Surveyors - Complaint

saverbuyer

cavo_900 wrote: »

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

No legal cover on your home insurance?

cavo_900

Yes i think i have some legal cover on it

saverbuyer

cavo_900 wrote: »

Yes i think i have some legal cover on it

Call them up and see how to proceed. TBH I would be reluctant to sort this out on my own.


Other option is to get a builder in, get a quote to fix the problem and work with the surveyor to cover the bill.


They've admitted liability, so your job is much easier.

cavo_900

I was hoping to get a quote this weekend for the works then when they do call back i have an idea of what its going to cost me to have the job done correctly.


I would rather try and sort it out myself first but knowing i could use the insurance company is good thank you.

saverbuyer

cavo_900 wrote: »

I was hoping to get a quote this weekend for the works then when they do call back i have an idea of what its going to cost me to have the job done correctly.


I would rather try and sort it out myself first but knowing i could use the insurance company is good thank you.

Read your policy, If the insurance wasn't in place before the survey, they may refuse to provide cover.

Furts

cavo_900 wrote: »

Hi,

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.

My proviso is I have not seen your home so cannot make a firm comment. However this explanation is so implausible, that unless your home sits in an isolated low point I cannot come to terms with it.


Think it through...a wall is a barrier to water so it will go around the wall. Bricks are not like sponges so they resist water. If water gets past the bricks you probably have a cavity wall (you have not commented on this) so the water will flow around the cavity and attempt to get out. If it is trapped it will typically go down the pipe bedding around your foul drainage - so again it is not trapped.


Clearly you have experienced a problem, but in order to pursue a claim you need to know the real reason and you need to know the real solution. I wonder if you know either.

cavo_900

Hi Furts, The garden runs level with the footpath on the other side of my fence, then the grass is level with this path all around the side of my house. The insurance company have said that the grass area is built to high up and because of this the water has had nowhere to run and subsequently built up and seemed in through the brick work. There are no air bricks on the side of the wall maybe the water could get in through here? I honestly don’t know.

It may well be a cavity wall as it is the side of the house which is a semi-detached, again I could not confirm 100% as I’m not very clued up with building works.

fezster

I think the surveyor should have pointed this out - however, their reports usually have so many caveats, they may be able to get out of taking responsibility. The fact they have admitted liability is a good start. Try to get that in writing from them before telling them about costs, in case they back track.

I would use your home insurance legal cover to pursue this. I would also get the work undertaken asap to prevent further damage going forwards and then try to recoup the costs. Either way, you have to get the work done.

Furts

fezster wrote: »

I think the surveyor should have pointed this out - however, their reports usually have so many caveats, they may be able to get out of taking responsibility. The fact they have admitted liability is a good start. Try to get that in writing from them before telling them about costs, in case they back track.

I would use your home insurance legal cover to pursue this. I would also get the work undertaken asap to prevent further damage going forwards and then try to recoup the costs. Either way, you have to get the work done.

OP says they are not clued up on building works, and they have said about digging down one metre - which almost beggars belief. I will re-iterate my point. Until there is a firm professional verdict and then a solution to whatever occurred any knee jerk reaction work could be futile.

Doozergirl

Furts wrote: »

OP says they are not clued up on building works, and they have said about digging down one metre - which almost beggars belief. I will re-iterate my point. Until there is a firm professional verdict and then a solution to whatever occurred any knee jerk reaction work could be futile.

Agree.

It sounds like there is an ongoing damp problem and the flooding issue is being muddied by this.

The insurers will not be responsible for a lack of maintenance to the property but the flood may be a separate issue.

Do you have the original survey, OP? What kind was it?