FTB mortgage retention and damp issues - help!

weebles93

Thanks so much everyone. We're starting to think that the vendors know all of this and are just trying to push it through without us knowing what the actual problem is.

We'll see what this damp report says and figure out what our options are. Our issue is that whatever this report says will be what we need to do to get the bank to release the mortgage. Our best option would be to push the price down so that we can get the issue sorted once we've moved in, with no pressure from the bank to have it fixed in the way that rentokil advise.

I'll update when we've got the report.

FreeBear

weebles93 wrote: »

Our best option would be to push the price down so that we can get the issue sorted once we've moved in

If the floor has indeed been replaced with concrete and has got a history of "PCA approved" damp treatments, looking for another property may be a better option. Ripping out the concrete and reinstating a suspended timber floor is going to be both messy and expensive. Removing any waterproof render/plaster on the walls, also expensive.

weebles93

Okay I have updates.

The solid floor is only in the front living room - the dining room and kitchen still have their suspended timber floors. (EDIT - I read the report wrong, there is a solid concrete floor throughout the ground floor)

Rentokil have advised that there is rising damp on the ground and have recommended a damp proof course and plastering which totals around £5000.

I know Rentokil will overestimate costs, but our survey HAD to be PCA approved for the bank to accept it in order to remove the retention. Now I'm presuming that the retention will go up to £5k as the quote is higher than £2k.

Thoughts, anybody? I'm starting to think another property is the way to go, which I'm really sad about

FreeBear

weebles93 wrote: »

Rentokil have advised that there is rising damp on the ground and have recommended a damp proof course and plastering which totals around £5000.

Well, seeing as Rentokill are in the business of selling these treatments, they will recommend what they sell. Same for any other "surveyor" connected to a damp treatment company. The only way of getting a remotely fair assessment is to find an independent surveyor who is not linked to a company selling this doe of thing and isn't a PCA member. Don't forget, the PCA is the trade body representing the damp proof & timber treatment industry, so any PCA member has a vested interest in diagnosing & recommending expensive solutions.

That said, a concrete floor in a Victorian property is going to need some expensive work to put things right - Injected DPC and waterproof plaster just masks the problem for a few years.

weebles93

This is the thing, nationwide said that the surveyor had to be a PCA member, so there's no getting around it.

The vendors have offered 2k off. Not sure what we should do from here!