Roofs and flat roofs
A valley is packed with moss and grit from the covering. Has the survey said the valley has failed, or only that it could not see the lining?
Only that it could not see the lining. A valley packed with moss and grit is an obstructed channel, not a verdict that the valley has failed. The debris hides the lead, felt or other lining underneath, so the surveyor could not say whether that lining is holed, tired or still sound. Moss can hold water and grit can block the outlet, which is worth clearing, but a cover of debris is not the same as a failed valley. The survey recorded what blocked the view. It did not water-test the channel and it did not date any leak.
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?
Valleys sit at the meeting of two slopes, so leaves, moss and granules washed off the covering collect there. Once the lining is buried, a look from a ladder or from the loft cannot confirm a split, a nail hole or a sound sheet of metal. Writing failed over that limit invents a conclusion the visit did not reach. The honest line is that the valley was packed and the lining was not seen, so its condition stays unknown until the debris is lifted off.
Ask a roofer to clear the moss and grit and then look at the lining, rather than asking the home survey to be reread as a failure. Tell the solicitor the report stops at an unseen lining, not at a condemned valley. If a stain exists inside, keep it as a separate note until someone has actually seen the metal or felt. The survey has not chosen a new valley and has not said the slopes on either side must be stripped.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Did you record the valley as unseen beneath moss and grit, rather than as failed?
- Was any outlet from the valley also blocked, or only the channel itself?
- What inside mark, if any, did you leave beside this valley rather than tie to it?
What are the typical next steps?
- Treat the note as a valley lining that was not seen.
- Have the moss and grit cleared so the lining can be looked at.
- Do not tell the solicitor the valley has already been condemned.
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 granules are in the gutter, has the covering failed as well?
Not from granules alone. Grit in a valley is often loose surface from the covering, and it explains why the lining was hidden. The survey has not called the slopes failed because debris collected in the channel. No later decision about the valley was made, and this visit did not supply one.
Can the loft ceiling under the valley stand in for the lining?
No. A ceiling, stained or clean, is not the valley lining. The survey still has not seen the lead or felt under the moss, so the channel itself remains unchecked. What happens next for the moss is outside this note and was not settled here.