Surveyor missed a large hole in the roof

Dhind91840

We have loved in our property for 5 weeks, it is a mid terrace with a few extensions. We have discovered there is a large hole in the roof tiling.

We have a small room that always smelt a little hacky but thought it was because it was never used, ends up the beams in it are completely rotted, under the floor was damp and water has an access way in.

We have had 3 days of straight rain, we got a damp ceiling, discovered the small room was not pooling under the floorboard (literal pools) and now our bedroom ceiling has come through so we have about a 10cmx5cm hole in our bedroom ceiling!

Any advice on what to do? Should our surveyor have seen this hole? It looks like the previous owner has tried to sort it very very cheaply so they were definitely aware of it.

Caz3121

what type of survey did you purchase and what does it note about the roof?

anselld

What type of survey did you have?
What did it say about the roof?
Was the original hole visible from the ground or from inside the loft?

First priority is to get the tiles fixed and stop more water getting in.

Dhind91840

Our surveyor with through Lloyd's bank, we used the no hassle mortgage where they supply everything. No the hole is visible from the flat roof, it's a 3 floor house so it's all quite high.

We are sorted temporarily on the hole front my other half has patched it up and it's stopped but we just don't know whether it's a home insurance job or if there is another route.

We've been here 5 weeks and already need a roofer, a plasterer to sort the hole and probably an electrician as it's damaged the light

AnotherJoe

Use all the pages on the survey report that have caveats, to paste over the hole.

Thats the best use you'll get from that.

Dhind91840

Dead end then? ��

AnotherJoe

Thats my experience of surveys, more caveats than substance, you are more likely to have a Rodney Trotter guarantee pay out.

Carrot007

Survery will be especially useless since it will be LLoyd's survey they let you have a copy of rather than your own. (so no responsibility to you, not that they would be any if it could not be seen).



Insurance may not pay out either saying bad maintainance.


Sounds like your only option is prooving that the previous owners hid it as let's face it they knew. However that will also get nowhere.


Fix it, move on.

hazyjo

You probably just had a valuation and not even a survey (going by this: https://www.lloydsbank.com/mortgages/landing-pages/hasslefree.asp).


Unless you knowingly upgraded the valuation to a homebuyer's or building survey?


Sometimes they don't even visit the property for a valuation, but use comparable evidence and/or a drive-by.

martindow

Dhind91840 wrote: »

the hole is visible from the flat roof, it's a 3 floor house so it's all quite high.

Surveyors are not likely to clamber up onto a flat roof and living there for five weeks you didn't notice the hole. It doesn't sound as if it is very obvious even for a diligent surveyor.

davidmcn

anselld wrote: »

What type of survey did you have?
What did it say about the roof?

And how wet was it when the survey was done? (this is why surveys include a weather report!)