Surveyors - Complaint

cavo_900

Hi,


Not sure if this is the right place to post.

I am after a bit of advice from people who will have more knowledge on the subject then myself.

I purchased my home approx. 2 ½ years ago and a few weeks ago we flooded due to heavy rain. I contacted my insurance company who refused to pay out of the basis the side of my house (semi-detached) where there is grass has been built to high up past the damp proof course.

They advised me to contact the surveyors who carried out the inspection prior to me purchasing the house. I spoke to them last night and the lady and her manager agreed the surveyor should of picked up on this at the time.

She then asked me what I think they should do which I said I didn’t know as I had never been in this situation before and that is for them to look at.

They have had to log it as a complaint and I should hear from them within 5 days.

I am wondering what people think I should expect them to do in this situation?

Thanks.

societys_child

It can cause damp, but unusual for it to be the sole cause of flooding. Makes you wonder if the insurance co are looking for a get out clause . . .

In over two years, had you not noticed the ground level was above the dpc?

Doozergirl

How did high ground level at the side of the house cause flooding?

I can understand it causing damp, but you're claiming for a flood. How much flooding was there?

Kiran

Doozergirl wrote: »

How did high ground level at the side of the house cause flooding?

I can understand it causing damp, but you're claiming for a flood. How much flooding was there?

Exactly what I was thinking. What was the cause of the flooding, heavy rain etc? That's a hell of a lot of water to pass through a wall above dpc and flood inside the building. You'd see the plaster coming off the walls etc.

cavo_900

Hi,


It happened the night of the storm a few weeks ago heavy rain and wind.

What the insurance and water board engineers have said is as the ground has been built to high up they suspect the water has had no where to go and with the bad weather a few weeks ago they think the rain water has seeped in through the brick work. There are also no breather(?) bricks on show at the side of the house.

With regards to damp on the house, where this wall is we had mirrors from floor to ceiling which we have had to have plastered last week due to some of the mirrors falling off. What we noticed when we removed all the other mirrors is that the wall was damp. We had the wall plastered last week and the only section that has not yet dried is the bottom part. Possibly down to damp?

As stupid as it sounds, no we had not noticed the ground was built past the damp course, we purchased the house from my partners aunty after we lived there for 9 year and her aunty for 15 prior to that. The ground was at that level when she bought it and then us. Also with not knowing anything about building work we expected everything to be fine.

Regarding how much flooding there was the water came in through the side of the house, so into our passage way and kitchen.


I hope the above makes sense.

Grenage

In your position, I would probably start digging the external ground out to below the DPC.

You could suggest that the surveyors contribute to the cost of the work, but you may or may not get anywhere, Hard to say without seeing the paperwork on what was being accessed,

cavo_900

Hi Grenage,


I have a builder coming at the weekend to give me a price to do the works. I can dig it out myself but I may need to dig approx 1m down then the length of the house which will take alot of time.


The paper work said the surveyor would inspect the outside and he has not commented on it, the surveyors have advised that this should of been picked up when the house was inspected prior to me buying it.


Would i be unresonable in expecting them to pay to fix the problem as opposed to them contribting? Again I don't know alot about these situations so don't really know what to do. Just after people's advice beofre they come back to me.

saverbuyer

cavo_900 wrote: »

The paper work said the surveyor would inspect the outside and he has not commented on it, the surveyors have advised that this should of been picked up when the house was inspected prior to me buying it.

Are you saying the surveyor has already admitted liability?


Or by surveyor do you mean the insurance loss adjustor?

cavo_900

Hi saverbuyer,


By the surveryor I mean the company who carried out the inspection before I completed the sale.


The lady and her manager both admitted last night during the call that it should of been picked up at the time. So based on that I would say they have admitted liability.

saverbuyer

cavo_900 wrote: »

Hi saverbuyer,


By the surveryor I mean the company who carried out the inspection before I completed the sale.


The lady and her manager both admitted last night during the call that it should of been picked up at the time. So based on that I would say they have admitted liability.

I would say so too. Their professional indemnity insurers won't like that.


Do you have house insurance?

cavo_900

Yes i have home insurance and tried to claim of that but they refused as the gound is built too high up and suggested i contacted the surveyors