The short answer
Start with the roofer, in writing, with dated photos and a clear account of what is wrong and what you want done. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires a roofer to bring reasonable care and skill to the job, and gives you remedies such as a repeat of the work or a price reduction. If the firm will not move, ring the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.
What the work should have met
Before writing anything, it helps to know the standard you are measuring against. Section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires a trader to bring reasonable care and skill to any service. Where the contract does not fix a time, section 52 expects the work within a reasonable time. A trader cannot write these duties out of the contract, because section 57 stops liability being excluded.
On a roof, that standard turns into plain questions. Does the new flashing stand tight to the wall, or is there a gap? Are the tiles laid to a straight line with the laps correct? Did the job finish when you were told it would? Is the site clear of rubbish?
A complaint is strongest when it points at one of these specifics and not at a general sense of unhappiness. "The ridge was bedded but two tiles have slipped within a month" gives the firm something to look at. "The roof is poor" does not.
A fault you spot is also worth checking against what was agreed. If the quote said the work included new battens, and old ones were left in, say so by referring to the written price and its description.
Put it to the roofer first, in writing
Most disputes end at this stage, so it deserves care. Write an email or letter rather than relying on a phone call, and keep a copy. A written complaint gives you a dated record, and a calm tone leaves room for the firm to fix things.
Include these points:
- the date and address of the work, and the price on the quote;
- what is wrong, in one or two sentences, with the dated photos you have taken;
- what you want, whether that is a return visit to put it right or money back;
- a sensible date for a reply, such as 14 days, and your phone number.
Take photos from the ground, from inside the loft where it is safe to get in, and of any damp marks inside. Do not climb on the roof yourself to take them. If rain is coming in now, take a photo of the stain, put a bucket under it and tell the firm at once.
Do not withhold or pay the whole balance on impulse. Decide what you owe after reading the contract and getting advice, because the way a payment is handled can change your position.
Your remedies: repeat work or a lower price
The Consumer Rights Act sets out what you can ask for when a service falls short. Section 54 gives two main remedies. The first is repeat performance, which means the trader redoes the job to the standard it should have met. The second is a price reduction, where the value of what you received was less than you paid.
The order matters. You normally ask for the work to be put right first, and a reduction follows if that does not happen in a reasonable time or without significant inconvenience to you. Treat this as a general outline, since the rules have detail, and the helpline can confirm how they apply to your case.
For a roof, repeat performance is often what people want. A leaking valley is fixed by relaying the valley, not by a refund. A price reduction suits cases where the job was done but to a lower standard than agreed, and you would rather keep the work than start again.
If a second firm has to put it right, keep the quote and the invoice. The cost of that repair and the evidence of what it fixed support any claim you make afterwards. Our page on spotting a dodgy roofer covers the warning signs to look for next time.
When the roofer will not respond
If the firm ignores you or refuses, take the next step with proper advice. The Citizens Advice consumer helpline is 0808 223 1133, and its website carries guides to problems with building work. It is the place to ask about your options, including taking a claim further.
You can also ask the roofer a direct question. The 2024 Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, in section 308, says a trader must point an unhappy customer towards whatever mediation or dispute scheme is open to them after a failed complaint. That means a firm that rejects your complaint should be telling you where else you can go, such as a mediation scheme it uses.
The older 2015 ADR regulations are revoked, so be wary of any page or adviser quoting them as if they are current.
If you are weighing a cancellation rather than a repair, the rules differ, and our answer on cancelling a roofing contract covers the cooling-off period. We also publish how we handle concerns on our complaints page, and our services are listed on the homepage.
