Caving floors after moving in

newton345

Hey guys looking for advice please.

FTB here, just completed on first house (like most paid over the asking price) after moving in Friday I noticed there was a significant slope in the spare bedroom. Pulled carpets up and it looks the the radiator has leaked on the floor boards. And the centre of the room is caving in.

I had a survey done which didn't pick anything up.

Also when I got the keys house was a mess, rubbish left and smell like dog wee. I did two viewings and the house looked (and smelled) in good condition.

I am panicking now I may have pay a lot of money out, is there any comeback on the seller as it also looks like he has recently wiped black mold away above the radiator (white smears in the paint).

user1977

Property only needs to be in the same condition it was in at exchange (when was that?) - so, do you think you can evidence that anything had changed since then? Would you have noticed the slope when you viewed? Would your surveyor?

GDB2222

newton345 said:

Hey guys looking for advice please.

FTB here, just completed on first house (like most paid over the asking price) after moving in Friday I noticed there was a significant slope in the spare bedroom. Pulled carpets up and it looks the the radiator has leaked on the floor boards. And the centre of the room is caving in.

I had a survey done which didn't pick anything up.

Also when I got the keys house was a mess, rubbish left and smell like dog wee. I did two viewings and the house looked (and smelled) in good condition.

I am panicking now I may have pay a lot of money out, is there any comeback on the seller as it also looks like he has recently wiped black mold away above the radiator (white smears in the paint).

What are the floorboards made of? Wooden planks, or chipboard?  

Are you saying there's a big sag in the joists? If so, it's possible the surveyor should have spotted that. 

Can you explain a bit more, because replacing a piece of soggy chipboard won't be expensive, but rebuilding the floor because of dry rot would be expensive. Maybe a couple of photos.

I'm afraid there's no chance of claiming against the seller. Maybe, against the surveyor, though.

andy444

The fact the house was left in a mess is immaterial. You rely on the vendor's goodwill for them to tidy up after themselves before they move out and unfortunately you just have to clear up after them.

Did your survey pick up anything in that room? Black mould wouldn't have just appeared so you could either have seen it in your viewings or your survey should have picked it up.

youth_leader

I'm sorry to read this, you don't have any comeback on the seller, it's buyer beware. Sorry the place was left in a mess, it is disappointing.

Is the floor wooden boards or chipboard?  What do you mean by the floor 'caving in'?

If it's gone mouldy, put a mask on and rubber gloves, pull the carpet and underlay right back and use a hard brush to sweep up any surface mould, then use a solution of white vinegar (Wilkos or hardware shops), and wash the mould off.  White vinegar kills some forms of mould, not all.  If the area is just by the radiator and it is an obvious leak, you can get a plumber in to fix it.  

If the wet/mould extends a lot further than a leaking radiator would, you need to get an independent damp/timber specialist in to investigate. 

My RCIS L3 survey didn't pick up on my floor problems either, but surveyors cannot lift carpets or move furniture. 

macman

Surveyors do not lift carpets, or dismantle anything. You would have been as capable as him at noticing a 'floor caving in'.
The other issues you mention are trivial and to be expected in a 'used' property. It's not like a rental.

Mr.Generous

I wonder if it was a survey or a homebuyer / valuation report.

aoleks

Can you post a few pictures? It’s didficult to assess what you mean by a “caving” floor. If it really is caving, there should be visible signs on the ceiling directly under the affected bedroom, I can’t imagine the surveyor not picking that up.

user1977

Mr.Generous said:

I wonder if it was a survey or a homebuyer / valuation report.

I'd expect any level of inspection to make mention of a significantly wonky floor.

deannagone

You may find the dog wee odour disappears when you take the carpets up.  I have found washing floorboards/carpets/flooring several times with a biological washing liquid solution (maybe with white vinegar in as well) helps remove dog wee odours (google how to remove dog wee odours).  But it sounds like you need to inspect your floors thoroughly before doing that as obviously you are introducing water to a property that may have already had problems with water ingress of some kind.

To assess level of 'sag' in floor, use a long straight edge ruler or particularly helpful a level like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-54467-Alloy-Spirit-Level/dp/B006A7DJ7I/ref=sr_1_14?crid=1FOKE4STSC0F9&keywords=wilko+spirit+level&qid=1661856690&sprefix=wilko+level%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-14 - seems to be about the cheapest.  Others might have better suggestions though.

pinkteapot

The most urgent thing you should be doing is establishing whether that radiator is still leaking, and getting it fixed if so. If it's an active leak and you opted for Home Emergency cover on your house insurance then they'll come out and may fix it for you.