Tank Leak after offer- Serious damage-EA wants to wait until plasterboard has dried out to paint.

T_J_A_8691

Good evening,

We have offered on a property in need of some TLC but nothing major,House is currently empty-Tenants have already moved out.

Tank has Leaked - EA says this has been repaired although the water is turned off at the mains so no way of telling unless the whole system is re-filled.

Issues are : the leak was serious  in my opinion and more importantly that of the surveyor whos has stated that the plasterboard needs to come down - Timber left to dry and all re plastered /decorated.

This is no small job, it effects the Hallway wall and ceiling /landing ceiling at the bottom of the stairs  plus the downstairs WC.Not sure how the carpet is at the moment.

The floor underneath the tank needs replacing as it is still soaked. ( tank needs to come out for that)

Skirting has warped and so has the cupboard threshold where the tank sits.  

Black Mold is all over the plasterboard in various locations.

EA insists they will re decorate but might not be until after we have exchanged.

He is insisting that they are waiting for it all to dry out to redecorate rather than look to replace the plasterboard etc.

The meter readings for moisture in these walls is 70% and thats 4 weeks after the leak.

We are due to be exchanging in the next couple of weeks.

What would be the best way to tackle this? I have rang 2/3 times to voice my concerns but have been told its under control and they will wait until it all drys, they will decorate and cut the grass!

Not sure what to do now, its more in the £1000s rather than hundreds price bracket to sort properly.

Thanks

anselld

Plasterboard does not "dry out".  It goes into a soggy mush and never recovers.

I would suggest that you are not "due to exchange".  You wait until adequate repairs are done before you decide to exchange.  Tell them you are not willing to exchange until your surveyor is satisfied.

Why is it not insured?

AdrianC

Ain't no way I'd be exchanging on it in that condition - I presume you're looking to move in immediately?

That doesn't mean it can all be hurried up, though. So... wait or walk? Ball is in your court.

Irishpearce26

So i can share some experience here. The shower above our living room has been leaking (probably a trickle) however this has caused staining and the Artex plaster (non asbestos) has started to peel off. Thankfully we agreed a reduction when we bought the house from a developer (part exchange house). However i know that we will board over the old ceiling and skim, its less messy than removing the old plaster and adds noise reduction from the TV for the bedroom upstairs but also acts as a further barrier if the shower leaks again (unlikely as we are refurbing the bathroom).

Plasterboard when wet will dry out but it will shrink and crack and crumble. When water leaks onto the plaster it may take chemicals etc from the tank which stain the paint, painting over it wont make the stain disappear just cover it for a short time. If I were you get some quotes on what needs done and ask for a retention on completion so that you can get work carried out when you exchange that way you are in control of the quality.

peterhjohnson

I feel it's generally a mistake to get a seller to fix defects. They have no incentive to do the job well. Consider getting a price for fixing it properly and change your offer to reflect this. The seller may not agree. You might prefer to walk away.

hazyjo

When I had a similar problem, they had to use to industrial style dehumidifiers to try to resolve the water damage, and the skirting board and doorframe below cracked like gunshots every time the weather was hot.

Was a pretty big insurance job.

babyblade41

Impossible to exchange at present... this would be an insurance job so proper quotes need to be in place ... 

Plasterboard , skirtings etc will need to be replaced . 

Falafels

I'd start looking for another property. If you don't find one in the time it takes to do the repairs, and the repairs are done properly, then by all means continue. (I'm hoping you don't have a related sale!)

Don't even think of exchanging whilst these works are outstanding.

I had a roof leak in a property I hoped to put on the market. It had also led to a crack and staining on the ceiling of the room below; I got the leak fixed and all the making good finished before I even contacted an estate agent. 

deannagone

Its not quite the same but when my ex had smoke damage in a property and the place needed reboarding it took 6 months to get it done under insurance.  The builders kept having to ask for permission from the insurance if the slightest change was made to the list of things that needed doing.  When you think how long it takes to build houses from nothing, I was surprised how long it took.

Bear that in mind when making a decision, particularly as the EA (not the owner) is telling you some kind of slapdash job is all that needs to be done.  Behaviour tends to be consistent.., everything will be done with the same attitude, not just the plaster walls.

Justonemorecupoftea

Can you get a retention put on the property at exchange? E.g. if the issue isn't fixed you'll be holding back £x (an agreed quote for repair) from the sale?

saajan_12

You're agreeing to buy the property in the condition it is at exchange. Chasing after the fact and arguing the quality of the work will be difficult. Either 
* wait for them to do the work > visit / survey to check you're happy with it > then exchange; or
* assess the cost > deduct that much from the purchase price, check if mortgage needs redoing etc > exchange > do the work yourself