Advice on Survey which didn't pick up mould problems

SavingLouLou

Hi all, 
I am looking for some advice. I bought a leasehold flat a little over a year ago, and paid £600 odd for a survey - it was not the basic survey, nor the top end one you tend to have on bigger properties, but it was one in the middle-to give me some peace of mind. No issues of damp and mould were outlined on the survey but soon after moving in, I found lots in the kitchen behind the fridge/extractor fan and under the cupboards (which I've treated, removed and painted). It now looks like I'm going to need to take cupboards out and re-lay floor where it has got really bad - obviously from years of could and damp build up. I am installing a heater in the room, getting a building to fill in cracks, and I have kept the place dehumidified since moving in. 
My question is, is it worth me complaining to the surveyor this was not picked up, and asking for a financial contribution to the work I now have to under take, or at the least, another survey which looks at any damp/mould issues throughout the flat. I feel very disappointed this was never picked up.  I have been keeping a photo diary of the issues over the past year. 
Thanks for your thoughts, 
SavingLouLou

AdrianC

With everything in place, was this mould visible?

SavingLouLou

Not in the kitchen, unless you opened a cupboard door and could see the back. In the lounge, there were some black spots on a wall / in a top corner which I have removed, but I have the photos. 

Thrugelmir

What's causing the mold?  

AdrianC

SavingLouLou said:

Not in the kitchen, unless you opened a cupboard door and could see the back.

And would that cupboard have been full of the previous owner's stuff at the time of the survey?

SavingLouLou

Thrugelmir said:

What's causing the mold?  

Certainly the fact there was no radiator in the kitchen, and the extractor fan didn't work (now removed). I've now found holes / large cracks under the sink and lower cupboards which have been letting draughts in, which I need to get filled. And the under cupboard MDF floorboards are damp/mouldy which I now need to sort which must have been caused by the draughts (and perhaps condensation). In the lounge, it's an exterior wall that had the mould on - not sure the cause other than perhaps it's a cold wall and wasn't kept warm enough. 

SavingLouLou

AdrianC said:

SavingLouLou said:

Not in the kitchen, unless you opened a cupboard door and could see the back.

And would that cupboard have been full of the previous owner's stuff at the time of the survey?

yes it would have had their stuff in. 

AdrianC

SavingLouLou said:

AdrianC said:

SavingLouLou said:

Not in the kitchen, unless you opened a cupboard door and could see the back.

And would that cupboard have been full of the previous owner's stuff at the time of the survey?

yes it would have had their stuff in. 

So no way the surveyor could have seen it, then?

Surveyors don't move fridges and empty stuff out of cupboards.

SavingLouLou

AdrianC said:

SavingLouLou said:

AdrianC said:

SavingLouLou said:

Not in the kitchen, unless you opened a cupboard door and could see the back.

And would that cupboard have been full of the previous owner's stuff at the time of the survey?

yes it would have had their stuff in. 

So no way the surveyor could have seen it, then?

Surveyors don't move fridges and empty stuff out of cupboards.

In the lounge, there were some black spots on a wall / in a top corner. That was visible. 

AdrianC

SavingLouLou said:

AdrianC said:

SavingLouLou said:

AdrianC said:

SavingLouLou said:

Not in the kitchen, unless you opened a cupboard door and could see the back.

And would that cupboard have been full of the previous owner's stuff at the time of the survey?

yes it would have had their stuff in. 

So no way the surveyor could have seen it, then?

Surveyors don't move fridges and empty stuff out of cupboards.

In the lounge, there were some black spots on a wall / in a top corner. That was visible. 

Which you'd noticed on your viewing, right?

JGB1955

I think, basically, everyone is saying you have  NIL chance of any redress.  A cold room with no heater (you've admitted that yourself) is going to get damp unless there is sufficient air circulation.  We live in a 1980s house and noticed some mould in one of our (unused) bedroom ceilings.  Bit of bleach, open the window - job's done!