Age and type of house
The ridge of a thatched roof has slipped and the coat below still looks even from the lane. What of the ridge fixings was not lifted?
The ridge fixings were not lifted. The survey saw a ridge that has slipped, and a coat that still looks even from the lane. An even coat at that distance is a distant impression of the main thatch. It is not a view of the spars, the wire or whatever else holds the ridge. The inspection has not opened the ridge, not counted fixings, and not decided the coat underneath is sound because it looks tidy from the road. The slipped ridge is the defect in view. The fixings stay unseen.
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 thatched ridge is a wearing piece. It is often renewed sooner than the coat beneath, and it is tied or sparred down. When it slips, the question is what has let go, and whether water is now getting at the coat along that line. Looking from the lane cannot answer it. The surveyor can record the slip and the apparently even coat without claiming to have handled the fixings. Evenness from far off can hide a thin patch, a dip, or a ridge that is only hanging on.
Ask a thatcher to look at the slipped ridge and to say what of the fixings and the coat needs work. Keep that opinion separate from the lane view in the survey. Tell the solicitor the report has not lifted the ridge. Do not describe the main coat as passed because it looked even. The survey's finding is a slipped ridge and an unopened fixing.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Did you see the ridge slip without lifting the fixings?
- Was the even coat a view from the lane rather than a close inspection of the ridge?
- Have you left the condition of the fixings unstated?
What are the typical next steps?
- Treat the even coat as a distant impression, not a cleared roof.
- Ask a thatcher to inspect the slipped ridge and its fixings.
- Do not describe the main coat as passed from the lane.
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 ridge is only slipped at one end, is the rest of the ridge fixed?
The survey has not lifted any of it, so the rest is not known to be fixed. One slipped end is what was seen. Other spars or wires may be loose and still look seated from the lane. The unopened ridge stays unopened, including the part that has not yet dropped.
Does a thick-looking coat mean the ridge can be ignored?
No. Thickness from the lane is not a measurement, and it does not hold a ridge on. The survey saw slip at the ridge and did not lift the fixings. A coat that looks deep can still be losing its ridge. The two findings are not a reason to skip the thatcher.