Storm Babet: Findley Roofing warn 'worst yet to come'

The UK was hit with high winds and torrential rain on Friday (October 20) and Saturday (October 21) by the deadly storm, leaving parts of the country dealing with flooding and power outages.

In the aftermath of the storm, the boss of North East firm Findley Roofing has revealed homeowners across the region are facing “eye-watering” repair bills - despite the area dodging the worst of the extreme weather.

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However, owner Grant Findley has worryingly warned that the worst may still be to come.

He said: “A good indicator of whether we will have a bad storm season is if there’s one in early October, as that tends to invite more storms – and we’ve already had two this year.

“With climate change, the frequency of storms is increasing as is the severity, which means the damage is worse.

“That’s why it is crucial that if you do have a home, get a ‘roof MOT’ carried out to make sure you don’t face the same eye-watering bills and problems many homeowners in the North East are currently facing after Storm Babet.”

Storm Babet hits the North East coast on Friday (October 20) (Image: PA MEDIA)

He’s revealed that the Hartlepool-based firm had received 60 new damage enquiries by Friday evening, with more trickling in over the weekend as homeowners took stock of the damage.

While the North East didn’t suffer the same problems it faced in 2021 when Storm Arwen caused unprecedented destruction, including flooded houses and power outages, it didn’t remain unscathed over the weekend.

“Our out-of-hours call centre has been blowing up, so we have put a lot more boots on the ground this morning to help people with not just their repairs, but also their insurance claims,” added Mr Findley, who launched the firm 15 years ago.

A car stuck in the floodwater in County Durham (Image: DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL)

“However, we’ve already been to homes across the North East – from Northumberland down to Teesside – that took a beating from Babet and in many of the cases, that damage could have potentially been avoided if the owners had proactively carried out maintenance work.”

With the Met Office having already assigned around 20 names for potential storms this season, the business owner has urged people to take proactive steps to minimise both the cost – and any disruption – if their property is damaged in a storm.

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“Maintenance work is always easier and cheaper than repair work, and ahead of what already looks like a bad storm season, the best step you can take is to get a ‘roof MOT’," he added.

“We offer our ‘roof MOT’ service for free, so there’s no reason not to get it checked out and it could save you a small fortune down the line.”

Findley Roofing has also revealed three top tips in the wake of Storm Babet:

• Don’t fix it yourself – Despite damage across the region, there are still plenty of roofing firms who have put more staff on to help with repair work. Climbing ladders can be dangerous – particularly for older people – and any repair work is best left in the safe hands of a professional.
• Book a roof ‘MOT’ – You check your car is safe each year and, according to Grant, your roof should get the same treatment especially if it is over 45 years old and at more risk from the elements. And don’t worry about the cost – Findley Roofing provides a free ‘roof MOT’ service.
• Contact your insurer - Reputable insurance companies will generally pay for emergency temporary repairs, so get in touch with your insurer. Ultimately, events like Storm Babet is why you pay for that insurance in the first place. But be very wary about anybody who can do the work straight away – good firms will have a queue