Just discovered damp... what now?

kingston15

I purchased a leasehold flat back in January (built 2000ish) and have been renovating it to sell. Works were due to complete this weekend.... but the builders just discovered damp all over one wall.
I literally have no idea what to do. My cousin is a surveyor and popped round this afternoon to confirm the worst, he's written a report out which I can send to the freeholders in the morning.

What I want to know is, now what do I do?! Am I liable for the costs or will it be covered by the freeholder? The flat is ground floor and it is an external wall but it's really damp the whole way through, I've taken the plaster off myself. The outside is rendered but it could be a pipe or guttering leaking from the flat/roof above.

Feeling rather overwhelmed and could do with any advice you have!

Many thanks

AdrianC

You need to figure the cause. There WILL be a cause.

Once you've figured the cause, then stop the cause. Let it dry. THEN redecorate.

Is it damper at the bottom or the top of the wall? Is there a gutter/downpipe outside? Is the ground level above the DPC?

G_M

What does your surveyor's report say is the cause?

What does you lease say about responsibility for rectifying whatever that cause is?

We cannot read either document from here, so cannot advise other than to say..... read both documents!

This sort of thing is part and parcel of the business you are in. I assume you have a proper contingency fund for your business?

csgohan4

shame the building insurance won't cover usually as they exclude anything which happens over time

slowpoke_rodriguez

Bought in January and only just discovered "damp all over one wall".
Has the damp only just appeared or are your builders blind?

Is it an external wall? Is there a kitchen or bathroom above? A gutter or drainpipe, or a soil pipe?
Have a think...

AlexMac

kingston15 wrote: »

... My cousin is a surveyor and popped round this afternoon to confirm the worst, he's written a report out which I can send to the freeholders in the morning.
...Am I liable for the costs or will it be covered by the freeholder? The flat is ground floor and it is an external wall but it's really damp the whole way through, I've taken the plaster off myself. The outside is rendered but it could be a pipe or guttering leaking from the flat/roof above.
Feeling rather overwhelmed and could do with any advice you have! Many thanks

Welcome to the world of property development!

I guess you've stopped panicking now?

Check your lease. In most of the leases I've ever had, responsibility for repairs has been clearly spelled out- even to the extent, sometimes by defining who (the "tenant ", i.e. leaseholder or the "landlord " i.e. freeholder) was responsible for what which levels of the internal and external structure ( in one case defining that internal plaster skim and decor on the walls were down to the leaseholder whereas the underlying cement render, block-work, cavity and external brickwork were down to the freeholder.

In practice, in a shared freehold (where we leaseholders all got on well together and co-operated as collective owners of the block's freehold) , our basement flat had damp-proofing paid from the communal shared sinking fund, just as one of the upper flats' dodgy gutter, loft insulation and roof leaks were remedied at collective expense.

And as regrds the cause of the damp; given that it can only be oneof (or a combination of) three causes:

1 - rising (possibly aggravated by damaged or bridged DPC)
2 - penetrating (whether from driven rain on an exposed wall, possibly aggravated by poor render or pointing or the mistaken application of cement render or seal to stop the wall breathing, dodgy gutters or downpipes, or even plumbing leaks from pipes, wastes, shower seals or washing machines ...)
or
3 - condensation (possibly aggravated by poor heating or inadequate ventilation, excessive moisture genration from wet washing or cooking, and especially problematic on cold external walls, or walls with inadequate or bridged cavity wall insulation )...

then ask your Cousin to do what he's supposed to be qaulified to do and identify the causes and remedies.

And whoever pays for it, it's no big deal only gonna be a few hundred quid and set you back a week or two if you swallow the cost yourself. A botch job would be to apply a waterproofed membrane or cement render to the wall before re-plastering? It will maybe take longer if you want to eliminate the cause and have a shyster Freeholder who doesn't play fair...
... but then your solicitor wouldn't have let you buy it as a money-making project if there was a cr4p freeholder, or unclear responsibility for communal maintenence, would you...?

Best wishes

Giblets

Was it covered in your survey when you purcahsed? if it is as substantial as you describe, you may have a case. Also is there any damp proof course etc? It may have a guarantee on it (I have certainly got work done when mine failed on this point)