What level of damp and timber survey do you need for a lender?

kapolar

We have been asked to do a damp and timber survey on the property we are buying due to some damp. The house will be renovated and we were aware of the issues when buying it.

A family member is a damp surveyor who conducted a survey for us and found some maintenance issues with the bay window, as well as the outside ground level being raised and too high.

Unfortunately our mortgage lender never specified that we needed the surveyor to be PCA accredited which he wasn't. Waste of time for everyone as they ended up rejecting the survey.

Whilst we hear back from our broker, we are considering just biting the bullet and booking in a PCA survey. He said we may need to if no one will accept the survey we have had done which is ridiculous.

I've seen this company online and they do a 'snapshot' survey but I am unsure whether this would be acceptable to the lender or if the survey needs to be more in depth? Apparently it is a 60 minute non invasive survey.

This has been such a faff and is driving me up the wall! It's paused the whole sale for now.

youth_leader

Sorry you are going through this, it is good you have had a 'pre survey' with your family member.

My buyer's lender wanted a damp/timber survey, we had a listed building and the damp was very visible in the converted waiting rooms. ( I now know it was because non breathable paint was used, and the floor the other side of the sandstone wall was raised.)

The EA told me to contact Peter Cox, a PCA accredited company. Like you my £300 was wasted as I hadn't been told to lift the floorboards and he couldn't inspect the subfloor. The lender also criticised the 'sales aspect' of the report as my building was heritage. We had victorian floorboards and I was nervous of breaking them, our nearest salvage yard was 40 odd miles away, I couldn't lift them.

PS My husband had died which is why I was selling. I had a L3 on this bungalow and it didn't pick up the wet/dry rot and woodworm in the bay window. Every floor was rotten because of excessive condensation and a high water table. Your seller might refuse but the carpet in that bay window needs to come up.

Tracet74

A lender will typically only accept a report from a PCA regulated damp and timber company.

kapolar

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81863705#Comment_81863705

Yes but I am unsure which level of survey is needed. They offer three levels 'snapshot', or comprehensive. Bit ridiculous as they will only highlight the things that have already been highlighted in the original report.

kapolar

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81862963#Comment_81862963

Sorry to hear about your husband. Sounds like a stressful experience selling!

The sub floor has already been inspected which was in the original report and were all okay. They are an independent damp surveyor and do a full report. I don't really want to get a PCA survey to be sold damp proofing but will have to if required.

I doubt the sellers will lift a floorboard but one was lifted last week for the damp survey so that should be fine

Tracet74

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81863826#Comment_81863826

The RICS offer 3 levels of report but you need a report from a damp and timber specialist who is PCA regulated:

https://www.property-care.org/find-a-specialist/contractor/