Greater London · London and the South East
St James's Landlord Roof Survey
Independent landlord roof surveys in St James's. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Gaps where tiles or slates have slipped
- Damaged pots and flaunching
- Ceiling stains reported by tenants
How a landlord roof survey works in St James's
Managing agents and freeholders use our reports to plan maintenance and budgets. It shows what needs attention now and what can be planned for later based on what can be seen. It does not give repair costs, but it gives contractors a clear brief to price from. Anything urgent is made clear, so you can act on them first and plan the rest over the coming years. Typical surveys look at leaks into upper flats and failed flashings at walls and chimneys, on gutters and downpipes, flat roofs on blocks and converted houses.
Much of London’s housing is flats, in converted houses or purpose-built blocks, so roofs are frequently shared between several households. Whoever looks after the building needs a clear picture of the roof, chimneys and gutters. A defect on a shared roof can reach more than one flat. With a written report and photos, everyone can plan from the same facts.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent.
- Where
- St James's (W1F, W1D, W1J)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for St James's
Does a conservation area affect roof work in St James's?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in St James's?
In much of London, parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a bay close to the door helps a lot.
Is a landlord roof survey the same as a full building survey?
No. We survey the roof and its parts, not the whole property. It is not a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey or a structural engineer’s report.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it is disturbed.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drones can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions are not right, we will talk to you about another date.
How do I book a survey in St James's?
To book, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know the address and what you want to find out. We’ll confirm the price and find a day that suits.
Will you check the loft?
Usually, if there is one and it can be reached safely. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that can’t be seen from outside.
Also near St James's
Also in St James's
DIY checks: what’s safe
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
What we do, step by step
The visit typically starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. In total, it takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, and longer for a block or a building with several roofs. London terraces rarely offer a view of the whole roof from one spot, so in St James's we work round the house, using the street, the windows, the loft and any safe vantage point behind it. If other people live in the building, tell us who can let us into the shared parts.
- We start with what you know about the building and its history.
- We confirm the access we will need.
- We check coverings, flashings, gutters and chimneys where they can be seen.
- We note what couldn’t be seen as well as what could.
- You receive photos and recommendations, prioritised where relevant.
Before we arrive
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
Booking a survey
Landlord roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
Advice
When to book a survey in St James's
Agents and freeholders have budgets to set. Planning is difficult without knowing the roof’s condition or when.
We’re often asked to look at:
- Loose ridge or hip tiles
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Gutters overflowing onto walls
- Ceiling stains reported by tenants
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for example near Kingly Court, knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies.
Questions to ask before you book
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- What happens after the report arrives
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
Landlord roof surveys around St James's
About 0.3 miles south-west lies Marlborough House, a reminder of how long the area around St James's has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs. Inner London’s Victorian and Edwardian terraces frequently have Welsh slate roofs. Many have butterfly roofs draining to a central valley gutter, with parapet walls and gutters hidden behind them. Lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are typical of these houses, if yours is one of them. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
If you live near a park such as St Anne's Churchyard, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. If you let a flat or house near London Charing Cross station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
St James's is about 1 mile south-east of City of Westminster, in Greater London. In St James's, as across Greater London, every roof gets the same careful survey. Across Greater London, we cover St James's.
All of W1F, W1D and W1J is covered for landlord roof surveys. We offer landlord roof surveys to properties on Duck Lane, Bruton Lane and Bridle Lane. Being close to the A4 and A400, St James's is easy for us to reach. Close by, we survey roofs in Chinatown (1 mile north), Charing Cross (1 mile east), Soho (1 mile north), West End (1 mile north-east) and Burlington Estate (1 mile west). Within a short drive, we also cover Kensington (3 miles west), Shoreditch (3 miles north-east), Walthamstow (7 miles north-east), Hoxton (3 miles north-east), Whitechapel (3 miles east) and Hampstead (4 miles north-west).
Around St James's
We work in homes and buildings around LITE Regal International School, Tom Cribb pub and London Library, among other places. Other local landmarks include Harris Westminster Sixth Form (0.6 miles south) and St Anne's Churchyard (within half a mile north). There is a railway station in St James's itself: London Charing Cross station. Well-known places in the area include The Museum of Practical Geology (under half a mile north-west) and Montfichet's Tower (1.4 miles east). Green spaces nearby include St. James's Park Lake and Ludgate Hill.
Roof by roof
Flat roofs on blocks and rear additions
Outlets on flat roofs block easily leaving water standing. They’re checked during the survey.
Roof spaces and lofts
The roof space shows a lot about a roof’s condition. We go into the loft where it’s safe, looking for staining, damp and daylight.
What a survey costs
Survey packages start from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, which starts from £400, including VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Booking your survey
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. Just let us know:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- What kind of property and roof it is
- The address and postcode of the property
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and give us a few details about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
For landlords and managing agents
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed beforehand. Surveys run on any day of the week, which can make access easier.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.