Storm damage to your roof or windows: who is responsible for fixing it?

The short answer

Your landlord is responsible for repairing storm damage to the roof, windows, and structure of your rented home. This is true even if the damage was caused by the weather, not by anything the landlord did wrong. Their insurance does not change this.

Why is storm damage the landlord's problem?

Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 places a legal duty on your landlord to keep the structure and exterior of your home in good repair. This includes:

• The roof
• External walls
• Windows and external doors
• Gutters and drainpipes

This duty applies regardless of how the damage happened. The law does not require the landlord to have caused the problem. A storm, a fallen tree, or wind-lifted tiles are all still the landlord's repair responsibility once the damage has occurred.

"My landlord says their insurer is dealing with it"

This is one of the most common reasons landlords give for delay, and it is not a valid one.

Your landlord may well have a buildings insurance policy, and they may be making a claim on it. That is a matter between the landlord and their insurer. It has no bearing on your rights as a tenant. Your claim is against your landlord, not the insurance company. The landlord remains legally responsible for carrying out the repair.

If the insurer is slow, or disputes the claim, that is the landlord's problem to manage. You should not be left living with a damaged roof or broken windows while the paperwork is sorted out.

How quickly does the repair need to happen?

The answer depends on how serious the problem is.

Emergency repairs: if water is actively coming through the roof, or if the structure is unsafe, the landlord must act urgently. They do not need to have a full solution in place immediately, but they must take steps to stop the damage getting worse. Temporary measures, such as covering the damaged section, count while a full repair is arranged.

Non-urgent structural repairs: if the damage is serious but not causing immediate danger, the landlord must carry out the repair within a reasonable time after you have reported it. What counts as reasonable depends on the nature of the damage. For roof or window damage, a few weeks is usually the outer limit before it becomes unreasonable delay.

What you should do right away

1. Take photos and videos as soon as it is safe to do so. Make sure your device records the date and time on the files.
2. Write to your landlord as soon as possible after the storm. Email is better than a phone call because it creates a record. Describe the damage clearly and ask for an urgent response.
3. Keep copies of everything you send and receive.
4. If you have belongings that have been damaged by water coming in, photograph those too and keep a list.

What if the landlord says you are responsible?

Unless the damage was caused by something you did, such as breaking a window yourself, the landlord cannot pass the repair cost to you. Normal wear and tear, storm damage, and structural failures are the landlord's responsibility.

A note for tenants in Wales

Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 applies in Wales as well as England. Your landlord's duty is the same.

When should I contact Support for Tenants?

Contact us if:

• Your landlord has not responded after you reported the storm damage
• Your landlord is using their insurer as a reason to delay the repair
• You are living with an active roof leak or broken windows and the landlord is not acting
• The damage has caused damp, mould, or damage to your belongings and you want to know if you can claim compensation

Call us free 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

• Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (legislation.gov.uk)

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