East Sussex · London and the South East
Landlord Roof Survey in Rye
Roof condition reports for landlords, agents and blocks of flats in Rye, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Get in touch for a price.
- Splits and blisters in flat roof coverings
- Choked outlets and gutters
- Loose ridge or hip tiles
Landlord roof surveys for homes and businesses in Rye
Our landlord roof survey gives you a clear picture of a roof’s condition, written up so you can plan. Landlords, letting agents, managing agents and freeholders all use it along with RTM and residents’ management companies. The report covers defects, photos and recommendations, prioritised by urgency where relevant. The survey covers the roof, not the whole building. Typical surveys look at leaking joints at party walls and gutters overflowing onto walls, across gutters and downpipes, flat roofs on blocks and converted houses.
Around Rye, older cottages sit alongside bungalows and newer houses. Coverings range from slate and clay tiles on older homes to concrete tiles on many later ones. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes often need the most attention. Nails and battens under older coverings often give out before the slates or tiles themselves.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, with the urgent items made clear.
- Location
- Rye (TN31)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in Rye
People living in a building seldom see the roof itself. Slipped slates, cracked flashings and blocked gutters can sit unnoticed for years, especially on taller buildings.
Most people get in touch after spotting something like this:
- Leaking joints at party walls
- Mortar falling from ridges and verges
- Damp or stains in top-floor flats
- Damaged pots and flaunching
For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Mary, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Before you book anyone
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What exactly goes into their report
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
Honest limits
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- A full structural assessment of the building
- Roof areas we weren’t given access to
- Confirming asbestos in older roof materials
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Shared roofs
- Blocks of flats
- Rented houses
- Flat roofs on blocks
- Converted houses
- Gutters and downpipes
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roofs on blocks and rear additions
Many blocks and rear additions have flat roofs. Ponding, splits and blistering are recorded where we can see them safely.
Gutters and downpipes
Overflowing gutters soak walls and can lead to damp in flats. We record what we see.
For landlords and managing agents
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out by urgency where it matters, which helps when budgeting.
Your questions about landlord roof surveys in Rye
Do you cover smaller places like Rye?
Yes, Rye is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Rye, take more of a battering?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it normally shows, and Rye is within about 2 miles of the coast.
Will the survey cover the whole building?
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.
Do you advise on who is responsible under the lease?
No. The lease typically decides who is responsible, and that is a legal question. Our report gives an independent record of the roof’s condition to help those discussions.
Will you check the loft?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. The roof space can show things the outside cannot, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Just let us know the days that suit you.
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 will need to go in, so residents need notice.
How it works
Where it is relevant and can be reached safely, the loft space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. The whole visit usually takes an hour or two for a single let house, with blocks of flats taking longer. Being in a smaller place like Rye does not change how the visit works: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. It’s useful to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- We start with what you know about the building and its history.
- We let you know which flats and hatches we need to reach.
- We check coverings, flashings, gutters and chimneys where they can be seen.
- The report records areas we couldn’t access.
- You receive photos and recommendations, prioritised where relevant.
Getting ready for the survey
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Getting a price
When you are ready to go ahead, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Related advice
Landlord roof surveys around Rye
Rye is within about 2 miles of the coast, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings, alongside oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Landlords with a home close to Rye station may find that the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. With Lamb House about 0.1 miles south-east, the area around Rye has a long history. On a period home nearby, the survey separates sound original work from tired later repairs.
Rye is about 9 miles north-east of Hastings, in East Sussex. Roofs in Rye get the same thorough look as anywhere else in East Sussex. Our area takes in places right across East Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. There’s also a page for Maidstone.
Every address in TN31 is covered for landlord roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. That includes homes and businesses on Market Road, High Street and Market Street. Rye is on the A259 and A268, so it’s easy for us to get to. If you’re just outside Rye, we cover Playden (1 mile north), East Guldeford (1 mile north-east), Rye Harbour (1 mile south-east), Houghton Green (1 mile north) and Rye Foreign (2 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Hastings (9 miles south-west), Bexhill-on-Sea (14 miles south-west), St Leonards (10 miles south-west), Hastings Old Town (9 miles south-west), Belmont (9 miles south-west) and Hollington (10 miles south-west).
Around Rye
Typical jobs here are in homes near St Anthony of Padua Church, Rye Harbour LNR and The Old Bell Inn and the streets around them. There’s a railway station in Rye itself: Rye station. Nearby you’ll also find Ypres Tower (under half a mile east) and Rye Castle Museum (East Street) (under half a mile east). Open spaces near Rye include Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That is where a survey comes in.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.