Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Anerley
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Anerley, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
About our chimney survey in Anerley
We inspect chimneys from wherever they can be seen safely: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space where it is safe. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where applicable. Where part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. We survey chimney pots and cowls, shared and party-wall stacks and lead flashings, and common reasons people get in touch are spalled or crumbling bricks and signs that a stack is leaning.
A London butterfly roof slopes down to a central valley gutter that drains to the back of the house. From the street you see only a parapet wall, so blocked outlets and split linings go unnoticed until water comes through a ceiling. If your home in Anerley has one, it needs checking from somewhere that can actually see it.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Location
- Anerley (SE20, SE19, SE26)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for Anerley
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Anerley station?
Yes, that’s a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Anerley?
It depends on the street. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well, and a driveway is even better.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
An unused stack still needs to stay weathertight and ventilated. If it is capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside. Our survey records its condition and how it’s capped, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
What will the report tell me?
A report with photographs, explaining the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our recommendations, by urgency where it matters. Standard adds moisture detection and a structural check; Premium adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
What do you check on a chimney?
We check the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings. We also check chimney breasts and the stack in the loft space where we can reach. Everything is written up with photos.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling aren’t something we do. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Light rain doesn’t typically stop a survey, and it can even help show where water is getting in. High wind or heavy rain can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
Why it is worth a survey now in Anerley
A damp chimney breast seldom dries out until the cause is found. It can stain walls and damage plaster. Knowing whether it is the flaunching, flashings, brickwork or ventilation means the right fix can be planned. In Anerley, as across London, an overflowing gutter soaks the wall below. A blocked outlet ignored for a winter or two can mean damp walls inside.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Anerley
- An independent look at the roof
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
Should I look at the roof myself first?
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That is where a survey comes in.
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when you book.
Towns and villages near Anerley
Other services in Anerley
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
We survey roofs for landlords and agents as well as homeowners. A written report with photographs gives you a clear record of the chimney stack, useful for planning maintenance.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord. Access is agreed with the tenant beforehand.
What happens on the day
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that is worrying you. We then inspect everything that can safely be seen, from the ground, from windows, in the roof space and by drone where it applies. The survey typically takes about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. In Anerley, as in much of London, a good many properties are flats or terraces without side access, so the back of the roof is frequently seen from upstairs windows, from inside or, where a flight is allowed, from the air. If the building has a managing agent or access rules, tell us when booking.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Getting ready for the survey
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Leave side gates unlocked
Getting a price
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so phone 07833 053749 or email us with the details.
Read more
Different roofs, different checks
Brick stacks
Most chimney stacks are built of brick, with mortar joints that wear over time. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we look at how the pots are capped. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
Anerley homes and their roofs
Close to the centre of London, a great many houses are Victorian or Edwardian terraces, many of them roofed in Welsh slate. From the street you may see only a parapet, with a butterfly roof and a valley gutter behind it draining to the back. If your home in Anerley is one of them, lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are part of the picture too. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. Kingswood House, about 1.3 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Anerley. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Landlords with a home close to Anerley station may find that a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. Take a building like James Dixon Primary School: a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. If you live near a park such as Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Anerley is about 2 miles north-east of Thornton Heath, in Greater London. Anerley is part of the area we cover across London and South East England. Anerley is one of the towns and villages in Greater London we cover. You can also see our page for London.
Here we cover the SE20, SE19 and SE26 postcode area for chimney surveys. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Maple Road, Padua Road and Genoa Road or anywhere close by, we can help. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Penge (1 mile east), Crystal Palace (1 mile north), Sydenham (1 mile north-east), Gipsy Hill (1 mile north-west) and Upper Norwood (1 mile west). Further out, we also cover London (6 miles north), City of Westminster (8 miles north-west), Marylebone (8 miles north-west), Kensington (8 miles north-west), St Pancras (8 miles north) and Shoreditch (8 miles north).
Local landmarks in Anerley
We work in homes and buildings around Crystal Palace School, Crystal Palace Dinosaurs and Harris City Academy Crystal Palace, among other places. Anerley has its own railway station: Anerley station. Nearby you’ll also find Crystal Palace Museum (0.5 miles north-west) and Whitgift Centre (3.1 miles south-west). For a walk, there is Dulwich Upper Wood and Knight's Hill.
Before and after the survey
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
Where another specialist is needed, like a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. That helps stop damp building up inside.