Has our surveyor duped us over the condition of our roof? | Money | guardian.co.uk

Has our surveyor duped us over the condition of our roof? | Money | guardian.co.uk

Q In December my partner and I completed on our first home. This weekend we paid for a few repairs to our roof – patch pointing and slipped tiles. However, the roofers advised us that the nails for the slates are in the process of failing and have warned us that more and more tiles will slip over the next year. They said the roof has no more than two years left in it – and in all probability even less. Another roofer that provided a quote for the same work similarly mentioned that we might want to consider a full re-roof.

Prior to purchasing we instructed our own independent Homebuyer survey on the property at a cost of £370. This states: "The ridge tiles were noted to be open-jointed in places and patch pointing of the ridge tiles is required. It may prove cost-effective to re-cover this roof within the next 10-15 years."

Elsewhere it reports: "We noted one or two tabbed slates indicating that the slating nails are now beginning to reach the end of their serviceable life and whilst re-covering the roof is not considered essential, as repairs become more frequent it may prove cost effective to re-cover this roof within the next 10-15 years."