell it and put a sapling in its place as they say the tree as had it.It looks fine to me and as been standing since the early 30s with no problems.What im worried about is when they do this the roots will die and then it will leave holes .The roots must run under my home after all the years its stood there so will it cause any damage to the foundations of my house.:confused: