Is there anything I can do to minimise water damage while I wait for a roof repair

[womaninatightspot]

After that horrible snow storm we made a claim on the insurance for roof damage (lots of slipped slates, some broken, guttering fell off part of property, cracked panels in the conservatory roof). The builders are being provided by the insurance company via the loss adjuster. However it's taking time the weather has been rubbish we have 6 inches of snow today. Several damp patches have started to appear in the upstairs bedrooms. The bedrooms are in the eaves so it's slate then board (no liner as fairly old roof) then wool insulation between boards and lathe and plaster. Is there anything I can do to minimise the damage/ water coming in?

I'm quietly dreading the thought of the bedrooms needing to be replastered even in spots, so much work and mess.

Ring the loss adjuster.
Point out to him/ her that the damage to your property and therefore the size of the claim is mounting daily. That you need an emergency roofer - such companies do exist in the buildings insurance business - even if it's just to tarp the whole roof in a temporary way.

Has the insurer admitted liability ? In writing?

Not in writing but I did call him and he assured me he'd had several chats with the contractors about what needed to be done and so forth and that he'd ok'd thier work. Advised to call the builders to inform them about additional problems. They have not rung back as yet. I'm feeling a bit out of the loop tbh.

It's expensive house insurance and a bells and whistle policy so have various types of emergency homecare provisions. Will have a look about what it says about roofing but we're up a track and pretty much snowed in until it thaws due to the drifts. Just wondered if there was anything I could do but probably not...

No, no, don't assume there's nothing you can do.
Get onto your loss adjuster. Tell them it's not ok. Tell them you're concerned they're going to end up with a massively greater claim.Tell them in no uncertain terms that it's not ok.

At the end of the conversation, always finish with two things. Confirm what's going to happen next.eg LA says, I'll contact builders and see what they have to say. You say, " and then you'll ring me back to let me know what's happening? It would be great if that could be before X o'clock, as I have to go out then. Thanks"
If they don't ring back, ring LA, and say" so sorry, just had to pop out to a neighbour/ catch dog/ whatever, I expect you've been trying to ring me."

In other words, pin that LA down. Make them realise that dealing with your concern is less effort to them that just shoving it on their to-do pile.

It's completely unreasonable to not have got an emergency repair done to a leaking roof.
Be insistent. Polite, but insistent.

I'm thinking that I've maybe made the mistake of being a bit unassertive. The mention of an emergency repair never came up. The roof wasn't leaking before although water had somehow come down the chimney breast to damage the ceiling in the sitting room. It was very much in the tone of let's get it done as quickly as we can to minimise damage but we'll need to wait till the weather clears/ snow melts to get scaffolding up etc which I accepted at the time. I have called back the loss adjuster but he's on the road. I am a wuss.