Half of attic wet - HELP!

amandaooo

I was in the attic to sort out the Christmas decorations and one side of the attic is wet, going up the walls - it looks dark on the wood there too. I had seagull trouble a couple of years ago and had a hole fixed. I'm not sure why it is wet or where from - lots of papers up there are damp too. Can anyone tell me the steps I go through regarding insurance and even if I would be insured. Also, who and where to find trusted quotes for how to fix it! Kind regards - Amanda

Doozergirl

Is it from a leak or could it be condensation? 

Roofs need a lot of ventilation.  If someone has blocked up the ventilation in there in order to keep animals out, that may well be the problem... 

FreeBear

Could be flashing, failed flaunching, slipped tiles, condensation, or some other issue. Get a local roofer in to have a look (ask friends/neighbours for recommendations). Listen to what he has to say and go from there. If it is a maintenance issue, insurance is unlikely to pay for repairs. Should the damage be a result of storm damage, you may find the cost of repair is less than your excess.

neilmcl

Is the "wet" area near the bathroom which you have an extractor fan vent situated?

Mutton_Geoff

FreeBear said:

Should the damage be a result of storm damage, you may find the cost of repair is less than your excess.

And the cost of hiked premiums in future years. I had a water leak I couldn't locate so used the insurers to sort it. Turned out to be elbow joint under patio near meter. Total cost around £1.5k (insurance company rates) probably £250 worth in real money. Offered to pay insurers after the event but they said my premium would still be loaded. Excess was £500 and premium gone up by £500 a year so they will soon have their money back.

ElephantBoy57

The best way to make sure you dont get over-charged, is for you to know what is causing the problem.

There is no rush, it could have been like that for weeks and weeks.

Get a good torch and inspect it, preferably with someone else, two brains are always better than one.

Murmansk

Go up there when it's light in the day, turn off the lights and see if you can see daylight coming in - if light can come in, water might do too depending on the angle