Dry rot problem

Tom_Forster

Hi. We bought our house 12 months ago. The initial survey didn't pick up any signs of dry rot so I presume it wasn't apparent under the survey they conducted. The neighbours discovered they had a bad case of dry rot, and as they rent their house from a housing association, the council repaired their flooring downstairs and alerted us that this was happening and we should check under our floor too. We did, and we have dry rot along the party wall which has begun to spread into the house (downstairs only).
We had it investigated by a timber firm who have said that the cause of the dry rot is not apparent from our side so in effect we have caught it from our neighbours, although we are unsure of the initial cause.
We have investigated it through our house insurance but they are saying they don't cover dry rot. Can anyone advise us the best way to take on the housing association in question as it seems to us that the property hasn't been particularly well maintained either by the council or the occupents. Our neighbours don't have house insurance either.
We certainly don't have the money spare to fix the problem ourselves.

Thanks in advance, any advice is welcome.

Tom.

adaze

To be blunt I don't think you would get anywhere, how do you prove it came from them? Just because the damp company can't find the source doesn't mean it isn't there. In my understanding of dry rot if you don't get rid of 100% of it it will return, so by the neighbours not sorting it all out it is going to return to them anyway, you could try telling them that! Though if its in the party wall its going to cost as you would probably need to comply with the party wall act although I'm not sure. Sorry I couldn't be more help

sash8

Hello! I've been reading quite a few of the discussions about dry rot and have finally decided to ask some questions and see if I can get any advice - as everyone seems very friendly!
I'm not quite sure if I'm meant to start a new thread (or even how to) so i apologise if I'm commiting some sort of internet error!
I bought my 1930s mid terrace house in 2004 and since then have had outbreaks of dry rot 4 times. The latest one is under the stairwell and on the other side of the wall, in the front room.
The company that i have been using has come out each time to remove the skirting boards, remove wall plaster to 1m high, irrigate walls by drilling a matrix of holes and using a fungicidal biocide, sterilise all surface masonry/brickwork and treat new timber.
However, it seems to me that there must be some sort of damp under the floor for the dry rot to still keep reappearing There is a concrete floor but I am guessing there is some sort of space (solum?!) underneath it that may not have adequate ventilation?
Sorry if I sound like I don't know what I'm talking about - it's because I don't! I feel like I'm going to always be calling people back in to treat new appearances of the dry rot as it works its way around my house.
Bit depressing really.