What a slipped tile usually tells you
A slipped roof tile can look straightforward, but the visible sign does not always sit directly over the fault. On this page the important question is one or more tiles that have moved down the roof slope. For a slipped roof tile, the position of the problem, the weather when it appears and whether it is changing are more useful than guessing from one photograph.
Pay particular attention to whether the tile is still hanging in place or has fallen completely, whether nearby tiles are also out of line, and whether the problem appeared after wind or without any obvious weather event. Those observations are worth passing on because they describe how a slipped roof tile behaves at your property, not just how it looks on one day.
Why tiles move out of position
The main possibilities are a broken tile nib, a corroded or missing nail or clip, and a rotten or split batten.
Other causes worth considering are poor previous fixing, and wind getting beneath a tile that was already loose. With a slipped roof tile, the important thing is to match the cause to one or more tiles that have moved down the roof slope, rather than treating it as a general roofing fault. For a slipped roof tile, that distinction can prevent work being carried out on a nearby detail that happens to look worn but is not responsible for what you are seeing.
What you can check from the ground
From a safe position, you can look from ground level for the exact position and any exposed underlay. You can also check the ground and gutters for broken fragments.
It is also useful to do not try to push the tile back from a ladder unless you have proper roof access. For a slipped roof tile, write down what you can see and, where relevant, what the weather was doing at the time. A short sequence of photographs of a slipped roof tile from the same safe viewpoint can show whether the condition is changing. When checking a slipped roof tile, avoid walking on the roof or leaning out of windows; the aim is to collect useful information without creating another problem.
When one loose tile becomes urgent
This becomes more urgent if the tile could fall onto a path or entrance, several tiles are slipping together, and rain is reaching the exposed area beneath. With a slipped roof tile, those signs suggest that waiting for a convenient time could allow more water entry, falling material or further damage.
If those warning signs are absent, a slipped roof tile may not need an emergency call-out, but it is still worth arranging a proper look before the condition gets worse. In this case, change over time matters: one or more tiles that have moved down the roof slope that has been stable for a long period is a different situation from something that has appeared recently or is becoming more obvious after each spell of bad weather.
A proper repair checks the fixing underneath
A roofer looking at a slipped roof tile should lift neighbouring tiles to see why the piece moved, then check the batten and fixing rather than simply sliding the tile back.
They may also need to look for similar loose tiles in the immediate area. Because this page is about a slipped roof tile, the inspection should stay focused on that problem and the nearby details that could realistically produce it. For a slipped roof tile, ask what they think has failed, what evidence supports that view, and whether the proposed work is local or part of a wider defect. A clear explanation of a slipped roof tile is more useful than a quotation that simply lists materials.
Do not settle for simply pushing it back
Depending on what is found, a suitable repair might refix or replace the tile with a sound fixing, repair a damaged batten locally where needed, or replace matching neighbouring tiles if they are cracked or unstable.
For a slipped roof tile, the best option is the one that deals with one or more tiles that have moved down the roof slope and leaves the surrounding roof working as it should. If wider work is proposed for a slipped roof tile, ask why a local repair would not be reliable, what condition the adjoining materials are in, and whether access costs make it sensible to combine closely related repairs. The answer should make sense for a slipped roof tile, not read like a standard reroofing recommendation.
This guide is general information about a slipped roof tile. The cause of a slipped roof tile at an individual property can only be confirmed by inspecting the relevant roof area.