Dry Rot not detected in Survey Report done in November

DepressedNewHomeOwner

Hello
In Nov 2015 we had a Building Survey report done on a property before buying. It detected that there was a drainpipe on the external wall causing damp in the front room. here is the relevant section:

"5.20.02 Penetrating Damp
There is significant penetrating damp to the front wall of the living room. The dampness appears to be caused by the defective downpipes to the external.
As stated in previous sections, the external walls and window sills are in need of an overhaul.
Solid external walls can be prone to rain penetration. Leaking gutters and driving rain can cause rainwater to soak through the masonry.
Persistent water penetration can cause damage to plaster and decorations, as well as timber decay. The risk can be minimised by maintaining gutters and downpipes in good condition. Walls beneath windows can also become damp, because of rainwater runoff from the glazing. "


We agreed with the seller that they must get this sorted before we move in. They did not do so which they said was a "due to rainy weather" and then we got it sorted when we moved in end January/early February and the seller paid.

Now today in April we have been diagnose with Dry rot about 3 meters across 2 meters wide and 2 meters across the wall. It may even be more as they have not completed a full assessment. It is in the walks, the windowsill, skirting boards and floorboards.

The survey report also said this on dry rot:
“5.21.01 Fungal Decay
Dry rot is a fungus which develops in damp timber usually under conditions of dampness and inadequate ventilation. The fungus does not like light and often grows between materials where light is excluded. This characteristic can conceal an outbreak at the development stage. Poorly ventilated, damp sub-floor and roof voids are places at high risk from dry rot attack.

The fungus produces strands which can extend for several metres over and through such materials as plasterwork and brickwork, allowing secondary outbreaks to occur. It is possible for a dry rot outbreak to pass between adjoining dwellings. Eradication can be difficult, disruptive and expensive to achieve.

None was seen in the property. "

Is there any come back we could have on the surveyors for not picking this up? If it is so pervasive now would it have been there in November? The cause was there which was the damp on the wall from leaky drain pipe.

Or should we try somehow get this from the sellers somehow who were meant to sort out the leaking pipe and damp before we moved in?

Please help? Should I be contacting the surveyors or RICS or our solicitor?

Thanks

HouseBuyer77

'None was seen in the property' is different from 'There is no dry rot in the property'. Did it say anything else about dry rot? Maybe something along the lines that the extensive damp seen could lead to dry rot forming?

HouseBuyer77

Oh and what did the sale contract say about the sellers sorting out the problems? Do you have anything in writing from them at all?

In general asking sellers to sort things is a bad idea as they'll want to do a quick and cheap a job as possible. If you've got nothing in writing from them saying exactly what work they would do you're unlikely to have any come back on them.

keith969

"Persistent water penetration can cause damage to plaster and decorations, as well as timber decay."

Dry rot is timber decay; it can start hidden and progress until it is finally visible. Your survey said that none was seen; unfortunately it's a case of caveat emptor.

Who diagnosed the dry rot? Just be warned that so called specialists have a vested interest in selling you expensive and often unnecessary treatments.