A leaking roof can cause serious damage to your home and your belongings. Water coming through the ceiling can lead to damp, mould, damaged plaster, ruined
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A leaking roof can cause serious damage to your home and your belongings. Water coming through the ceiling can lead to damp, mould, damaged plaster, ruined furniture, and electrical risks. You will find out whether your landlord is responsible for fixing a roof leak, what to do if they won't, and when you may have a claim.
Key facts
- The 2024 to 2025 English Housing Survey found about 5% of homes in England, around 1.4 million, had a problem with damp, most common in privately rented homes (10%). English Housing Survey 2024-25, GOV.UK
- The same survey found about 9% of homes in England, around 2.3 million, had a category 1 (most serious) hazard under the HHSRS. In the private rented sector the figure was 10%. English Housing Survey 2024-25, GOV.UK
Is the landlord responsible for the roof?
Yes. Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, your landlord is responsible for keeping the structure and exterior of the property in repair. The roof is part of the structure and exterior. This applies to most private and social rented homes in England.
This means your landlord must repair:
- Broken, cracked, or missing roof tiles
- Failed roof flashings (the metal strips around chimneys, dormer windows, or where the roof meets a wall)
- Blocked or broken gutters and downpipes that are causing water to overflow into the roof space
- Damaged roof coverings on flat roofs
- Any structural problems with roof timbers caused by water ingress
The duty applies whether you live in a house or a flat. If you live in a flat, the landlord or management company is responsible for the roof of the building, even if your flat is on a lower floor and the leak travels down through another tenant's property before reaching you.
What about flats: whose roof is it?
In a block of flats, the roof is usually a shared structure. The responsibility for it lies with whoever owns or manages the building, typically the freeholder or a management company. Your landlord (if they are a leaseholder) will usually need to raise the issue with the management company or freeholder on your behalf.
If the leak has been going on for a long time and the landlord or management company has failed to act, there may be a claim for disrepair even if the roof itself is not directly the landlord's property, as long as they had the means to enforce the repair obligation.
How do I report a roof leak?
Report it to your landlord in writing as soon as you notice it. Include:
- Where the leak is coming in (which room, which part of the ceiling or wall)
- When you first noticed it
- Whether it is getting worse
- Any damage to your belongings or to the property
Take photographs of any water staining, wet plaster, mould, or damaged belongings. Keep copies of all messages and letters you send.
What if the landlord does not fix it?
Your landlord must repair the roof within a reasonable time after you tell them about it. What is reasonable depends on how serious the problem is, a major leak causing water to pour in should be treated more urgently than a slow drip on a dry day.
If the landlord ignores your report, delays unreasonably, or patches the roof temporarily but does not fix the underlying problem, you may be able to:
- Report the problem to the council's environmental health team, who can inspect and issue improvement notices
- Make a housing disrepair claim against the landlord for the cost of damage and compensation for the inconvenience and health effects
- Apply to court yourself for an order that the landlord carry out the repairs (though legal advice is recommended before doing this)
Can I claim compensation?
If a roof leak has damaged your belongings, affected your health, or made part of your home unusable, you may be able to claim compensation. A successful claim can cover:
- Damage to furniture, clothing, or other belongings
- Increased heating costs if the leak affected your ability to keep the property warm
- Inconvenience and the effect on your daily life
- Health impacts, particularly if damp or mould from the leak has made you or a family member unwell
When should I contact Support for Tenants?
If your landlord has not fixed a roof leak after you reported it to them in writing, you may have a housing disrepair claim.
Call us on 0800 030 4669. No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
Sources
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Section 11 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (legislation.gov.uk)
Related articles
We review every guide at least twice a year and update it when the law changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only and not guaranteed; every case is different.
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