Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Ratley Landlord Roof Survey
Find out what’s going on with the let or shared roof before you spend money on it. We carry out landlord roof surveys in Ratley, with photos and a clear written report.
- Ceiling stains reported by tenants
- Chimney stacks in poor repair
- Loose ridge or hip tiles
Landlord roof surveys around Ratley
The wider area around Ratley has a long history of building, with Upton House about 1.3 miles south-west. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. West Oxfordshire’s older buildings frequently carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Take an older house close to Church of St Peter Ad Vincula: the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Ratley is about 6 miles north-west of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. We carry out landlord roof surveys for homes and businesses in Ratley and the surrounding area. Across Oxfordshire, we cover Ratley. Oxford is in our area too.
All of OX15 is covered for landlord roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Local streets include High Street, Townhill and Chapel Lane, and we cover them all. We also cover the places around Ratley: Edgehill (1 mile west), Sun Rising (2 miles south-west) and Hornton (2 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns like Banbury (6 miles south-east), Chipping Norton (13 miles south), Neithrop (6 miles south-east), Grimsbury (7 miles south-east), Ruscote (6 miles south-east) and Bloxham (8 miles south).
Local landmarks in Ratley
Around Ratley, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Rose And Crown Public House, among other places. Well-known places in the area include W. O. Bentley Memorial Foundation (3.3 miles south-east) and King John's Castle (3.9 miles north-west). The countryside around Ratley includes Edge Hill.
Landlord roof survey in Ratley: what you get
Landlords often book us when buying a property to rent out, or after a tenant reports a leak. Others want a regular survey for a rolling maintenance plan. Whatever the reason, the report follows the same clear format, with photos and recommendations. Surveys are carried out on weekdays and at weekends which can help when arranging access with residents. We survey converted houses, gutters and downpipes and rented houses, and people most frequently book us about cracked or leaning shared chimneys and damp or stains in top-floor flats.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. 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 yours to share with whoever needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Location
- Ratley (OX15)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we check the roof.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Common questions in Ratley
Do you cover Ratley?
Yes, Ratley is within the area we cover. We work right across London and South East England. Just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the property.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Ratley?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. 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.
How much time does the visit need?
For a single house, expect about 1–2 hours on site and larger buildings take longer.
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.
Can your report let us know who pays for the roof work?
No. Who pays is usually set by the lease and we don’t give legal advice. What we provide is a clear record of the roof’s condition that everyone can refer to.
Do I need to be at home?
Not always. If we only need the outside, we can agree that beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
What insurance do you have?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Places near Ratley
What else we do in Ratley
Before and after the survey
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Do not wait for a leak to survey the roof
- Get legal advice on lease responsibilities
- Have gutters and outlets cleared every year
- Arrange flat access in advance
You receive a report with photos and recommendations, prioritised by urgency where relevant. It’s emailed to you so you can share it with owners, agents or contractors.
Keep the loft space accessible so a surveyor can look inside the roof. Clutter around the hatch slows things down.
What a survey costs
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Which survey package you book
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- The roof’s overall size
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before booking.
What to tell us when you contact us
A little information up front helps. It helps to include:
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- What made you get in touch
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
What this survey can’t tell you
Before you book, it’s worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- Asbestos testing of roof sheets or soffits
- Roof areas we weren’t given access to
- Who pays under the lease (that is a legal question)
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Shared roofs
- Converted houses
- Gutters and downpipes
- Rented houses
- Blocks of flats
- Flat roofs on blocks
How the survey works
The visit has one job: to see as much of the let or shared roof as can be seen safely and record it clearly. Notes and photographs go into the written report. It normally takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Somewhere as small as Ratley, access is frequently the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- First, we confirm the scope and the purpose of the report.
- Access to flats and the loft space is arranged by you or your agent.
- Each roof is checked from safe vantage points and inside where possible.
- Every defect is photographed and its urgency noted where relevant.
- A written condition report follows to help you plan.
Preparing for the visit
- Keep pets in another room
- Let us know about parking near the property
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
How to book
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
Roof by roof
Flat roofs on blocks and rear additions
Outlets on flat roofs block easily, and standing water follows. We check them as part of the survey.
Pitched roofs on houses and blocks
Slate and tiled pitched roofs are common on let and shared buildings. We check coverings, ridges, hips, valleys and flashings as far as can be seen safely.