Bought a flat, very bad smell please help im struggling

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82088813#Comment_82088813

Might be worth getting in touch with building control as well. If smells are getting into the flat through the fabric of the building (not an open window) then as others have pointed out the same could happen with smoke or fire. Bin stores are one of the building 'compartments' that need special attention when it comes to fire safety in flats as you have an accumulation of rubbish and potential ignition sources.

If there's a report saying the fire/smoke stopping from the bin store to the habitable spaces is potentially defective then the management company/building owners are being somewhat reckless ignoring or dismissing this.

As per eddddy's post, it isn't clear whether the responsibility to fix the defect would be with the management company or your daughter, so she needs to be prepared to pay a bill if necessary.

A competent building or fire surveyor would be able to establish without doubt that there is a path via which smoke/smells can get from the bin store to your daughter's flat, and if so, the line to take with the management co is not about whether or not your daughter knew there was a bin store there, but rather that the building has a dangerous* defect which needs urgent attention.

[*I hesitated to put 'dangerous' because I don't want to add to your worries, but this is the way you need to frame it with the management company and (possibly) building control. Post-Grenfell there is a greater awareness among building professionals that ignoring the warning signs could result in professional/personal peril, and is more likely to get them to act than a 'seasonal' smell issue]

I'd suggest not attempting to block the holes under the bath on a DIY basis until the issue has been looked at by a professional - the more obvious the defect the better. Partially curing the problem might make it harder to justify forcing the management company to take action. And if the bin store is not properly fire-stopped then that needs to be addressed so any fire/smoke is contained in the bin store, not under the flat floorboards.

Grumpy_chap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82088446#Comment_82088446

Was the fire report / recommendation to have a Fire Stopping Survey available prior to purchase?

Was that part of the survey that was undertaken prior to purchasing the flat?

billiepiper14

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82088941#Comment_82088941

that was in the management pack with heaps and heaps of other info

billiepiper14

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82088941#Comment_82088941

ahh i see what you mean no it was the management company pack that was provided through solicitor.

I had my own survey and nothing extroidenary came up

Grumpy_chap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82088965#Comment_82088965

For clarity, you had that information prior to purchase?

You did not commission a Fire Stopping Survey prior to purchase?

billiepiper14

Yes we had that in a massive pack of papers. The management only took over in January and are saying it only relates to the electric box which they are addressing

billiepiper14

just to add we never bought a flat before there was an overwhelming amount of documentation given to us nearly 2 months down the buying process

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82089024#Comment_82089024

Do you know what the "electric box" does, and is it actually in the bin store, or elsewhere?

There are issues with combustible consumer units (which could be called an 'electic box'), there's also often issues with people doing (re)wiring making holes through partitions and not providing adequate firestopping.

I wonder whether the "electric box" issue isn't the same thing as the problem your daughter has, and there are two or more things that need looking into.

billiepiper14

hi Section 62 im not sure I don’t think electric box is in bin store though

billiepiper14

so things on the list for tomorrow

Reply to management company

conversation with fire service in the communityConversation with environment heath
Possibly Building control ?

Is there anything else we should be doing im overwhelmed with all your replies of help. Im still barely eating or sleeping so Thankyou so much