Shared slate roof repairs: get the decision-making clear

Why a roof enquiry can stall before a contractor can price

A shared roof may have multiple owners, tenants, a property factor or a housing association involved. An individual resident might notice a leak, but the eventual works may need agreed funding, roof access and a lawful authority to instruct the contractor. Before SSR can treat a project as ready for introductions, the decision-making route matters as much as the visible defect.

Six checks before requesting major shared-roof quotations

1. Identify ownership: establish the flats or proprietors concerned and the roof area involved.
2. Review title deeds: check who is responsible for maintenance and how costs are apportioned.
3. Identify the decision rule: ask whether the deeds or a statutory default arrangement controls approval for the particular works.
4. Clarify authority: agree who will obtain inspections, contact contractors and formally receive quotations.
5. Discuss budget and access: ask who can approve scaffold location, surveys and later works.
6. Put it in writing: record decisions, dissent, funding assumptions and any factor or professional instructions.

Repairs are not the same as improvements

The decision requirements can differ depending on the type of work. Scottish Government guidance explains that shared roofs can fall within common parts and refers owners to title deeds and the Tenement Management Scheme where relevant. Never assume one voting rule applies to every building or every type of intervention.

Read Scottish Government guidance on common parts of flats and tenements.

How to prepare an enquiry once owners are aligned

A useful project note should specify the authorised contact, affected roof areas, known survey evidence, agreed ability to invite quotes, and who can authorise access and the contract. Without those steps, a roofer may have no realistic route to carry out an inspection or get paid even if the roof genuinely needs work.

Use the project brief builder to prepare the outline. For substantial and genuinely authorised projects, SSR can consider independent specialist introductions.

Editorial information compiled for Scottish homeowners by Scottish Slate Roofers, an independent roofing introduction service, on 21 October 2026. Source links are provided where relevant. No professional diagnosis, independent certification or individual legal advice is provided. No contractor-endorsed case studies are claimed.