In short
Usually, but not until you know what the bats are doing there. All bat species and their roosts are protected by law, and repairing or replacing a roof is one of the activities the government says can harm them. You will need a bat survey, and if the work cannot avoid harming the roost, a licence from Natural England.
This is a job for our Re-roofing & New Roofs service.
Why bats matter to a roofer
Bats roost in roof spaces, under tiles and behind fascias. They are European protected species, and the government guidance lists repairing or replacing a roof, insulating or converting a loft and renovating a building among the activities that can affect them.
Signs you might have bats
- Small dark droppings in the loft or stuck to the wall under the eaves that crumble to dust.
- Bats seen leaving the roof at dusk.
- Scratching or chattering from the eaves on summer evenings.
What happens next
If you think you have bats, the National Bat Helpline gives free advice on behalf of Natural England. For roof work, you will usually need an ecologist to carry out a bat survey, which shows what kind of bats are there and how they use the roof, so the work can be planned to avoid harming them. If that is not possible, a mitigation licence from Natural England is needed before work starts.
What it means for the job
It can move your start date, because surveys and works are often limited to certain times of year. It is far better to know before a re-roof is booked than to stop halfway with the roof open. Tell us if you have seen any signs and we will build it into the plan.