I'm selling my house. The buyers mortgage company wanted a damp report done.
The first damp report was deemed not independent as my estate agent either arranged or recommended a company. They found no evidence of damp.
The second damp report has been done and I am awaiting the inevitable. I believe this 'independent' report has been done by a firm that does remedial work.
Having come home, I can see the pin pricks where the valuation and previous damp reports were done, the latest holes are much deeper and bigger where the damp meter has been pressed hard into the wall, I reckon the holes are 3 - 4mm deep. First question, is the meter being used correctly?
The upshot of this is I can clearly see that no attempt was made to test the wall higher up, from what I've read they should take reference readings at different heights which will allow comparison against supposedly dry walls and areas where damp is suspected. Am I correct?
Finally, the wall was previously reported as having minor damp when we purchased five years ago. We remedied this (or so we thought) by clearing away the dirt/old plaster that had built up against the wall and damp proof course under the floor. Would the salts etc that previously have been carried up the wall still be present to affect the readings today?
I'm pretty miffed about the whole thing as we decorated five years ago and there is no evidence of damp whatsoever through mildew, flaking paint or the lining paper lifting, but the buyers mortgage provider have held back a portion of the mortgage until it is either proved not to be a problem or rectified.
I'm also worried our buyers will be getting fed up as they presumably have paid for both of these reports.
👿
Got any other buyers lined up?
Nope. They are valuable first timers (our house sold very quickly so they were the only viewers) and the rest of the chain is eager to move quickly so delays are bad!
This happened to me twice, when I was buying and selling.
The surveyor picked evidence of damp that was caused by "insufficient ventilation" to the sub-floors. There was no visible signs of damp. I had to get a timber and damp survey performed.
I am very sceptical about the whole thing as the vast majority of surveyors do the remedial works and generally seem to come out very vague and require some invasive work to establish if there are any major problems, lifting of floorboards, removing stud walls etc. So even if there are no major problems you have to pay several hundred.
The only advice I would give is to try and get a surveyor who is truly independent, there are a few about and stay away from the "free" surveys.
I have a rising damp problem currently in my house.The bottom 1m of the wall in my front room is noticeably damp following any period of rainfall and there are signs of crumbling plaster.
I had 3 firms round to check consistency of advice and I watched whilst they did their survey.It was very apparent that reading were high at the base then tailed off as they went up the wall.This was consistent along the wall.
It is possible that damp can be caused by pooer ventilation or condensation problemes but the trick is to be able to read the signs of dampness in context and ruling out other possibilities first.
Thanks guys. I would be tempted to get my own properly independent survey done but I'm sure it would not be seen as independent as I arranged it!
Just wondered if there is any way of contesting the survey or challenging the fact the mortgage company are withholding a portion of the mortgage?
Have you spoken to your estate agent? It is in their interest that the deal goes through and they may be able to assist.
I have a [s]rising[/s] damp problem currently in my house.
FTFY
They're going to be quoted about a grand for a damp proof course to be injected and some plaster to be replaced.
They'll come to you for that off the buying price. Are you willing/able to knock it off to make the sale?
Mate of mine bought a place with damp. Got a firm in to test and they confirmed and quoted large to fix it. Only then did he produce the 'warranty' from said firm for the 'remedial' work they had done 5yrs previously.
They got very upset and accused him of trying to scam them because he should have shown them the certificate at the outset.
I bought an 1800s house that had been 'remedied' by injection. It was still damp, but once I had cleared all the bridging going on outside with soil and badly placed patio - ta-dah.
Damp course injection = snake oil, end of.