Wokingham · London and the South East
Landlord Roof Survey in Reading
Landlord roof surveys in Reading from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and the South East.
- Chimney stacks in poor repair
- Ceiling stains reported by tenants
- Flashings that have come away
What you can safely check yourself
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
About our landlord roof survey in Reading
We check the same things on a let roof as on any other: coverings, ridges, hips, valleys, flashings, chimneys, gutters and the loft space. Flat roofs over blocks, rear additions and garages are covered too where they’re part of the brief. Chimney stacks, parapets and party-wall upstands are checked as far as they can safely be seen and the loft where access is safe. We survey blocks of flats, converted houses and shared roofs, and common reasons people get in touch are chimney stacks in poor repair and loose ridge or hip tiles.
In a place the size of Reading, street trees and gardens shed leaves into gutters every autumn, and once a gutter blocks, water spills down the wall. Hidden valley and parapet gutters can overflow into the house itself. Water from one part of a roof often ends up showing somewhere else entirely. Gutters, outlets and downpipes are worth checking once the leaves have fallen.
Nothing in the report is left vague: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, and where it can wait, that is said too.
- Location
- Reading (RG6, RG31, RG1, RG30)
- Region
- Wokingham
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlord roof surveys around Reading
Historic houses such as Mapledurham House, about 3.6 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Reading goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
If you look after a building such as Coley Primary School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. If you own a rental within reach of Reading West station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Reading is about 38 miles west of London, in Wokingham. Surveys in Reading work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Reading is one of the places in Wokingham we cover.
We work across RG6, RG31, RG1 and RG30 for landlord roof surveys. Local streets include Downshire Square, Market Way and Market Place. Being close to the A4 and A33, Reading is simple for us to get to for landlord roof surveys. Close by, we survey roofs in Coley Park (1 mile south-west), West Reading (1 mile north-west), Newtown (1 mile east), Lower Caversham (1 mile north-east) and Whitley (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Wokingham (6 miles south-east), Woodley (3 miles east), Crowthorne (9 miles south-east), Lower Earley (3 miles south-east), Winnersh (4 miles east) and Woosehill (6 miles south-east). As one of the bigger places in Wokingham, Reading has homes, rented property and businesses of every kind.
What’s near Reading
We work in homes and buildings around Former Kennet Arms, Eldon Square and Kendrick School, among other places. Other local landmarks include University of Reading library (1.5 miles south-east) and Eurospeak Language School (0.5 miles north). For rail, the closest station is Reading West station, about 0.7 miles north-west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include The Oracle (under half a mile north-east) and Berkshire Medical Heritage Centre Museum (0.8 miles east). For a walk, there’s Sonning Hill and Longwater.
What we cannot see
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Areas behind locked flats or blocked hatches
- The rest of the building, as a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey would
- Who pays under the lease (that’s a legal question)
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Converted houses
- Shared roofs
- Rented houses
- Blocks of flats
- Flat roofs on blocks
FAQs for Reading
How do I find out if my home in Reading is listed?
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.
Is Reading in the area you cover?
Yes, Reading is within the area we cover. We cover the whole of London and South East England. You can phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and some details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Are you insured?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Normally, if there is one and it can be reached safely. The loft space can show things the outside can’t, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Is a landlord roof survey the same as a full building survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building. It is not a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey or a structural engineer’s report.
Will you need to get into tenants’ homes?
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.
For landlords and managing agents
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
What happens on the day
The visit has one job: to look at the let or shared roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photographs go into the written report. It typically takes about one to two hours for a single let house, with blocks of flats taking longer. Town-centre streets in Reading can mean pay-and-display or permit parking, so a word about where to park saves time. We will want to see the loft, if there is one, and any ceiling or wall showing damp. Outside, the roof is viewed from every point that is safe.
- We start with what you know about the building and its history.
- We let you know which flats and hatches we need to reach.
- The roofs are inspected from the ground, vantage points, the roof space and the roof where safe.
- We note what couldn’t be seen as well as what could.
- Findings and recommendations are set out with photographs.
Getting ready for the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Arrange a survey
To get a price for landlord roof surveys in Reading, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us price the survey accurately.
Read more
When to book a survey in Reading
Older buildings across London and South East England have roofs that are decades old. Nails, battens, flashings and underlay frequently fail before good slates or tiles, and a survey helps show where that is happening.
We are often asked to look at:
- Ponding or splits on flat roofs
- Cracked or leaning shared chimneys
- Leaking joints at party walls
- Damp or stains in top-floor flats
For businesses in and around places such as The Oracle, a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Is VAT included in the price?
Also near Reading
What else we do in Reading
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Act on high-priority defects quickly
- Do not wait for a leak to survey the roof
- Hold on to old reports to compare later
- Book gutter clearing at least once a year
We don’t advise on leases or who should pay. What we provide is an independent record of condition that everyone can refer to.
Deal with the high-priority defects quickly and schedule the others. Small roof defects tend to grow.