The short answer
A new roof should keep the rain out. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the roofer owes you a service carried out with reasonable care and skill, and if it falls short you can ask for the work to be done again or, failing that, for a price reduction. Tell the firm in writing, with photographs, and call Citizens Advice for help if it will not respond.
The standard the law sets
Roofing is a service, and the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies to services supplied to consumers. Section 49 sets the standard at reasonable care and skill in how the work is done. A roof that lets water in soon after installation is strong evidence that something was done badly: a flashing left loose, a gap at a valley, underlay torn or a tile laid with too little overlap.
Section 52 covers timing where no date was fixed, and sections 54 and 57 deal with what you can do when the service falls short. Section 57 matters because it prevents a trader from writing away your rights in small print.
That standard does not mean every drip is the roofer's fault. A leak can come from something the roofer did not touch, such as an old chimney, a neighbouring wall or a rooflight that was not part of the job. The first task is to establish where the water is entering and whether that part was within the contract.
Do not rely on a verbal conversation. If you have a written quote, an order or an invoice, that document sets out what was agreed, and it is the base for everything that follows.
Repeat performance and price reduction
Where a service does not meet the standard, the Act gives you a remedy in two steps. First you can require the trader to carry out the work again, so that it conforms to the contract. That is called repeat performance, and the trader must carry it out within a fair period, without causing you serious inconvenience and without charging you for it.
If the trader refuses, or cannot put it right in a reasonable time, you are then entitled to a price reduction, which can be up to the full price in the right circumstances. The amount depends on how far short the work fell.
In practice, the best first move is a short, clear letter or email. Say what is wrong, when you noticed it, and ask for the firm to inspect and put it right by a date you name. Keep a copy and note any reply.
Give the roofer a fair chance to return. Most reputable firms want to put a fault right, and a leak caught early is usually a quick fix, such as resealing a flashing or replacing a damaged tile.
If you cannot agree, take advice before you hire another firm to do the repair, because doing so without notice can complicate any later claim for the cost.
Evidence worth gathering
Good records turn an argument into a straightforward dispute. Start with the paperwork: the quote, the written price, the invoice, any message that set out the scope and the date the work finished.
Then record the leak. Take dated photographs of the stain or drip, the room around it and the roof from the ground. Note when it rains and where water appears, and whether it follows heavy showers or wind. A simple log of dates is persuasive and takes five minutes to keep.
If you can safely do so, catch the water in a container and protect the contents of the room. Do not climb onto the roof yourself.
Consider an independent roofer's report. A neutral survey from another firm, with photographs and a note of the likely cause, strengthens your position if the original firm disputes the fault. Keep the report and the invoice for it.
If the leak has damaged ceilings or belongings, photograph those too and keep receipts for any temporary protection you buy. Our page on finding a roof leak explains how the entry point is traced.
Where to get help
If the firm does not reply, or denies there is a fault, the Citizens Advice consumer helpline is the next call. Its number is 0808 223 1133, and its advisers can explain your options for your own situation.
Section 308 of the DMCC Act 2024 requires traders to point you to any alternative dispute resolution route that applies when a job goes badly, so ask the firm what route it offers. The earlier ADR Regulations 2015 have been revoked, so rely on the newer provision.
If the roofer is no longer in business, or is unwilling to act, other routes exist, such as paying by card, which can bring protections from the card provider, or making a claim through the court. Citizens Advice can set out which suits your case.
For our own work, we stand behind our roofs through the workmanship line on every page, and we would want to know straight away if a leak appears. The roof repairs hub describes what we do on a survey. If the water is coming in now, our page on when to call an emergency roofer explains what cannot wait.
