Chimneys and parapets

Can an old chimney have no damp-proof tray even when the flashings look new?

Yes. A damp-proof tray, where one exists, sits in the stack to catch water that gets past the pots and lead it outside. Many older stacks were built without one. New lead at the roof slope does not insert a tray into the brickwork above.

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?

Without a tray, rain that enters at the crown can track down inside the stack and appear on the breast or at the ceiling line. A surveyor cannot see a tray unless the brickwork is opened or the tray is exposed at the edge. The honest comment is that the tray was not confirmed. Fresh flashings tell you someone has worked on the junction. They do not tell you the crown is sorted.

Installing a tray means taking the stack apart at that level. That is a specific job, not a tube of sealant. The survey should not be read as an instruction to rebuild every stack that might lack a tray. Ask whether water is actually showing inside. The Property Care Association’s approach to damp still applies: name the path before you buy the repair.

What should you ask your surveyor?

Are you saying a tray is missing, or that you could not see one?
Is water showing on the breast or the ceiling, or is this only a limitation?
Would new flashings have included a tray, or only the lead at the slope?

What are the typical next steps?

Do not rebuild a dry stack solely because a tray was not seen.
If the breast is stained, ask a chimney contractor whether a tray is the likely path, and what they would open.
Keep the seller’s invoice for the new lead. Read what it says was replaced.

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

Does a plastic sheet in the loft count as a tray?

No. A sheet on the loft floor is someone catching drips. It is not a tray in the stack.

Are trays standard in new stacks?

Modern practice is to damp-proof stacks. This page will not pretend every new stack was checked. Ask what was seen on this one.