Find out what type of roof you have.

Brief rule of thumb: The bigger the roof and the older the building, the more chance your roof is asphalt.

List of typical flat roof types in London:

Metal roofs: Lead, Copper, Zinc
Ruberoid Roofs
3 layer mineral felt roofs

3 layer felt with chippings
Asphalt roof
Asphalt painted with silver or white solar-reflective paint

Each of the above is a link to photos and descriptions of that particular roof type to help you identify your roof.
Knowing what roof you have makes it easier to maintain, and repair.

When I first got involved with roofing, many years ago, maintenance of a roof was something that was regularly undertaken. This meant cleaning of gutters and gullies twice a year and a general inspection. Nowadays the tendency is to wait for it to leak, then replace or repair the roof and claim on the insurance for any damage caused by the leak.

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Above is an old Felt roof being stripped, and below the same roof covered with EPDM single ply rubber system. EPDM comes with a 20 year insurance-backed guarantee, and proven life expectancy of 40+ years.