What to do when your roof is leaking

1. Keep people away from the affected area

If ceiling material is bulging, cracking or falling, move people and pets out of the room and keep the area clear. Water around light fittings, sockets, wiring or electrical equipment needs particular caution: do not touch wet fittings or stand in water while operating electrical controls. If you are uncertain, contact an appropriately qualified electrician or the emergency services for an immediate danger.

Do not enter a loft when footing, visibility or electrical conditions are unsafe. Never use a loft hatch, ladder or stored boards simply to get closer to an active leak.

2. Reduce internal damage only where it is safe

From a dry, stable floor, move portable belongings away from drips and use a suitable container to catch water. Towels or protective sheeting can help at floor level. Do not pierce a ceiling, remove fixed electrical equipment or disturb material when you do not know what is behind it.

If the leak is severe, the ceiling appears unstable or the room cannot be made safe, leave the area. Damage to possessions is less important than avoiding a fall, electric shock or collapsing material.

3. Record what the leak is doing

Useful evidence helps a roof repair company focus its first questions. Take photographs from safe locations and note:

• the property postcode and affected room or roof area;
• when the leak first appeared and whether it is getting worse;
• whether it follows wind-driven rain, prolonged rain or gutter overflow;
• the position of internal staining, drips or damp in the loft;
• any visible slipped tile, flashing issue or gutter overflow seen from ground level;
• previous repairs or recurring symptoms.

Water can travel along rafters, underlay or other components, so the internal mark may not identify the entry point directly.

4. Call and describe the urgency accurately

Explain whether water is actively entering, whether a ceiling or electrical fitting is affected and whether the property is safe to occupy. Ask the roofing company to confirm current availability and whether the immediate visit would be an assessment, temporary make-safe work or a permanent repair.

RH Roofing & Renovation takes roof-repair enquiries across the areas we cover. Availability changes with weather, travel and workload; the site does not claim a 24-hour service. Call 07584 213 770 to describe the problem and confirm timing.

5. The repair should address the entry route

A roofer may need to check tiles or slates, flashings, valleys, ridges, verges, roof windows, wall junctions, flat roof seams and trims, gutters or outlets. Safe access and weather conditions affect what can be inspected immediately.

A temporary measure can be appropriate when conditions prevent a complete repair, but ask what it is intended to do, how long it is expected to remain and what permanent follow-up is proposed. Planned work should have a clear scope and price before it goes ahead.

6. Do not climb onto the roof or improvise at height

The UK Health and Safety Executive says roof work is hazardous and work at height should be properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people using suitable equipment. HSE also advises against going onto roofs in rain, ice, frost, strong wind or slippery conditions. Read the HSE work-at-height guidance and its fragile-surface guidance.

Do not lean a ladder on a gutter, walk on tiles or slates, or assume a roof light or flat covering will support you. Safe ground-level observations are enough for the first call.