Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Landlord Roof Survey in Cottered
An experienced roof surveyor for landlord roof surveys in Cottered. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Choked outlets and gutters
- Damaged pots and flaunching
- Gaps where tiles or slates have slipped
How a landlord roof survey works in Cottered
With a shared roof, it is not always clear what’s wrong or where. We look at the roof from every safe vantage point including the loft and flats where access is arranged. The report records the condition of each part giving all parties the same information. Where neighbours share the roof, we can only inspect what we are given access to. If you’ve noticed missing or loose roof coverings and loose ridge or hip tiles, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on rented houses, gutters and downpipes and shared roofs alike.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A roof report shows what needs attention first. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Photographs show what each point refers to, with the urgent items made clear.
- Where
- Cottered (SG9)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
The visit has one job: to see as much of the let or shared roof as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit typically takes about one to two hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. For a village or hamlet like Cottered, the journey is planned ahead of time: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- We start by agreeing the scope, roof by roof.
- Access to flats and the loft space is arranged with you beforehand.
- The roofs are inspected from ground level, vantage points, the loft space and the roof where it’s safe.
- Every defect we find is photographed and given a priority where relevant.
- The report sets out condition and recommendations to help you plan.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Getting a price
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Related advice
Different roofs, different checks
Pitched roofs on houses and blocks
Slate and tiled pitched roofs are common on let and shared buildings. Coverings, ridges, hips, valleys and flashings are inspected as far as can be seen safely.
Roof spaces and lofts
Looking inside the roof often tells us more. We check it where there’s safe access, looking for staining, damp and daylight.
When you need someone else
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Asbestos testing of roof sheets or soffits
- Who pays under the lease (that is a legal question)
- Walls, floors and services beyond the roof
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Rented houses
- Blocks of flats
- Converted houses
- Shared roofs
- Flat roofs on blocks
- Gutters and downpipes
Before and after the survey
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Keep roof surveys on a rolling plan
- Ask your managing agent about lease terms
- Arrange flat access ahead of time
- Keep roof outlets and gutters clear
Photos make it easier to explain the findings to leaseholders, tenants or directors. We keep the report clear and jargon-light.
Keep the loft space accessible so a surveyor can look inside the roof. Stored items over the hatch make checks harder.
What we’re asked to look at in Cottered
Many let properties sit under roofs that have seen decades of weather. Fixings, flashings and underlay can fail before the slates or tiles themselves so it pays to check how the roof is holding up.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Leaks into upper flats
- Cracked or leaning shared chimneys
- Ponding or splits on flat roofs
- Leaking joints at party walls
For an older house near a landmark such as Parish Church of St John the Baptist, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Before you book anyone
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
Cottered: your questions answered
Do you carry out roof surveys in Cottered?
Yes. We work right across London and the South East, and Cottered is part of that. Just ring 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the property.
How do I find out if my home in Cottered is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
How long will you be on site?
A visit normally takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. We will give you an idea when you book.
What access do you need for a block roof survey?
We may do. Where the loft or roof can only be reached through a home, we’ll need to go in so please give residents notice.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Will the survey cover the whole building?
No, it’s a roof survey. It isn’t a RICS Level 2 or 3 building survey, and it is not a structural engineer’s report.
Will you say whether the freeholder or leaseholders should pay?
No. Who pays is typically set by the lease, and that’s a legal question. What we provide is a clear record of the roof’s condition that everyone can refer to.
Why get it checked now?
Tenants can only report what shows inside. A ceiling stain often means water has been coming in for some time. We look at the roof, not just the symptoms. For an older or listed building in a place like Cottered, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so leaving a defect until it is urgent leaves less time to plan.
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your roof before booking.
Why us?
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Package prices that include VAT
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
See our cost guide and our case studies.
Other services in Cottered
What a landlord roof survey looks like in Cottered
Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. Your council and Historic England’s list will tell you where you stand, ideally before any re-roofing is planned. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Freman College, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Cottered is about 5 miles north-east of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. We survey roofs in Cottered and the rest of Hertfordshire, as part of our work across London and South East England. Across Hertfordshire, we cover Cottered and the places around it. Chelmsford is in our area too.
All of SG9 is within our area for landlord roof surveys. Local streets include Peasecroft, The Crescent and Warren Lane, all of which we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for landlord roof surveys include Throcking (1 mile north-east), Rushden (2 miles north-west), Chipping (2 miles north-east), Buntingford (2 miles east) and Aspenden (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Stevenage (5 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (11 miles south-east), Welwyn Garden City (11 miles south-west), Harpenden (15 miles south-west), Hitchin (8 miles west) and Hoddesdon (13 miles south).
Local landmarks in Cottered
Around Cottered, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Bull Public House, among other places. Other landmarks nearby include Clothall Castle (3.5 miles north-west). Not far away are Hawkins Wood.