Gather a useful occupant report
Ask which room is affected, when water appears and whether anything has changed outside. Safe photographs can help distinguish active dripping from an old mark. Avoid asking occupants to climb onto the roof or investigate unsafe areas.
Prioritise assessment and safety
Falling materials, damaged ceilings or water near electrics raise immediate safety concerns. Keep people clear and seek appropriate help. For less immediate issues, provide the report promptly to the person responsible for arranging assessment rather than waiting for a routine maintenance date.
Coordinate access and responsibility
Identify the authorised property contact and agree access with the occupants. Explain what information is needed and who will receive findings. Specific legal or tenancy questions should be checked with an appropriate adviser rather than inferred from a standard roofing process.
Plan repairs and future upkeep
Match the work to the findings: leak investigation, local repair, wider renewal or planned upkeep. Keep the agreed scope, relevant photographs and completed-work records. Those records help explain recurring symptoms and inform future maintenance decisions.
Prepare the landlord enquiry
Include the property location, occupancy arrangements and history of earlier repairs. State who can approve work and any access constraints. If the roof belongs to a shared block, use the communal-property route to establish the wider coordination needs.
Your questions, answered.
What should I ask a tenant to record about a leak?+
Ask for affected rooms, dates, weather patterns and safe photographs. They should not access the roof.
How should access arrangements be communicated?+
Agree them with the authorised contact and occupants, including who will attend and which areas need access.
Which work records should I ask to receive?+
Ask for the agreed scope, findings where provided, records of completed work and any outstanding recommendations.
