Roofs and flat roofs
Solar fixings penetrate a flat roof and the surveyor could not see the seals from below. What weathering at those fixings is unverified?
The weathering seals at the solar fixings are unverified. The fixings penetrate the flat roof, and the surveyor could not see the seals from below. Collars, flashings and the sealant around each leg are what should keep rain out where metal passes through the covering. None of that was confirmed from the ceiling side. The survey has recorded penetrations it could not weather-check. It has not water-tested them, has not stood on the roof to see the seals, and has not decided that the roof leaks there. Unverified is not the same as failed, and it is not a pass for those fixings.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
A flat roof covering is meant to be continuous. Every bracket that goes through it breaks that continuity, and the seal around the leg is what makes the break weathertight. From the room below you may see a bolt, a stain, or only the ceiling. None of those views is the seal on top. The surveyor could not see the seals, so the report cannot say they are dressed, split or missing. The weathering at the fixings stays unverified because the vantage point was the wrong side of the roof.
Ask the solicitor for the solar installation papers and for any warranty that mentions the penetrations, and keep those papers apart from this limit. If the seals must be seen, that is a look from the roof surface by someone set up to do it, not a second reading of the ceiling. The home survey has not run a water test and has not certified the array. Do not call the fixings weathered in because no drip showed on the day. The seals themselves were not in view.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which solar fixings penetrate the flat roof?
- Were the weathering seals out of sight from below?
- Did you leave those seals unverified, rather than failed or passed?
What are the typical next steps?
- Treat the seals at the solar fixings as unverified.
- Ask for the installation papers on those penetrations.
- Do not read a dry ceiling as proof the seals are sound.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
If the ceiling under the panels is unstained, are the seals holding?
An unstained ceiling does not show the seals, and they could not be seen from below. Stains can lag behind a leak, and a dry day can hide one. The weathering at the fixings remains unverified. The survey has not passed it. A clear ceiling is not a view of the collar on the roof.
Does the home survey include an electrical test of the solar array?
No. The limit recorded here is the weathering at the penetrations, which was not seen. The home survey has not tested the electrical side of the array and has not produced an electrical certificate. Panels and cables are outside the seal question. Unverified weathering is not an electrical result either.