Damp not picked up with RICS Level 2 Survey

Sherwin35

I had a RICS Level 2 survey by a Chartered Surveyor before we purchased our property. He picked up minor damp in 2 rooms. I asked a specialized surveyor for damp to come once we had moved in to ask how we should treat the damp in those 2 rooms. This surveyor picked up high moisture in lots of rooms, including blown plaster which we hadn't realized the extent of. I appreciate that his job is to find damp, but even we can now see the damp he is referring to, including the blown plaster, which we noticed once we moved in. He has recommended the chemical injection damp proof. On top of this we will have to remove the blown plaster from one whole room, floor to ceiling, and sections of another room.

Some of the damp is caused by cracked window sills which will now be resolved as we have replaced our doors and windows this week.

Is there any come back for the surveyor as this is a costly process to go through and the surveyor did not pick it up on what I thought was a thorough survey. The surveyor is currently ignoring my emails.

Thank you for any advice.

Surrey_EA

I'm not sure you're likely to have much come back on the surveyor at this point I'm afraid. The time to have the damp specialists in to inspect the property for you was prior to exchange, after the presence of damp was highlighted by your surveyor.

kingstreet

Did the chartered surveyor recommend a timber & damp report prior to purchase?

Doozergirl

If he picked up moisture readings, he would have advised further investigations, surely? They don't just ignore it.

Blown plaster I think is one of those things. It's inevitable in old hluses that haven't already been replastered but no one seems to mention it.

Blown plaster is often age more than dampness. I would be very, very wary of listening to people that sell DPCs. They will always suggest a DPC. If much of the dampness is window and door related then a DPC will do nothing.

It makes me very uncomfortable when a reason is 'x' and part of the solution is a DPC. Personally, I will always recommend fixing the apparant problem and then wait perhaps a year before even considering a DPC. I really think they can do more harm than good.

sandsni

Was the specialist surveyor independent or connected to a company that sells damp-proofing? Personally I'd place more emphasis on the judgement of an independent chartered surveyor with no vested interest.


I'd be inclined to allow the house to be well ventilated over the summer months and re-measure the "moisture" levels in the autumn. Don't be scaremongered into spending a lot of money on a DPC until you're sure there isn't a simpler way to reduce the moisture levels.

G_M

Sherwin35 wrote: »

The surveyor is currently ignoring my emails.

Thank you for any advice.

Maybe he is not receiving them.

If you simply wish to discuss the issue, pick up the phone.

If you wish to make a formal complain
a) write a proper letter
b) but first, check the complaints procedure on his website and/or the documentation you received from him and/or on the RICS website

Sherwin35

I have picked up the phone, he is never available to take my calls apparently and doesn't call me back either. I have now written him a letter and sent it recorded post to ensure he receives it. The refusal to communicate with me is very frustrating and unprofessional.

Minor damp was picked up in the surveyors report and his recommendation was to wait and see what happens over 12 months. I am due to have a baby in a few months and bringing a baby into a damp house with high moisture is not an option unfortunately. He did not recommend any further inspection or reports be carried out.

I will wait to hear back from him. I just wondered if anybody had experienced similar.

davidmcn

Sherwin35 wrote: »

his recommendation was to wait and see what happens over 12 months

That sounds rather unusual (and unhelpful) advice to give in a survey - what exactly did the report say?

teneighty

If the surveyor has failed to identify damp issues in the property that would have been obvious to a competent surveyor at the time of the inspection then you can raise a formal complaint against the survey firm using their internal official complaints procedure. This is a strict requirement of the RICS. If you are unhappy with the outcome you have the option to escalate your complaint to the applicable ombudsman scheme free of charge.

If the surveyor is refusing to acknowledge your letters, emails etc. you can go straight to the RICS professional conduct section as they take that very seriously and the surveyor in question will be up for a disciplinary hearing.

As for the issue of the damp. You probably need to re-read the survey carefully as the wording you have given is not in accordance with the Home Buyers Report standard format so something is clearly not right there. Something certainly smells very fishy.

bebewoo

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-2073242/Damp-proofing-Homeowners-conned-unnecessary-treatment.html