The short answer
Do not panic and do not walk away yet. A flagged roof means the surveyor saw something worth a closer look from the ground. Ask a roofer to inspect it, with photos of each fault and a written price that covers the repair. Take those to your solicitor and the seller before you exchange contracts, because that is when a price can still be talked about.
A line about the roof in your survey is a reason to get a roofer's view and a written price, not a reason to abandon the house.
What the survey is actually telling you
A surveyor looks at the roof from the ground, from windows and from the loft hatch if there is one. They do not walk the slopes. So a note such as "slipped tiles", "worn flashing" or "roof nearing the end of its life" is a flag to follow up, not a measured fault with a price. It can mean a quick patch or a complete new covering, and the wording rarely shows which.
Is a flagged roof a deal-breaker?
Seldom. Many flagged roofs need one repair. Some need a bigger job, and then the question is only what to do about the price. What matters is finding out which one you have while your offer can still change. After exchange, the risk is yours.
Read the exact words in the report. A surveyor who writes that a roof "should be inspected by a specialist" is asking for the step you are about to take. Quote that line when you contact roofers, so they know what the surveyor saw and where.
Our post on roof inspection before buying in Taunton covers the wider picture.
Getting a roofer's look before you exchange
Time is short in a purchase, so ask for a roofer who can look within a few days and who can reach the property. If the seller is living there, the estate agent arranges access. If the house is empty, the agent usually holds keys. A request for a short visit with photographs is normal, and sellers who want the sale to proceed tend to agree.
What brief should the roofer get?
Ask for every slope to be inspected, with the ridge, the ridge, valleys, chimneys, flashings and gutters, and to look in the loft if you can get access. Ask for photographs of each fault and a note of where it is. Then ask whether the fault is a repair or a sign that the whole roof is wearing out.
That second question matters most. A repair is a one-off cost. A covering worn out across every slope is a bigger purchase that falls due soon, and it belongs in your budget for the house, next to the mortgage and the legal fees.
Some roofers do this for nothing, and some charge; either way, ask first.
Turning the findings into a price you can use
A verbal opinion helps you understand the roof. A written price helps you negotiate, because your solicitor and the seller can both read it. Ask the roofer to put the repair into one total figure after the survey, with the photographs attached, and to say what the figure includes. Check whether it includes VAT and any scaffold needed to reach the work.
Can I ask the seller to pay?
You can ask. Buyers commonly go back to the seller with the quote and request a reduction in the price, a repair before completion, or a contribution. Whether the seller agrees is a matter for negotiation, and your solicitor is the right person to word the request. No roofer can promise the outcome, and we would not try to.
If the fault is small, mending it yourself after completion may cost less than the argument. If it is large, a firm quote lets you weigh the whole price of the house, and you can decide with real figures rather than a worry.
Get more than one written price if the job is a big one, because a second roofer reading the same photographs will tell you whether the first has the scale right.
What to do once you have the paperwork
Send the roofer's photographs and written price to your solicitor, and keep a copy for yourself. Say plainly what you want: a lower price, a repair before completion, or nothing at all because you have decided the cost is acceptable and the house is worth it to you. A solicitor can only act on what you tell them, and they need the paperwork in time to raise it with the seller's side.
What if the roof needs doing soon after I move in?
Plan the work early. Booking it for the first weeks after completion keeps it separate from the move itself, and the roofer can walk the roof again once the house is yours and the loft is empty of the seller's belongings. A first-year roof check is a sensible habit; our answer on what to check on a roof after you move in lists it.
The hub page on roof inspections explains the types of visit, and a survey with us gives you photos of your own roof, a plain explanation and one written price, ready for your solicitor.
More on a flagged roof
Should I wait for the seller to fix the roof first?
Only if the repair is simple and the roofer's photos show it was done. Otherwise take a written price and negotiate on it. A repair rushed before completion can hide the cause. If you do agree to it, ask for the invoice and any photographs so you can see what was done.
Is a roofer's opinion as good as another survey?
For the roof, a roofer's close look is often more useful, because they can say what the repair involves and what it costs. A full building survey covers the whole house. Use the roofer for the roof, and keep the surveyor's report for everything else.
The full picture: Roof inspections in Taunton ยท More short answers