As a landlord renting your property out, you’ll hopefully only have to undertake major work on your property’s main roof every 30 years or so, but even if you don’t have to carry out that major work, you may well have to carry out smaller repairs, such as replacing loose or missing tiles, repairing or replacing flashing, re-rendering or fixing issues with roof valleys.
An older, flatter roof might need replacing or repairing sooner, but this type of roof tends to be easier to get fixed, due to quality of materials having improved over recent years.
When carrying out roofing work as a landlord on the main roof, you should use a professional roofer, ideally one who is a member of a Trade Association, such as The NFRC, the UK’s largest roofing trade association, The Institute of Roofing or The Association of Master Roofers rather than a general contractor.
They should have the health and safety knowledge and experience of working at a height, as well as being qualified in their area of expertise – e.g. slating and tiling, lead welding or pitched roofing. They should be able to prove that they’ve completed appropriate training, and be able to point you in the direction of previous examples of their work. Previous, satisfied client testimonials should help to give you peace of mind too.
A reputable roofer should also have the following –
- Insurance, covering any damage caused as a result of their work
- A valid licence to work on roofing projects
- A comprehensive, written safety program
- A quality assurance program to make follow-up checks on the roof afterwards
Reputable roofers should be prepared to offer a 25-year guarantee for their work, with some companies even offering lifetime warranties. Roofing materials come with a standard warranty, usually lasting between 10 and 30 years. Costs of a roofer can often vary great, so always ensure you get two or three quotes. When it comes to your roofing work, don’t forget to budget for the the price of scaffolding (around £625 a week) and skip hire (around £250-£300).
If you’re carrying out roofing work as a landlord in the Bromley area, you’ll want to find a reputable roofer, and you can find one by searching on sites like Checkatrade.
