Warrantee Coverage for Condo Roof Damaged by Harsh Winter?

P.P. from outside of Connecticut writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

Our roofs were damaged by the harsh winter. A roofing company is doing an assessment of the damages. The roofs were all redone within the last seven years, but our management company cannot find any guarantees or warrantees in their files. Do we have recourse?

Mister Condo replies:

P.P., I am going to go out on a limb here and say “maybe”. Your management company may not be able to find paperwork supporting the warrantee but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist or that you cannot put in a claim against it. However, harsh winters may be considered an “act of God” or an uncovered warrantee condition. Where is the roofing contractor who installed the roof seven years ago? Are they still in business? Are they unwilling to assist in the repair or warrantee claim? Since you live in a modest-sized condominium association, I assume you took several bids before replacing the roofs. The bid that was awarded seven years ago should be part of the association’s records and also provide a clue as to the roof’s warrantee. If applicable, the brand of roof (shingle manufacturer) may also be useful in helping to determine the applicable warrantee, if any. Good luck!