Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Landlord roof survey in Essendon, Hertfordshire
Need a landlord roof survey in Essendon? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Gaps where tiles or slates have slipped
- Ponding or splits on flat roofs
- Mortar falling from ridges and verges
Landlord roof survey in Essendon
A landlord roof survey shows you the state of a roof in a report you can plan around. Landlords, letting agents, managing agents and freeholders all use it along with RTM and residents’ management companies. The report covers defects, photographs and recommendations set out by urgency where relevant. The survey covers the roof, not the whole building. Common reasons to book are flashings that have come away and slipped or missing slates and tiles, on flat roofs on blocks, rented houses and blocks of flats.
Some older homes in villages like Essendon are listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Where
- Essendon (AL9)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Essendon
Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. Historic houses such as Hatfield House, about 2.4 miles west, show how far back building in the area around Essendon goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Shop and office owners around Howard Centre may find that a written record of the roof’s condition helps you plan maintenance rather than react to leaks. Landlords with a home close to Bayford station may find that a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Essendon is about 3 miles south-east of Welwyn Garden City, in Hertfordshire. Surveys in Essendon work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. Our Hertfordshire coverage includes Essendon and the places around it. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
We cover every part of AL9 for landlord roof surveys and the streets around it. We cover properties on Rectory Close, Church Street and School Lane and the roads around them. If you are just outside Essendon, we cover West End (1 mile west), Little Berkhamsted (1 mile south-east), Letty Green (2 miles north-east), East End Green (2 miles north-east) and Bayford (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Watford (13 miles south-west), Hemel Hempstead (13 miles west), Stevenage (10 miles north), St Albans (8 miles west), Bishop's Stortford (15 miles north-east) and Welwyn Garden City (3 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Essendon
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Salisbury Crest Public House. The nearest railway station is Bayford station, roughly 2.5 miles east. Nearby you will also find Queen Elizabeth II Hospital (2 miles north-west) and The Bunker at Hatfield Police Station (3.6 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Willowmead.
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Deal with urgent items first
- Don’t store items over the loft hatch
- Make leak reporting easy for tenants
- Tell tenants when we are coming
Questions about the findings are welcome. With the Standard Survey there is a follow-up consultation, and Premium includes an in-person consultation.
Keep the loft space accessible so a surveyor can look inside the roof. Stored items over the hatch make checks harder.
Different roofs, different checks
Shared chimney stacks
Shared stacks need everyone involved to agree work and the report helps with that.
Gutters and downpipes
Water from failed gutters often shows as damp inside. We record what we see.
How the survey works
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. Most surveys take about 1–2 hours for a single let house, with blocks of flats taking longer. Somewhere like Essendon needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- We agree the roofs to be surveyed and what you need the report for.
- Access to flats and the roof space is arranged by you or your agent.
- We inspect each roof as far as it can safely be seen.
- We photograph defects and note how urgent they look.
- You get a written report to plan maintenance and budgets.
Before we arrive
- Let us know about parking near the property
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Find any records of previous roof work
Booking a survey
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
What we’re asked to look at in Essendon
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.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Cracked or lifting flashings
- Standing water on a flat roof
- Parapets and upstands in poor repair
- Loose ridge or hip tiles
If you look after a building like Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- When you’ll get the report
When you need someone else
We only report whatever is safely visible on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Who pays under the lease (that’s a legal question)
- Asbestos testing of roof sheets or soffits
- Walls, floors and services beyond the roof
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flat roofs on blocks
- Converted houses
- Rented houses
- Shared roofs
- Blocks of flats
- Gutters and downpipes
Essendon questions
Is my home in Essendon listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
I let a flat near Bayford station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that is a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
How long does the survey take?
Expect it to take about 1–2 hours at a typical home, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. The written report follows by email.
Do I need to be at home?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Does the report help with maintenance planning?
Yes, many agents and freeholders use it that way. Surveying again later shows what has changed to keep your plan up to date.
Is Essendon in your area?
Yes. We carry out landlord roof surveys in Essendon.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If the survey needs it and the loft space can be reached safely, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps.
Places near Essendon
Other services in Essendon
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the addresses.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.