The short answer
Start by complaining to the roofer in writing, with photos, dates and what you want done. The standard in law is reasonable care and skill, written into section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. If the roofer does not put things right, call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133, and ask the trader what alternative dispute resolution is available to you.
A complaint works best when it is calm, written down and specific. Here is the order that gives you the strongest footing.
Put it in writing first
Phone calls fade and promises made on the drive are hard to prove. Write to the roofer by email or letter, and say plainly what the problem is, when you first noticed it, and what you want. That might be a return visit, a repair at their cost, a partial refund, or an explanation of what went wrong.
What should the letter include?
Name the job and the date of the work, and attach your quote and any invoice. Add photos with dates on them, showing the ceiling stain, the slipped tile or the drip at the flashing (the metal strip that seals roof to wall or chimney). Say how long you will wait for a reply, and give a sensible date. Keep a copy, and send it in a way that shows when it arrived.
Keep the tone factual. A short letter that sets out the facts and the fix you want is far easier for a roofer to act on than a long one full of anger, and it reads well if anyone else, such as an adviser, ever has to look at it. Check your contract before the final payment falls due, so you know where you stand on any balance.
Reasonable care and skill
A complaint about workmanship rests on section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which sets reasonable care and skill as the bar. A roofing job is a service, so that bar governs how the work is done. Care and skill is not the same as a perfect result, but a roof that leaks at the new flashing a week after the work, or tiles laid out of line, points to a standard that was not met.
Is it a defect, or just how it looks?
Some things are matters of taste: the colour of a new slate against weathered ones, for example, or the neatness of a mortar line. Others are functional, such as water getting in, loose ridge tiles, or gutters that hold standing water. Describe what the roof does, not only what it looks like, because function is easier to judge.
A second roofer's written opinion can help, with dated photos. Ask them to say what they found, not who is to blame, and to note what part of the roof they inspected and from where, since an opinion from the ground carries less weight than one from a ladder or a close photo. Where the work needed Building Regulations approval, the building control body may have inspection records that show what was done, and our guide to building control for Taunton homes explains how to contact the team.
Where to get advice
If the roofer ignores the complaint or refuses to help, take advice before doing anything drastic. The Citizens Advice consumer helpline is 0808 223 1133, and it is the number to call for individual advice on a consumer problem. It can explain your rights under the Consumer Rights Act and what a sensible next step looks like for your situation.
Should you stop paying or hire someone else?
Think before doing either. Withholding money can put you in breach of the contract, and a second roofer working on top of the first firm's work can make it harder to show who caused a fault. Ask for advice first, and tell the original roofer in writing that you will let them return if the date and time suit.
A storm leak claimed on home insurance follows a different route. The insurer hears first, a temporary repair goes on, and photos and receipts are kept. The Financial Ombudsman handles complaints about insurers. Our answer on cancelling a roofing contract covers a separate set of rights if the job has not yet started.
Alternative dispute resolution
When a trader and a customer cannot agree, alternative dispute resolution, or ADR, is a way to settle it without going to court, using an independent person to look at both sides. Under section 308 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 the trader has one more job, which is to tell an unhappy customer what ADR route or similar arrangement exists.
What can you ask the roofer?
Ask in your complaint letter, in so many words: is there an ADR scheme or other arrangement open to me if I am not satisfied with your reply? The answer, or the lack of one, is useful to you and to any adviser you speak to. Write the reply into your file.
Small claims through the court are a last step, and an adviser can explain how they work for a roofing job. For a first look at a problem roof, send photos through our homepage and we will tell you what a survey would need to check, whoever fitted the roof. A clear paper trail, dated photographs and a written price from the original job make that conversation quicker.
More on roofing complaints
Is there a time limit for complaining about a roofer?
The time limits depend on the type of claim, so do not wait. Complain as soon as you notice the fault, while photos are fresh and the roofer remembers the job. If the dispute grows, the Citizens Advice consumer helpline, 0808 223 1133, can explain the time limits that apply to your own situation.
Can I withhold the final payment?
It depends on your contract, so read it first. Holding back money without good reason can leave you in breach, which weakens your position. Write to the roofer about the fault, set a fair date for putting it right, and take advice from Citizens Advice before you withhold anything.
The full picture: Roofers in Taunton ยท More short answers