damp just below roofline

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I live in the top floor flat of a big converted Victorian house. On one of my bedroom walls (which is at the edge of the house) I have some mould stains and the paintwork is flaking off and the brick work beneath that is crumbling. I guess that this is damp and given that it is more at the top of the wall where it meets the roof, it might be to do with the roof.

It is starting to look quite serious so I need to get it sorted but I don't really know where to start. I am in need of some advice as to how I might diagnose what's causing this and specifically what type of tradesman I should get in to look at it?

If anyone can help me out with some advice or learning from similar issues I would be very grateful....

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as it's on the slope, I thought not gutters. Is this a house with the party wall projecting above the slates, and a mortar fillet optimistically shedding (or holding) water, moss, ferns, grass?

Photograph the roofline please.
 
Here is a picture of the roof....
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Loft access is tricky - no boarding down, lots of insulation, room to crawl only and getting to the bedroom would involve going 7 meters before turning right and going another 5m. So it's accessible for someone who knows what they are doing, but I wouldn't be comfortable going up there myself....
 
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The chimney requires attention , loose flashings barely into brickwork.
Pointing required generally and the slab on top isn't ideal.
Parapet needs work too. Certainly the renders cracked which will let water into the brickwork,
Soakers may well be zinc and corroded badly.
It looks like a long standing ingress to me..
 
Many thanks, that gives me something to go on. Any idea roughly how many man hours fixing all that would likely take?
 
I'm not a roofer but I envisage scaffolding and a thorough job with lead. You won't want to be doing it again in a few years.

If you own one flat in the building, the lease ought to say how costs of roof repairs will be apportioned between owners. And perhaps it will say they must consent to scaffolding on or past their property.

Can of worms?
 
the render on the gable side could alsobe perished and cracked.
theres no soakers - youve got one piece lead step and cover flashing which are usuly used with profiled conc tiles not plain tile. there might be two-piece lengths of lead flashing lower down the abutment.
you should have concealed soakers covered by cover flashing.
you can see that the roof waterdischarge is falling towards the parapet by the streakin and staining track marks.
water will be going under the cover flashing thats flat on the roof.
that stack will have four flues but thers only an open half brick ventilation located centaly.odds are none of the flues have been swept or ventilated below?but no stains on the chimneybreast in your flat?

the parapet coping stones should overhang each side by about 50mm and have drip throtings below each overhang.

the dormer valley looks rough, different tiles have been used for previous repairs but you dont reporrts of it leaking through?
why not open up the wall in the flat back to brick and cut back the ceiling to the next rafter and post photos?it will have to come off sometime. if the ceiling is plaster laths come back here.

the main problem will be accessto that two pitched high roof and working on older fragile plain tiles.
we sometimes lift tiles to use the tile laths as ladders.
during any roof work get all an any other repairs done. the roof looks to be in ok shape.
 
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there may well be soakers under the existing flashing.. very likely in fact.
the flashing is a cover flashing but that does not mean no soakers.
 
there coud be soakers but come on,its not very likely, why would anyone do it that way?
 
Many thanks, that gives me something to go on. Any idea roughly how many man hours fixing all that would likely take?
Days rather than hours, probably a couple. you will need scaffold to access what appears to be a mansard style roof.
Also remember the plaster internally is contaminated and ideally needs hacking off .
 
Thanks for all of the comments and advice. I really appreciate you taking the time to reply and help me out.

I am now going to put a plan together starting with a conversation with the other flat owners...
 
Just to update....

I have now had quotes to have this work done. The advice given here has enabled me to examine the quotes and select the right quote which was basically the one that detailed everything that has been detailed in this thread.... In terms of the other flat owners, while they are not delighted at the prospect of spending the cash to fix the roof, it is undeniable that this work needs doing which they accept. We have a sinking fund which will be emptied in order to complete this work.

Once again many thanks for the advice.
 

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