Damp report - Should this include first floor as well as ground floor?

ahfh1

Hi,

I had a damp report done last week, and the damp inspector did his checks on the ground floor.

I then asked him whether he should also be checking the bedrooms on the first floor, and he said "no because you only get damp on the ground floor". In which case I left it at that.

However, a few days age I stripped some wallpaper in one of the bedrooms on the first floor around the chimney area, and lo and behold, there was damp (indicated by black damp stains around the chimney breast air vent)!!!

Should the damp inspector have also checked the first floor (as a standard check) and picked up on this? I have called him back to check but he wants to charge me another call out charge as he needs a "closer look at the chimney breast".

Thanks

casper_g

You need to check the details of what you paid for in the first place. Did you pay for a check on the whole house, for damp in general (rather than e.g. specifically rising damp)? If so, the inspector ought to come back and finish the job properly. He's partly right in that you'd expect any rising damp to affect the ground floor rather than the upper floors, but penetrating damp due to e.g. faulty guttering (or uncapped chimneys, as is likely here) would be more likely upstairs.

ariba10

Most damp, especially upstairs is usually condensation.