(Update 2021: This page contains lots of links to pages that no longer exist. We won’t be updating this content but shall leave it in place as it was written several years ago.)
Below you can find a selection of quotes and links to articles written by the press, government bodies and on web forums. Some of these links refer to specific companies or rogue traders while other articles refer to the products and how useless they often are.
Yet Another Conviction!
We are pleased to report that there has been another conviction in the fight against roof coating scammers. Business owner and self-employed salesperson both plead guilty to offences.
Read more about “Restore a Roof” and how they misled consumers.
12 Month Prison Sentence for Director of Roof Coating Company
In a separate case, company Director and salesman are both sentenced to 12 months in prison. After the court case, Herefordshire Council’s head of consumer and business protection, Mike Pigrem, said:
I believe this is a landmark case exposing the ‘roof coating scam’ which has taken hold in the UK over the last decade…..In our opinion, there is no doubt that moss causes no damage whatsoever to tiles and the roof coating process is a wholly unnecessary treatment.
Source: Herefordshire Council Website
Hereford County Council Warning
Herefordshire Council’s principal trading standards officer, Tim Thorne, said:
Cold calling for roof coating services is one of the biggest scams to have swept the UK in recent years. Moss does not damage your roof and should never be washed off in this way. Painting the tiles serves no useful purpose whatsoever and the whole process is simply unnecessary work.
Source: Herefordshire Council Website
Dudley Council Warning Against Roof Cleaning Companies
Dudley Council and local police issue a warning against roof cleaning companies who claim that moss and lichen can damage roof tiles. They also advise homeowners to be wary of claims about “thermal roof coatings”.
The article can be found here and Dudley Council has even created a pdf help leaflet.
Derbyshire Trading Standards Warning
Here is an extract from the Derbyshire Trading Standards team:
Roof tiles are designed to allow air to circulate in the roof space, so simply painting the tiles will provide no benefit to your homes’ thermal efficiency. In addition, the use of high-pressure hoses to clean the roof can actually damage tiles and force water in to the roof space.
Source: Derbyshire Trading Standards
Warwickshire Trading Standards Warning
This article contains information about a specific roof coating scammer, but also contains the following advice:
Roofing experts warn that roof tiles should not be subject to high-pressure washing. To do so can potentially damage or break the tiles and remove any aesthetic granular tile finish. Further, pressure washing can also force water between the tile and roofing felt, spraying water in to the roof space/loft.
Source: Warwickshire Trading Standards
Telegraph and Daily Mail Newspaper Articles
Article in the Telegraph newspaper written by Jeff Howel, great info on the tricks some coating companies use.
Daily Mail article about how a group of scammers painted roofs red and conned £250,000 from elderly people.
National Federation of Roofing Contractors Warning
Here is a press release from the NFRC:
Most ‘techniques’ that we have come across to remove moss, are often achieved by ‘violent’ means such as power-washing, which may cause damage to the roof, especially when combined with unnecessary foot traffic often leading to cracked or broken roof tiles.
More information can be found here.
BBC Rogue Traders Programme
BBC Rogue Traders investigation into a roof coating company charging high fees for a useless product. Note how the company flooded the loft space by using pressure washers on the roof. You can read my article on why a roof should never be pressure washed.
Aquashield Customer
Article written by a disgruntled Aqushield customer, includes photos showing how the roof coating washed off in the rain.