The short answer
Normally the contractor who fitted the roof. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 says a trader must carry out a service with reasonable care and skill, so a brand-new roof that leaks gives you grounds to ask them to put it right. Photograph the leak, write to them with the dates, and ask for a visit. Check your paperwork for a guarantee, and keep the evidence safe.
Who answers for a leak on a recently fitted roof, how to raise it in writing, and where to turn for help.
Who answers for a leak on new work
When a roofing firm fits or replaces your roof, you have a contract with that firm. Under section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the work you paid for has to be done with reasonable care and skill. A leak soon after a re-roof is not proof of poor work on its own, but it is a good reason to ask the firm to come back and find out why.
Start with who did what. If the roof was laid by one firm and the flashing, chimney or rooflight by another, each answers for its own part. If a scaffolder, a plumber or a solar installer disturbed the roof afterwards, a second contractor may have a share of the cause.
Before you raise it, check the leak really is from the roof. Condensation, a blocked gutter or an old defect that the new work never touched can all cause damp. Our guide on how to find where a roof is leaking helps you narrow down where the water enters before you write.
What to ask the original contractor for
Contact the firm quickly and politely, and give them the chance to put it right. Most reputable contractors would rather return to a leak than lose a customer. Say what you saw, where and when, and ask for a date to inspect.
It is also worth looking at what you were given at the end of the job. Many contractors provide a written guarantee or a manufacturer's warranty for the materials, and the terms can set out how to report a fault and what is covered. Read the paperwork for names, dates and any condition about maintenance. General advice for any customer: before signing, ask every roofer what written guarantee comes with the job, which faults it covers and who is liable if the firm closes.
Ask also for the repair to deal with the cause, not just the stain. A dab of sealant on a drip may stop the water for a while without finding the missing flashing or the torn underlay beneath. If the firm needs to open up the roof to check, ask them to report what they found and send pictures. You then hold a record of the fault if the matter needs revisiting.
Put it in writing and keep the evidence
A phone call is fine for the first conversation, but follow it with an email or letter straight afterwards. Include the address, the date the work was finished, the date you first saw water, what you saw and what you want done. Attach photos of the ceiling, the loft and the outside, each with the date.
Keep everything: the quote, the invoice, any guarantee, messages, and notes of who said what. If the firm replies, answer in writing too. If a second roofer inspects for you, ask them to put their findings in writing with photos, and to say what they saw rather than who they blame.
Do not let anyone else repair the roof before the original contractor has had a fair chance to inspect, unless water is coming in and you need a temporary make-safe. In that case, photograph the fault first, keep the receipt and tell the firm what you did and why. Our guide on what a roof make-safe involves explains the usual stopgaps. If your house is insured, let your insurer know about the damage as well.
If the contractor does not respond
If the firm ignores you, or refuses to return, you still have options. The Citizens Advice consumer helpline is the place for individuals to get free advice on the next step, and its consumer service can pass complaint details on to Trading Standards. Section 308 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 also requires a trader to point a dissatisfied customer towards any dispute resolution arrangement that exists.
Be wary of paying a second roofer to fix a fault while the first firm is still in dispute, unless the leak is causing active damage. Where you do need urgent work, keep the invoice and ask for a note of the cause. It may be needed later to show what the repair cost and why it was necessary.
A fresh survey by an independent roofer is a useful step too. Ours comes as a written opinion with pictures of your own roof, and a single price if repair work is needed. See our damp ceiling after a roof leak answer for what to do inside while you wait, and the main emergency roof repairs page for how we approach it.
More on this in Emergency & General Roof Repairs in Crawley
Two questions on new roof leaks
Is it too soon to complain if the roof is only weeks old?
No. A leak soon after the work is the best time to report it, because the cause is easier to find and the firm is more likely to remember the job. Report it as soon as you see it, in writing, with dated photos, and ask for a date to inspect.
Can I get a different roofer to fix it first?
You can, but it is better to give the original firm the chance to inspect and repair, as it keeps your position clear. If water is coming in and nobody can attend, a temporary make-safe is reasonable. Photograph the fault, keep every receipt and tell the original contractor what was done.