thank for this advice and thank you for passing on website related to taken legal action.

Firstly leaking flat roofs are common and are usually easy to fix, but you problem is more severe.

It would be nice if the builder would turn up tomorrow and fix the problem but that isn't going to happen.

In your shoes, I would write a letter to all three parties stating clearly that, unless the problem is fixed by [whatever date you can wait until but no more than a month], you will be employing roofing experts to rectify things and you will subsequently be demanding that the cost is paid by them. I would also mention that damage has been caused by the delay which is worsening with time. I would then, asuming nothing happened, pay someone to fix the problem (holding back a proportion of the payment until I knew it had been done properly). Depending on the damage, I would also consider employing a painter or plasterer to put that right (or I might just do it myself).

Then I would write to all three parties asking for payment within 28 days. When payment didn't arrive, I would write again threatening legal action if the matter is not settled within another 28 days. Then I'd visit this site and take legal action against all three parties.

http://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/

Can anyone advise. My son and daughter-in-law and two children moved into a newly renovated house on 1st July. The property is in a conservation area of a small village in Renfrewshire. The house had previously been a garage workshop but renovation work was substantial with the house being almost raised to the ground and rebuilt. Conservation features such as a slate roof must be kept. On viewing the house the roof (3rd floor master bedroom and ensuite) clearly showed water ingress under the flat roof dormer window to the front. There were also signs of water ingress on the ensuite ceiling. The seller assured my son and family that the roof was fully r epaired but their lawyer covered this in the conditions of sale. Since the 1st July, with all the heavy rain (scotland after all) water ingress has been frequent and worsening. After a lawyers letter to the seller the architect got in touch 2 months ago and with the builder promised, in front of witnesses, that the roof would be fixed properly (the adjoining terrace householder was promised likewise). Two months of constant phoning and being pushed from pillar to post resulted in a roofing/slater attending last Friday, working for 3 hours and replacing some slates. This ofcourse does not solve the problem as there are problems with flat dormer window roofs, gable end and generally the slant of some slates or corners (all technical to me) is not sufficient to allow the rain water to run off the roof. Water is clearly getting into the cavity wall and damaging bedroom wall and window ledge. Today the architect has written to say he had done what he can, builder rumoured to be going out of business, so back to where we began. The seller is dodging all responsiblity. Surely between the seller, the architect he employed to redesign/renovate and the builder somebody is responsible for the 'cowboy workmanship' of the roof. Where do housebuyers to get sound advice on how to bring these three parties to accept responsibility. Lawyer is advising to get the roof repaired as it must be done, getting worse all the time and then sue parties for the cost. The architect incidentally gave a 10 year guarantee on the property which the lawyer is looking at again to see what exactly it covers, yet again. No doubt the architect has covered his back. He does have indemity insurance. Can someone please advise if there is an Ombudsman or whoever or whatever we can do as we are getting nowhere.
Mary