The morning after a big blow, Bristol’s pavements collect their little piles of broken tile — and homeowners face the same three questions: how bad is it, what do I do right now, and who pays? Here’s the sequence that answers all three without anyone climbing anything.
Assess from the ground only
Walk the property’s perimeter and look up methodically, slope by slope: gaps in the tile pattern, tiles sitting at angles, debris in the garden, and check the loft with a torch for daylight or fresh damp. Photograph everything, including close-ups of any fallen tiles. Do not get on the roof — post-storm roofs hold loosened tiles that come free under a footstep, and insurers expect assessment photos from ground level anyway.
One slipped tile is rarely one problem
A tile that slips in wind usually failed for a reason — a corroded nail, a broken nib, tired battens — and its neighbours share that history. This is why the proper response to visible storm damage is a full-roof check, not just re-seating the obvious tile. Expect a decent roofer to look at the slope as a whole and tell you whether this is an isolated fix or the roof announcing a wider fixing problem.
Stop water first if it’s raining in
Active leak: containers, move belongings, and call for an emergency temporary fix — a tarp or patch that stabilises things. Temporary work is normal, expected by insurers, and usually claimable; keep the invoice.
The insurance decision
Storm damage is standard buildings-insurance territory, but weigh the claim: a single-tile repair at £150–£250 may sit below your excess and isn’t worth premium consequences. Multiple tiles, flashing damage or interior water damage usually is worth claiming. Either way, get a written report from a roofer stating what’s damaged and whether it’s consistent with storm impact — it’s often the deciding document, and we provide one as standard on storm callouts.
Fix causes, not just symptoms
When the repair happens, ask what’s being done about why the tile moved: renewing fixings, replacing tired battens locally, re-bedding ridge mortar. A repair that re-seats tiles onto the same failed fixings sells you the same problem next storm.
Tiles down after last night’s weather? Get in touch or call 0117 214 1175 — assessment photos, honest verdict, written quote.