Should a Roofer Send Photos of the Problem?

A useful photo shows one fault clearly. A slipped tile, a lifted edge of lead, a cracked pot or a gap in the flaunching each needs a close shot where the detail is sharp, and a wider shot that shows where on the roof it sits. Without the second picture, a close-up could be anywhere.

How do you know the photo is of your roof?

Look for something you recognise. A neighbour's extension, your own chimney, a distinctive ridge or the shape of the gutter line all help. Photos should also be taken on the day of the visit, and the roofer should be able to tell you which slope and which section each one shows, in words you can follow from the garden.

Be wary of pictures that look too clean or too dramatic, and ask where on your roof each one was taken. A stock image of a collapsed roof, or a photo with no sign of your property in it, proves nothing. The test is simple: could you step outside, look up, and find the same spot? If you can, the photo is doing its job, and the quote that follows can be checked against it.

A roof is hard to judge from the ground, so you rely on what you are told. Photos change that relationship. The roofer is no longer asking for trust, because you can look for yourself.

Do photos matter for the contract?

They do. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (section 49) puts a duty on the trader to work with reasonable care and skill. Before-and-after photos are the simplest way to show what condition the roof was in when work began and how it looked when the job was done. If a problem arises later, you are not arguing from memory.

If you need advice on a dispute, the Citizens Advice consumer helpline is 0808 223 1133. Photos make that conversation shorter, because the facts are on the screen and nobody has to rely on memory or goodwill.

Our habit is simple. A survey comes first, then pictures of the slopes themselves, then a single total in writing. If the photos do not show a fault, we do not suggest a repair for it. If they do, you can point at the picture and ask us anything about it.

Pictures travel well. They can go to an insurer, a solicitor, a buyer or another roofer, and each of them can use them without climbing a ladder.

What do insurers expect to see?

In its storm advice, IStructE describes photographs as vital evidence when you claim for damage. The sequence people are advised to follow is insurer first, then a temporary fix, with every photo and receipt kept. We stay out of the claim, which is yours and your insurer's to settle, but we can supply clear pictures of the damage and of the repair to go with it.

For a sale, a dated photo set shows a buyer what the roof was like and what was done. For a second opinion, another roofer can look at the pictures before deciding whether a visit is needed. Our answer on inspecting your own roof explains how to take safe photos from the ground, and the guide to the roof inspection report shows where the photos sit in a written report.

Before you accept any quote, ask to see the evidence behind it. A reasonable request is a set of photos covering each part of the work in the quote, with a short note on what each shows.

What if the roofer cannot send any?

Then ask why. There are fair reasons, such as access that was unsafe or a fault buried inside the roof structure, and a good roofer will explain them and offer another way to show you, such as pictures taken in the loft. A roofer who quotes for repairs and has no pictures of anything is asking you to pay on trust.

It is also worth asking for photos of the finished work and the waste being taken away, so the record is complete. Keep everything together with the invoice.

For larger work Citizens Advice advises collecting several written quotes, and shared photos let each roofer price the same thing. If you would like us to look at your roof, use the form on this page, and read about our roof inspections beforehand if you like. Our guide to roof inspection scams lists what to be careful of at the door.