Home buyers survey says house is damp

Lizandmike

Hi all,

I'm really hoping someone can help me here, feel like I'm hitting my head off a (damp) brick wall...

I found a fantastic house I want to buy, 250 years old but has been really well looked after. I got a Homebuyers report done (rather than a basic valuation) which came back and said that there was damp on the ground floor, and that I needed to get a specialist damp and timber report completed. I was a bit surprised as there was nothing obvious. I found out the damp was "diagnosed" by using a damp meter, these are apparently calibrated for wood and notoriously inaccurate on plaster.

I got a chartered surveyor who specialises in damp and timber to carry out a survey. He concluded that there was no evidence of rising or penetrating damp. The property is currently unoccupied and he believes that once it's lived in again and ventilated and heated properly, the "damp" (which he thinks is condensation) will disappear.

I sent his report back to the valuer thinking job done, however the valuer has refused to accept the report and has insisted I get one from a specialist contractor. I've had one done so far (the contractor is a member of the Property Care Association) who's said that the property needs a full damp proofing course, at an estimated cost of £2000.

I'm really concerned that any contractor is not going to give a unbiased view - it's in their interests to find "problems" which they are then paid to "fix."

The lender won't give me the mortgage money until I provide a report from a contractor, as per the valuer's recommendations. I think I may be in a position now where I can't obtain the mortgage unless I agree to have an unnecessary damp proof course installed.

I'm sure this must be a widespread problem - valuers use a completely unreliable method to diagnose "damp", promptly abdicate all responsibility from themselves and then a contractor takes over and quotes for all sorts of work that may not even be necessary.

Can anyone give me advice on how to get round this, or can anyone recommend a reliable contractor (has to be a member of the Property Care Association) who won't "find" non-existent problems? I live in Warwickshire.

Many thanks.

pararct

Can the lender not suggest a firm at all?

I got a chartered surveyor who specialises in damp and timber to carry out a survey. He concluded that there was no evidence of rising or penetrating damp

I get one from a specialist contractor. I've had one done so far (the contractor is a member of the Property Care Association) who's said that the property needs a full damp proofing course, at an estimated cost of £2000.

What did no 2 say when presented with the evidence of No 1?
End of the day I would beleive the report of the surveyor and for 2 good reasons.

He is a specialist and requires to undergo training to perform his art.

No 2 has a vested interest in finding something wrong and may not have specialist training.

Sounds like you are up against the immovable object of mortgage lenders security practice.

Ring your surveyor tell him about your mortgage problem and the report of the contractor. You paid him for his work so you are entitled to ask questions of his report. He may be able to suggest a solution. May even write to the lender detailing his professional qualifications and give his view about what he thinks is going on with this damp.

poppysarah

Is it listed?

tbs624

LizandMike - google Patrick Doyle ( North) and Martin Ball ( South) and see if either of them can help you.

Lizandmike

Many thanks to all for your replies.

In response to your questions - I didn't confront the contractor with the surveyor's findings because I decided I didn't want anything more to do with the contractor after he quoted for a load of unnecessary work.

I asked both the lender and the valuer to suggest a suitable firm, the lender said I'd just need to look in Yellow Pages and the valuer said he was unable to make recommendations. The contractor who said a damp proof course was needed was recommended by the estate agent who's selling the house...

The building isn't listed.

I asked the valuer to contact the surveyor in order to discuss the results of his findings, but the valuer wouldn't - he just said he would not accept a report from a surveyor, it had to be one from a contractor. The surveyor is more than happy to discuss his report with the valuer, but he says for legal reasons the valuer has to contact him, it can't be done the other way round. I think the valuer is being incredibly difficult but I have to do as he says, unless I go to another lender, go through the whole mortgage application process again, pay for another survey and hope the next valuer is more reasonable.

I think I'm going to try another contractor but tell them about the surveyor's report before they go in.

I imagine this must be happening up and down the country all the time and I think it's appalling... Home buyers and sellers are being hit with huge, unnecessary bills while valuers and damp proofing companies are laughing all the way to the bank

Thanks again for all your replies. Any more advice / suggestions are very welcome...