Roofs and flat roofs
The report places sprockets, the fascia line and wet rot in the tilting fillet in one paragraph. Which of those were inspected, and which were merely named?
Wet rot in the tilting fillet was inspected where the surveyor could reach or see the decayed timber. The fascia line was inspected as the board run that was visible. The sprockets were named as the rafter ends associated with that eaves, and they were not fully inspected if they sit behind the fascia. The survey has not decided that every sprocket is rotten because the fillet is, and it has not decided that the fascia is sound along its whole length. One paragraph holds three different depths of look.
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?
Sprockets lift the eaves so the last course of tiles tilts properly. The tilting fillet forms that kick, and wet rot means decay was found in that piece. The fascia is the board that carries the gutter and hides the feet. Rot in the fillet can sit next to sound sprockets, or it can be the visible end of a wider problem. Naming the sprockets explains the construction. It is not a check of every foot behind the board.
Ask the solicitor whether gutter leaks have been reported along this fascia, because overflow is a common way eaves timber stays wet. A carpenter needs to see how far the rot runs past the fillet into the sprockets. The home survey has not opened the fascia. Do not replace the whole eaves in your own mind on the strength of one rotten fillet, and do not ignore the sprockets because they were only named.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Where was wet rot in the tilting fillet actually found?
- How much of the fascia line was visible, as against assumed?
- Were the sprockets seen, or only named behind the fascia?
What are the typical next steps?
- Separate the rotten fillet from the named sprockets.
- Ask about gutter overflow along this eaves.
- Have a carpenter trace the rot before you assume the feet.
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 wet rot in the fillet mean the rafters have failed?
It means decay was recorded in the tilting fillet. The rafters and the sprockets behind the fascia were not given that same finding if they were only named. Rot can spread, which is why the feet stay an open question. The survey has not condemned the whole roof slope from one eaves piece.
Will a new gutter board remove the rot note?
A new board changes the fascia that was seen. It does not by itself remove decay already recorded in the tilting fillet, and it does not inspect the sprockets. If work is done, the extent should be written down. The original paragraph remains the record of what was found on the day.