Condition ratings
Underfelt is torn where it could be seen from the hatch. Has the tile covering itself been rated?
No. Underfelt torn in the view from the hatch is the lining, not a rating of the tiles above it. The hatch shows the underside. It does not turn each tile over. Unless the report separately judges the covering, the tiles have not been given that torn-felt number. Keep the lining and the covering as two sentences when you talk to a roofer.
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?
Underfelt, or sarking felt, is the layer under the tiles or slates. A tear seen from the hatch is a tear in that layer, in the cone of light the surveyor had. It can let wind-driven moisture onto the timbers, so it is a real defect, but it is not a verdict on the covering units. Rating 2 fits a repair that is needed but is not serious or urgent. Rating 3 fits something serious, urgent, or both, with written quotations before legal commitment. Rating 1 would mean no repair is currently needed. The torn felt takes whichever of those the surveyor chose for the felt. The tiles take a rating only if the tiles were judged.
Many coverings are assessed from the ground, and the hatch does not convert that into a tile-by-tile inspection. A part of the roof space that was not entered is NI, and NI is not rating 1. A hatch is entered with a ladder only where it is safe and no more than 3 metres above the floor, so a tear beyond that reach was not inspected. Concealed batten and tile fixings are not guaranteed sound because the felt below them is torn, or because it is intact. Tell a roofer you have a torn lining at the hatch, and ask the surveyor which sentence, if any, rates the tiles.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Did you rate the underfelt, the tiles, or only the felt?
- How far from the hatch did the view of the lining go?
- Is any of the roof space NI beyond the tear you could see?
What are the typical next steps?
- Ask the surveyor to confirm whether the tiles have a number at all.
- Describe the defect to a roofer as torn lining, not as a failed covering.
- Do not treat the hatch view as a survey of every tile fixing.
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 there is no underfelt at all, is that the same as a tear?
No. Missing felt is a different observation from felt that has torn. Ask which one the report describes.
Can torn felt be rating 2 while the tiles are rating 1?
Yes, if the tiles were judged to need no repair now and the felt was judged to need a repair that is not serious or urgent.