Checklist

Leak documentation checklist

A printable record sheet for the first 24 hours of a leak: what to photograph, what to note, and what to keep for an insurer or a contractor.

5 min readReviewed 2026-11-10Roof Repair Roof editorial teamFree, no email required

Fill this in as you go, on the day. Dates, times and photographs taken before anything is moved are the evidence that makes a repair or a claim easier later. Every item is at ground level or inside the house; nothing here asks you to go onto the roof.

Safety first, before any recording

If water is anywhere near a light fitting, socket, consumer unit or extension lead, switch that circuit off at the breaker — do not touch wet electrical fittings.
If a ceiling is bulging or sagging, keep everyone out of the room and call a professional. Do not puncture it.
Move people and pets away from the affected area, then move belongings only where the floor is safe and dry.
Never go onto a wet, icy or storm-damaged roof, and never lean a ladder against a gutter to inspect it.

Capture the interior

Photograph the water entry point from a safe distance, then closer views of the stain, drip or bulge.
Photograph the ceiling, walls and floor around it, including any furniture or belongings that are wet.
Take a wide photograph of the room showing where the damage sits in relation to windows and doors.
Repeat the photographs after each significant rainfall, so the change over time is documented.

Write down the facts

Date and time you first noticed water inside.
The weather at the time and in the days before: rain, snow, wind, hail, or none.
Whether this is the first occurrence or a repeat, and when the earlier one was.
Which rooms and which building elements are affected.
Whether anything was already planned, quoted or repaired on the roof.

Capture the exterior from the ground

Photograph the roof from several positions at ground level, including the elevation above the interior stain.
Photograph gutters, downspouts, valleys, chimneys and any visible metal, with the date recorded.
Note anything that has clearly changed: missing or lifted shingles, displaced flashing, debris, ponding.
Do not clear debris or snow by climbing. Note it and leave it.

What to keep

Receipts for tarpaulins, fans, dehumidifiers, storage or emergency water extraction.
The name and number of anyone who worked on the roof, and the date.
All correspondence with an insurer, in date order, including emails you send summarising phone calls.
Any contractor estimate you receive, with the date it was issued.

This worksheet records what you observe. It is not an inspection, and it does not diagnose the cause. Anything above the ground floor belongs to a professional with the right equipment and insurance.

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