Damp Problem

jodie_leigh_2

My survey has just been done and they found damp!. We noticed this on the second viewing after making an offer!. I have a damp specialist going out as my mortgage provider is asking for the report!. The woman i am buying the house from has just rang her estate agent to tell them she has damp guarantee for 25 years apparently they had damp in 2008. The woman i am buying the property from is selling it due to her mum passing away so she doesn't know anything about the past damp!. My estate agent asked if she could ring them up to try and sort the damp out with the guarantee but she isn't willing to. Does anyone know anything about damp guarantee and if i might be able to use it once i move in?. She is willing to provide me with the paper work

Surrey_EA

First thing to check is whether the company that carried out the work and issued the guarantee in 2008 is still trading. Is it not unheard of for firms to cease to exist and this could make any guarantee worthless. Ask your solicitor to request the relevant paperwork from the vendor's solicitor.

If the company is still around and the guarantee is valid, make sure the guarantee is transferable to a new owner.

Secondly, you need to establish what is causing the damp in this particular case. Damp is fairly straightforward and relatively inexpensive to treat. It could be some flashing around a chimney, it could be that the ground level outside is too high, it could be a leaking pipe. But somewhere there will be a cause, and before worrying about re-plastering/decorating etc the cause must be identified and dealt with.

jodie_leigh_2

I've spoken to the estate agent the company is still trading, I've asked for the paper work to be sent over to me so i can look at it. If it's any good i will provide my mortgage provider with the details and also request my solicitor asks for the details as well.
The damp is in the hallway at the side of the outside door, i spoke to a few people who seem to think it might be condensation, When we went the wallpaper was wet it wasn't a massive amount but you could see it.

kingstreet

Original thread on this subject;-

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5618222

kingstreet

jodie_leigh wrote: »

I've spoken to the estate agent the company is still trading, I've asked for the paper work to be sent over to me so i can look at it. If it's any good i will provide my mortgage provider with the details and also request my solicitor asks for the details as well.
The damp is in the hallway at the side of the outside door, i spoke to a few people who seem to think it might be condensation, When we went the wallpaper was wet it wasn't a massive amount but you could see it.

A mortgage lender will only accept a thirty year insurance-backed guarantee regardless of the contractor involved.

Don't stop your inspection.

jodie_leigh_2

thanks for your response, unfortunately they have sent me the guarantee but it's for cavity walls

jodie_leigh_2

excuse me?. I'm sorry i'm not on the internet 24/7!. I've been busy and now responded not that it's any of your business!

Hoploz

If the damp is next to the door on an outside wall then it's most likely caused either by a poorly fitted door or something else external such as ropy guttering. It's worth going to have a good look to see whether you can use some logic to come to your own conclusion? You might spot, for example, that there's a downpipe missing or something. Easy fix.

Did the survey state where the damp is? If it's only in that one spot then I'd say it's unlikely to be to do with a damp course.

Good idea to do your own investigation on the damp company guarantee. The EA doesn't know, and will just report what somebody has told them without checking.

G_M

1) where exactly is the damp?
2) what is causing it?
3) guarantee useless with insurance backing 0 company could fold tomorrow
4) guarantee could be for different damp - eg somewhere else

Ignore the guarantee and decide if

a) you are willing to investigate the cause/cost
b) you are willing to pay to sort it out after purchase, or
c) you want to negotiate the purchase price - and by how much, or
d) you just want to walk away

And stick to one thread here - people get annoyed by multiple threads even if the questions seem different - the background and history in one thread can help in understanding and hence answering

And if people include a question in their responses to you, answer them. Someone has taken the trouble to think about your issue - you should take the trouble to reply.

:kisses3: