Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Landlord roof survey in Swinbrook, Oxfordshire
A careful look at the let or shared roof at your property in Swinbrook, and put it all in a written report with photographs.
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Failed flashings at walls and chimneys
- Ponding or splits on flat roofs
Landlord roof survey in Swinbrook: what you get
Our landlord roof survey gives you a clear picture of a roof’s condition in a report you can plan around. Landlords, letting agents, managing agents and freeholders all use it along with RTM and residents’ management companies. You get a written report with photos and recommendations, prioritised by urgency where relevant. It is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey of the whole building. We survey shared roofs, flat roofs on blocks and rented houses, and the problems we are asked to look at most are flashings that have come away and damaged pots and flaunching.
Somewhere as small as Swinbrook, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
The report does not just list problems. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend.
- Location
- Swinbrook (OX18)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips that help
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Give tenants a simple way to report leaks
- Give residents notice before a survey
- Keep past survey reports with the building’s records
- Keep the loft hatch clear and reachable
How soon the report arrives depends on the package: within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Agents often choose the package that suits the building.
Regular roof checks beat waiting for a leak. A survey every few years suits many let and shared buildings, alongside yearly gutter clearing.
Landlord roof surveys around Swinbrook
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire frequently have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. About 2.9 miles south-east lies Minster Lovell Hall, a reminder of how long the area around Swinbrook has been built on. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like 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 your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of St Mary, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. If you own a rental within reach of Shipton station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Burford School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Swinbrook is about 3 miles north of Carterton, in Oxfordshire. In Swinbrook, as across Oxfordshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our Oxford page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for landlord roof surveys: OX18. We also cover Leafield (3 miles north-east), Shipton-under-Wychwood (3 miles north), Ascott d'Oyley (3 miles north-east), Ascott Earl (3 miles north) and Ascott-under-Wychwood (4 miles north). Further out, we also cover Witney (5 miles south-east), Carterton (3 miles south), Faringdon (11 miles south), Kidlington (13 miles east), Chipping Norton (9 miles north) and St John Street area (15 miles east).
Landmarks near Swinbrook
In Swinbrook, that means homes and buildings near The Swan pub. The closest station to Swinbrook is Shipton station, roughly 3.3 miles north of the centre.
What happens on the day
Safety comes first on every visit. Everything that can safely be seen is inspected, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours for a single let house, with blocks of flats taking longer. In a hamlet or village like Swinbrook, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- We agree the roofs to be surveyed and what you need the report for.
- Access to flats and the roof space is arranged by you or your agent.
- We inspect each roof as far as it can be seen safely.
- Every defect is photographed and its urgency noted where relevant.
- You get a written report to plan maintenance and budgets.
Before the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
How to book
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
Checking the roof from the ground
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
Honest limits
No survey can tell you everything, and it is better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- A full structural assessment of the building
- Who pays under the lease (that’s a legal question)
- The rest of the building, as a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey would
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we check
- Shared roofs
- Blocks of flats
- Converted houses
- Gutters and downpipes
- Rented houses
- Flat roofs on blocks
What a survey costs
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Helping us price your survey
There’s no need for technical words. Just tell us:
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will explain the options and the price.
FAQs for Swinbrook
Is my home in Swinbrook listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is 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.
Can a landlord with a rental near Shipton station book a roof survey?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you need.
Will you inspect a roof that several owners share?
Yes. We survey what we can access and see safely. The report records what couldn’t be seen in the report.
Does the report help with maintenance planning?
Yes. Recommendations are prioritised by urgency where relevant, which helps you plan work and budgets. Repair costs aren’t included but it gives contractors a clear brief.
Do I need to be at home?
Not always. If we only need the outside, we can agree that in advance, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Will you go up on the roof?
Not always. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where applicable.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
Also near Swinbrook
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What happens if roof problems are left?
A contractor’s quote tells you what they propose to do. A survey gives you an independent view of the roof before you commission work so you know what you’re asking contractors to price. Older and listed buildings around Swinbrook may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Why book us in Swinbrook
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- 98% customer satisfaction
Take a look at our cost guide and two real surveys.