Dodgy? Roof work advice

overload99

Last year we noticed a leak in our house which caused significant damp on the inside and outside of a gable end wall. The ceiling also collapsed in the upstairs room next to the gable end and chimney breast from the leak. We hired a roofer in May to fix the leak. He said we needed the front elevation of the roof to be replaced so we had this done and paid him £8k for the job. Unfortunately this did not fix the leak and despite him coming back on 2 occasions to check the leak and replace cracked tiles and flashing, we still have the leak 8 months later. We have asked someone else to take a look at the roof and take some photos and we are shocked at the state the roof has been left in. We can see several cracks and gaps on the tiles and the flashing. There are also huge gaps where the black plastic trim (don't know what it's called)  meets the tiles on the verge of the gable end. There is also a load of debris which has been left on the roof.  (Photos attached).
In summary, we paid him £8000 to fix a problem which hasn't been fixed (still needs to be fixed). He came back on 2 occasions to rectify the problem but without success and we suspect that the cracks and gaps and the length of time passed have caused the further water damage we currently have inside the house. 
Can anyone advise where we stand and what we should do as a next step? 
Many thanks in advance. 

Aylesbury_Duck

I'm always wary when a new contractor gives a verdict on a previous contractor's work, you know that unless they're completely honest, they have a vested interest in criticising a predecessor's work and being paid to put it right.  Therefore the first thing I would do is get one more roofer to take a look and see the extent to which the two roofers' findings and diagnoses tally.

I'm not a roofer, so can't offer informed comment on the job, but the gaps shown between the plastic trim and the tiles might not be the problem you think they are.  The debris looks minimal and to be honest, with the wet and windy last few months, a probably a consequence of weathering rather than negligence.

So what would I do?  

- get a third contractor to inspect, diagnose and recommend a fix, so you have two such reports.
- contact the roofer you paid, invite him to put the problems right.
- if he says no, or doesn't agree to do so in a reasonable time, write to him to say you will engage another roofer to fix the faults and will pass the cost onto him, pursuing through small claims court if necessary.

overload99

We've actually already had 3 new contractors look at the roof - the photos are a variety of what they took - and the prices they have quoted to fix the problem vary quite a lot. The roofer we hired initially has already been back on 2 separate occasions but still failed to rectify the problem so I don't think inviting him back again will make any difference. 

Aylesbury_Duck

ruthieb77 said:

We've actually already had 3 new contractors look at the roof - the photos are a variety of what they took - and the prices they have quoted to fix the problem vary quite a lot. The roofer we hired initially has already been back on 2 separate occasions but still failed to rectify the problem so I don't think inviting him back again will make any difference. 

That's a potential concern.  Is it just the prices that vary or have they suggested different remedies?

I still think you need to notify him of one more chance before "going legal", but others may have a different view.

47Revisited

ruthieb77 said:

"There are also huge gaps where the black plastic trim (don't know what it's called)"
  
Dry Verge. Fitted wrong! Poor job again!