Emergency
Water coming in? Call first, read second.
For an active leak or storm damage, the telephone is faster than any form. Tell us the address, what you can see, and whether anyone is at the property.
What to do while you wait
- Move what matters. Electronics, documents and furniture out from under the water first.
- Contain it. A bucket, and a towel in the bucket to stop the splashing. Empty it before it overflows.
- If a ceiling is bulging, do not stand under it. A bulge is a pocket of water; a small hole made with a screwdriver from the side lets it drain in a controlled way into a bucket, and it is safer than the alternative of the whole ceiling coming down at once.
- Turn off electrics in the affected area at the consumer unit if water is anywhere near a light fitting or socket.
- Photograph everything, before you clear up. Insurers ask, and the photographs taken in the first hour are the ones that are useful.
- Do not go on the roof. More people are hurt trying to sheet a roof in a storm than by the leak itself.
What emergency work covers
- Temporary covering
- Sheeting and battening a failed area so the property is watertight until a permanent repair can be done properly.
- Leak sealing
- Stopping an active ingress where the fault can be reached and made safe in the conditions.
- Making safe
- Loose slates, a dislodged ridge, a leaning stack or debris that could fall — removed or secured.
- Insurance evidence
- Photographs and a written note of what was found and what was done, which is what an insurer will ask for.
Temporary is temporary
Emergency work makes a property safe and dry. It is not the repair. The permanent fix is quoted separately, in daylight, once the roof can be looked at properly — and you are under no obligation to have it done by whoever made it safe.
Roof emergency in London
Call and tell us the address and what you can see. If the property is unoccupied, say so — that changes what we do first.
Emergency questions
What counts as a roofing emergency?
Water actively entering the building; storm damage that has left part of the roof open; anything loose at height that could fall onto a street or a garden; and a ceiling that is bulging or has come down. A stain that appeared last month and is dry now is not an emergency, and treating it as one costs you money.
Will my insurance cover it?
Storm damage is usually covered; gradual deterioration and lack of maintenance usually are not. Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to limit the damage, which is what emergency make-safe work is. Photograph everything, keep the invoice, and speak to your insurer before committing to the permanent repair. We are not insurance advisers and cannot tell you what your policy covers.
Can you work in a storm?
Some work, yes; some cannot be done safely and should not be attempted. Wind is usually the limit rather than rain. Where it is not safe to go up, we will say so and tell you what to do in the meantime rather than putting someone on a roof in a gale.
Do you charge a call-out fee?
Emergency attendance is charged, and we will tell you the basis for it on the phone before anyone sets off. What we will not do is quote a figure on this page that turns out not to apply to your situation.