Mould in a flat

snowqueen555

WIAWSNB said:

I can't line up that floor plan with any property shown. Which one is 'yours'?
Anyhoo, I repeat - almost certainly this was down to poor lifestyle - folk who thought they had to keep windows tightly shut in order to keep warm. Or who dried their washing indoors to save leccy.
Nothing to suggest a 'leak' or water penetration that I can see. In the extremely unlikely event that the roof has issues, this is a Freeholder problem, and all flats will need to contribute. But there's now't to suggest the roof.
Express your deep concerns about damp issues and death-by-mould, and start with a low offer...
Is what I would do :-)

In the 6th picture I think it's on the ground to the left.

I think I'll visit again and check things out again, I'd only put in a low offer due to the uncertainty.

snowqueen555

Eldi_Dos said:

snowqueen555 said:

Eldi_Dos said:

@snowqueen555
Go back to the property and check the state of the roof, any tiles missing or slipped flashing, if all in place and in good order.Then check gutters and downpipes,gutters clear and in good order, if you can give the downpipes a few raps with knuckles or head of a screwdriver to see if they sound hollow or if blocked there may be water in them.
Then have a good look at ground near walls, any sign of moisture or mould growth in that area.

If all these checks are clear I would agree it could be lifestyle of previous occupants that have caused the problems.

I wish I did this the first two times I went over there. I made a post elsewhere and most people there are saying not to purchase, so I am a bit conflicted.

Nice looking property but it is good to be cautious.Looking at the link the property appears to be lower than the parking and grassy area which is something to consider.

Go back and have a look and do more checks, I would pay attention to path area round the property see if you think it is area that could be damp in wet weather.

You could even take photos of where wall meets ground and post them on here,there will be posters with experience of the construction and able to advise.

I think you might be right, didn't consider it but it might be a little lower than the road, which isn't good.

Eldi_Dos

snowqueen555 said:

Eldi_Dos said:

snowqueen555 said:

Eldi_Dos said:

@snowqueen555
Go back to the property and check the state of the roof, any tiles missing or slipped flashing, if all in place and in good order.Then check gutters and downpipes,gutters clear and in good order, if you can give the downpipes a few raps with knuckles or head of a screwdriver to see if they sound hollow or if blocked there may be water in them.
Then have a good look at ground near walls, any sign of moisture or mould growth in that area.

If all these checks are clear I would agree it could be lifestyle of previous occupants that have caused the problems.

I wish I did this the first two times I went over there. I made a post elsewhere and most people there are saying not to purchase, so I am a bit conflicted.

Nice looking property but it is good to be cautious.Looking at the link the property appears to be lower than the parking and grassy area which is something to consider.

Go back and have a look and do more checks, I would pay attention to path area round the property see if you think it is area that could be damp in wet weather.

You could even take photos of where wall meets ground and post them on here,there will be posters with experience of the construction and able to advise.

I think you might be right, didn't consider it but it might be a little lower than the road, which isn't good.

In picture 8 of 16 is that black mould on the bottom of wardrobe door, nearest wall with window in it?

ComicGeek

Eldi_Dos said:

snowqueen555 said:

Eldi_Dos said:

snowqueen555 said:

Eldi_Dos said:

@snowqueen555
Go back to the property and check the state of the roof, any tiles missing or slipped flashing, if all in place and in good order.Then check gutters and downpipes,gutters clear and in good order, if you can give the downpipes a few raps with knuckles or head of a screwdriver to see if they sound hollow or if blocked there may be water in them.
Then have a good look at ground near walls, any sign of moisture or mould growth in that area.

If all these checks are clear I would agree it could be lifestyle of previous occupants that have caused the problems.

I wish I did this the first two times I went over there. I made a post elsewhere and most people there are saying not to purchase, so I am a bit conflicted.

Nice looking property but it is good to be cautious.Looking at the link the property appears to be lower than the parking and grassy area which is something to consider.

Go back and have a look and do more checks, I would pay attention to path area round the property see if you think it is area that could be damp in wet weather.

You could even take photos of where wall meets ground and post them on here,there will be posters with experience of the construction and able to advise.

I think you might be right, didn't consider it but it might be a little lower than the road, which isn't good.

In picture 8 of 16 is that black mould on the bottom of wardrobe door, nearest wall with window in it?

That's the picture that caught my eye. That's a lot of mould, and particularly above the skirting board, seems too much for general condensation. Mould due to condensation tends to be at a higher level (or behind wardrobes etc) rather than above skirting. Mould due to external water penetration tends to be more localised.

Heating pipework running within the floor, my first thought was possibly small leak from a buried heating pipe. That tends to affect low level behind skirting mainly, but also increases general humidity levels in the room resulting in more widespread surface condensation. 

Kitchen cupboards in the corner by the boiler also seem affected by some damp, with poor fitting doors and kickplates all warped.

I would be checking the boiler pressure, but there's definitely something not right there.

Eldi_Dos

@ComicGeek
Good call about heating pipework, could be 20 years in concrete, so as you say well worth getting checked.
The kitchen is at the other side and end from bedroom looking at floorplan,yet another red flag.

snowqueen555

Eldi_Dos said:.

In picture 8 of 16 is that black mould on the bottom of wardrobe door, nearest wall with window in it?

https://imgur.com/a/oqaQvwz

Good spot. Looks like even the wardrobe is black from whatever is going on there 😞

twopenny

It's worth being thorough. I got excited about a property that fitted my needs perfectly at a very reasonable price.
Talking to a neighbour there, as I do, turns out it's a reasonable price because most of the internal floor and a bit deeper needs taking up and redoing 😵‍💫

Ectophile

While you're visiting, have a look around the outside of the building.  Look for anything that might be bridging the damp proof course on the wall.

It's very easy to do if adding patios, decking, etc. that's above the existing ground level.

WIAWSNB

The mould is far more extensive than I first thought (I'd originally only looked at the first pic in the link...)

It could still be simply down to 'poor lifestyle' - folk under financial pressure who cut off all ventilation, and dried their clothes on racks indoors, and this is still my main suspect; the mould just seems to be pretty much everywhere, so surely cannot be from a single, water-penetration source?  

Are any of the worst-affected walls - especially the corners - shared with other properties? Even if not, what I would do, following the next viewing, is bid the EA farewell, and then knock on your potential new neighbour's door. Explain that you are an interested buyer, but have concerns about the amount of mould inside. Ask if they have such issues. Gently ask if they can think of any reason their previous neighbour will have done so. There is a very good chance you'll get a useful reply.

If you come across as a nice, decent person, these folk are going to want you to live next door, so I'd expect them to be helpful.

Other things to consider - tho' you'd need to have this confirmed in your deeds; anything that affects the exterior fabric of the building - roof, ext walls, etc - will almost certainly be a Freeholder issue to resolve. That means the cost of any such repair should be shared between all the Leasehold properties, as it's part of the shared fabric, and ultimately serves all the homes.