Flat Management Company Not Providing Habitable Living Conditions For Mother

NeilCr

DiligentParsnip wrote: »

What i think doesn't matter much legally or gov regulations wise, the place is very much uninhabitable from my stand point. I would not live in it and would consider it bad for someones health due to mould spores.



Works are ongoing over the months/years so for example they've scraped off some mould where tanking and replastering was done. Then this mould/water mark came back, then they retanked and replastered again. - That is the inside of the outsides walls (damp issue number 1). The damp experts say this issue is from the roof yet roof wont be fixed until 2022.



Damp issue number 2 started with an internal leak about 1 year ago (dripping water from ceiling) which doesn't seem to be fully/resolved by the hired tradesmen and has caused new mould/damp. Walls for this have been replastered and new flooring has been put in for damp issue number 2. Mould has come back now so i hear for damp issue number 2 and the ceiling is wet to touch. If thats the case i need to plan ahead hence this topic.

In which case, get Environmental Health in, as has been suggested. Then you will have an "official" view that you can use.

ETA.

I really do have a lot of sympathy for your mum. I know how frustrating and difficult our case has been - from both sides. We wanted to fix it but we - and the MA- were reliant on the "experts". Hopefully, this time we have the right one.

I suspect the roof replacement will be part of rolling planned work which they have to raise funds for from the leaseholders. If they do it quicker you might find that there is a sudden invoice arriving.

I hope you get this sorted quickly

Doozergirl

You really do need environmental health if it's that bad.

Most damp proof treatments will not work unless the source of the water is found.

Where is the water dripping from the ceiling? Just from one spot? Or more than one?

I would hazard a guess that it is just one problem and the first hasn't been solved, just the tide held back for a bit.

Could it be issues around retrospectively installed cavity wall insulation?? I have have read about problems with it - particularly in coastal locations where the exposure to driving rain increases the chances of penetrating damp.

There's a thread on the forum somewhere.

DiligentParsnip

NeilCr wrote: »

I know how frustrating and difficult our case has been - from both sides. We wanted to fix it but we - and the MA- were reliant on the "experts". Hopefully, this time we have the right one.

Yeah everyone wants to not have the issue, there have been some efforts to fix things which make it tricky. Thanks for insights from your side.

DiligentParsnip

Doozergirl wrote: »

Most damp proof treatments will not work unless the source of the water is found.

oh really, yeah that makes sense, thought tanking would do it for he outside walls damp issue number 1.

Doozergirl wrote: »

I would hazard a guess that it is just one problem and the first hasn't been solved, just the tide held back for a bit.

Im wondering if possible, dont know.

Doozergirl wrote: »

Where is the water dripping from the ceiling? Just from one spot? Or more than one?
held

The ceiling leak started in more than one spot (1 year ago) it lasted a couple weeks dripping from about 3-4 spots near the middle ish of ceiling about 4 foot distance between drips - we had several buckets to catch drips. Tradesmen came in and we all thought they got this problem but now the ceiling is wet again (not dripping this time). Seems like the leak is back here but not as bad.

Doozergirl wrote: »

Could it be issues around retrospectively installed cavity wall insulation?? I have have read about problems with it - particularly in coastal locations where the exposure to driving rain increases the chances of penetrating damp.

So the walls are cavity 1960s-70s build but there is no insulation retro fitted. They looked into the walls with a camera recently and there is building rubble just in the walls chucked in there lol.

Doozergirl

The building rubble can also be a major problem. Insulation will exacerbate it.

They should take the rubble out.

It doesn't answer the problem of a dripping ceiling - which could be condensation too....

DiligentParsnip

Doozergirl wrote: »

The building rubble can also be a major problem. Insulation will exacerbate it.

They should take the rubble out.

It doesn't answer the problem of a dripping ceiling - which could be condensation too....

I heard some loose plans of 1 of the tradesman saying he wanted the rubble out before he finished the current tanking and replastering but i think hes been ordered to finish off current tanking/plastering regardless. So i will chase that rubble removal up.


Dripping ceiling i think is coming from flat above leak - or it did at first 1 year ago. Dont know what it is now. If its condensation now i dont know.



Im just going to get her out of there but i need 1 - 2 years so need the place semi habitable in that time

trex227

I know this won’t solve the cause of the issue but have you considered buying an electric dehumidifier? It would at least make the flat a better environment to live in.

A few years back my grandmother had some flooding into her cottage from surface water (old property so you step down). The water got from the kitchen onto the lounge carpet, an area about 10 feet by 10 feet and soaked it through. We ran a dehumidifier for several days and it did such a good job of drying the carpet it didn’t need replacing.

The amount of water a dehumidifier can pull out of the air is amazing and I’m sure more modern ones won’t be too energy hungry. Amazon have ones with good reviews for £120-£150

diggingdude

trex227 wrote: »

I know this won’t solve the cause of the issue but have you considered buying an electric dehumidifier? It would at least make the flat a better environment to live in.

A few years back my grandmother had some flooding into her cottage from surface water (old property so you step down). The water got from the kitchen onto the lounge carpet, an area about 10 feet by 10 feet and soaked it through. We ran a dehumidifier for several days and it did such a good job of drying the carpet it didn’t need replacing.

The amount of water a dehumidifier can pull out of the air is amazing and I’m sure more modern ones won’t be too energy hungry. Amazon have ones with good reviews for £120-£150

I noticed one in Aldi yesterday for £30. won't be the best but may be an affordable item to have a try

DiligentParsnip

Thanks for the advise, shes used one before, we can try this again i know they are very good. With a good dehumidifier we could probably cut the problems down, i stuck an industrial strength dehumidifier in there before a few years back when it was bad and think it sucked all the water out of the flat, her and the nearby sea. I dont think she liked it much so maybe get one thats not so intense.

ian103

we live by the coast and suffer with damp caused by humidiy, we have a nuaire system which makes a huge difference, if we turn it off in spring / autumn we get lots of condensation on the window, with it running at night only we get 2-3mm at the bottom of the window. Perhaps suggest a PIV system should be investigated