East Sussex · London and the South East
Landlord roof survey in Lower Dicker, East Sussex
A careful look at the let or shared roof at your property in Lower Dicker, with photographs and a written report.
- Ceiling stains reported by tenants
- Chimney stacks in poor repair
- Failed flashings at walls and chimneys
Landlord roof survey in Lower Dicker: what you get
With a shared roof, it is not always clear what’s wrong or where. We check 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. We can only inspect the parts of a shared roof we are allowed to reach. We survey flat roofs on blocks, rented houses and gutters and downpipes, and common reasons people get in touch are blocked gutters over flats and worn ridges, hips and verges.
In a village or hamlet like Lower Dicker, older cottages and farmhouses frequently sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are often old. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. On older roofs, it is typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
The report is written in plain words, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, and recommendations are put by urgency where it matters.
- Place
- Lower Dicker (BN27)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in Lower Dicker
Landlords need to plan spending on a building. Without a recent survey, it is hard to know what the roof needs or when.
We are often asked to look at:
- Ceiling stains reported by tenants
- Choked outlets and gutters
- Missing or loose roof coverings
- Parapets and upstands in poor repair
Take a building like Hellingly Community Primary School: a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Whether VAT is added on top
Landlord roof surveys in Lower Dicker: local notes
In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. Historic houses such as Horselunges Manor, about 1.2 miles east, show how far back building in the area around Lower Dicker goes. Older homes in the wider area frequently 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.
If you let a flat or house near Berwick (Sussex) station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Zoar Strict Baptist Chapel, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Lower Dicker is about 2 miles north-west of Hailsham, in East Sussex. We cover Lower Dicker and the rest of East Sussex, as part of our work across London and the South East. Our East Sussex coverage includes Lower Dicker and the places around it. Brighton is in our area too.
Here we cover the BN27 postcode area for landlord roof surveys. You will find streets such as Hackhurst Lane, Diamond Drive and Court Lodge Close, all of which we cover. Other places close to Lower Dicker include Lower Horsebridge (1 mile east), Nash Street (1 mile north-west), Tile Hurst (1 mile south-east), Upper Dicker (1 mile south-west) and Upper Horsebridge (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Eastbourne (7 miles south-east), Hastings (15 miles east), Bexhill-on-Sea (11 miles east), Seaford (9 miles south-west), Lewes (9 miles west) and Crowborough (12 miles north).
Landmarks near Lower Dicker
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Hailsham Community College and Bede's Prep School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Berwick (Sussex) station, about 3.9 miles south-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Sussex Farm Museum (3.5 miles north) and Hellingly Hospital Railway (1.8 miles east).
Why it’s worth a survey now in Lower Dicker
Water that gets into one flat can affect others below. Spotting roof defects early helps protect the whole building. Older cottages and farmhouses around Lower Dicker can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
Every price we give includes VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for the job before you book.
What you get with us
- An independent look at the roof
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Every finding written up with photos
- Prices that include VAT
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
Honest limits
It’s useful to know what a survey will not do before you book:
- The structure in the way a structural engineer would assess it
- The rest of the building, as a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey would
- Who pays under the lease (that is a legal question)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Lower Dicker
- Rented houses
- Flat roofs on blocks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Blocks of flats
- Shared roofs
- Converted houses
What affects the price in Lower Dicker
Prices always include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, including VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
Helping us price your survey
You do not need to know any roofing terms. It is enough to tell us:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email, and we’ll ask about the building and what you need. You will have a price before anything is arranged.
The survey, step by step
When we arrive, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that is worrying you. After that, we check everything we can see safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where it applies. Most surveys take between one and two hours for a single let house, with blocks of flats taking longer. Rural addresses near Lower Dicker can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start by agreeing the scope, roof by roof.
- Access to flats and the loft space is arranged with you ahead of time.
- The roofs are inspected from the ground, vantage points, the roof space and the roof where it is safe.
- We photograph each defect and note how urgent it looks.
- We send a written report you can use to plan maintenance and budgets.
Getting ready for the survey
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Keep pets in another room
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Getting a price
If you’re buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or email us when you’re ready.
Read more
What you can safely check yourself
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Questions from Lower Dicker
Will you come out to Lower Dicker?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Is my home in Lower Dicker listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Can we use the survey to plan a roof budget?
Yes, many agents and freeholders use it that way. Surveying again later shows what has changed, which suits a rolling plan.
What access do you need for a block roof survey?
Sometimes, yes. Where the loft or roof can only be reached through a home, we’ll need to go in so please give residents notice.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We carry out surveys on any day of the week. To arrange a date, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Is a landlord roof survey the same as a full building survey?
No. Our survey covers the roof, not the whole building. It is not a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey or a structural engineer’s report.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so we need permission from whoever owns or manages the building. We can only inspect what we are given access to.