What to Do When Storm Damage Hits Your Stratford Roof

Stratford-upon-Avon sits in the Avon Valley, and the deep westerlies that track along the valley floor in winter can produce gusts that cause real damage to rooflines — particularly to the Victorian and Edwardian stock whose mortar-bedded ridge tiles and original lead flashings are already at or beyond their intended service life. When that happens at 2am, with rain coming in through a displaced ridge tile, knowing what to do makes a significant difference to both the immediate damage and the eventual cost.

Immediate Steps: The First 30 Minutes

The first priority is personal safety. If you are aware of storm damage and there is active water ingress into the property, stay out of the room directly below the damaged area until you have assessed whether the ceiling is holding safely. A ceiling that has absorbed significant water can collapse without warning. Bulging plasterwork, soft or sagging ceiling surfaces, and water dripping at multiple points across a ceiling area — rather than a single drip — are all indicators of a ceiling under structural stress from absorbed water. If in doubt, do not go in.

Once you have assessed the internal situation, place containers under any active drips and move electrical equipment, valuables and soft furnishings away from the affected area. Do not touch any electrical installation that may have been exposed to water.

If you can safely observe the roof from outside or from an upstairs window — without going onto the roof yourself — photograph or video the damage. This documentation is useful for insurance purposes and helps us assess the repair scope before we arrive.

Then call us on ' + PHONE + '. We are available 24/7 for genuine storm damage emergencies.

The Association of British Insurers advises homeowners to arrange emergency make-safe to prevent further damage and to document the loss, while avoiding full repairs before the insurer assesses the claim.

— Association of British Insurers — storm claims guidance

Do Not Go on the Roof

We say this directly: do not attempt to access your own roof after storm damage, even if you have a ladder and the damage appears minor. Storm conditions can continue, roof surfaces become slippery with wet debris, and displaced tiles or sections of flashing create unpredictable footing. A fall from a domestic roof height causes serious injury or death. The temporary covering of a displaced tile with a tarpaulin or weighted sheet from ground level is the maximum self-help we recommend.

What We Do on Arrival

When we arrive at a Stratford property after storm damage, the first job is always to make the roof watertight, not to plan the permanent repair. We carry temporary covering materials on every emergency vehicle and can sheet a damaged area safely within an hour of arrival, stopping the internal damage from progressing further while the weather remains unsettled.

Once the roof is temporarily secured, we carry out a full assessment of the damage — including adjacent areas that may have been affected but are not yet actively leaking — and give you a clear picture of what the permanent repair involves and what it will cost. We do not start repair work beyond making safe without your agreement on scope and price.

Insurance: What You Need to Document

Most standard home insurance policies cover storm damage to roofs. The documentation your insurer will typically require is: a written report confirming storm damage occurred; photographs of the damage from outside the property; and, in some cases, evidence that the roof was in reasonable pre-storm condition (not already in a state of disrepair that made storm damage predictable).

We provide written post-storm inspection reports with photographs that are accepted by all major UK home insurers as sufficient documentation for a storm damage claim. The report confirms the specific damage, identifies it as storm-caused, and provides a repair cost estimate. Most Stratford claims we have supported have been approved within a few working days of the report being submitted.

One practical note: insurers frequently ask whether the roof was in reasonable condition before the storm. A roof that was already at the end of its service life — visible nail sickness, known flashing failures, repeated prior repairs — may not be fully covered. If you have a property with known pre-existing issues, it is worth speaking to your broker before a storm event, not after.

Conservation Area and Listed Building Storm Damage

For properties within Stratford's Old Town conservation area or on the listed buildings register, emergency storm repairs require an additional consideration: the temporary measures used must not cause further harm to the historic fabric and should be reversible. We use breathable temporary covers that can be secured without penetrating or damaging existing tiles or slate, and we advise on the correct permanent repair approach and any consent requirements that may apply.

In a genuine emergency, where the structure is exposed to immediate further weather damage, emergency works can usually be carried out without prior consent. The important principle is that the emergency works are genuinely temporary and that the permanent repair — which may require consent — is planned and executed correctly thereafter.