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home damage advice

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Danp321
Danp321 Posts: 1 Newbie
in House buying, renting & selling
Hello, I was wondering if anyone could give me some quick advice, me and my partner moved in to an old property in October 2018 where after 4 months we had found that water was escaping all round the bathroom and the ceiling collapsed and know we need a new bath room and ceiling as well as recently discovering that there’s a problem with the roof and now water is coming in to the bedroom just wondering could there be any responsibility with the previous owner as nothing was picked up when we bought it ?
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 4,176 Forumite
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    Danp321 wrote: »
    Hello, I was wondering if anyone could give me some quick advice, me and my partner moved in to an old property in October 2018 where after 4 months we had found that water was escaping all round the bathroom and the ceiling collapsed and know we need a new bath room and ceiling as well as recently discovering that there’s a problem with the roof and now water is coming in to the bedroom just wondering could there be any responsibility with the previous owner as nothing was picked up when we bought it ?

    What did your survey say about the roof?
  • Darkslider
    Darkslider Posts: 95 Forumite
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    You might have an avenue with the surveyor but our (RICS Homebuyers) survey came with several pages of terms and conditions that basically said: we're only human and we might miss things or not be able to see absolutely everything, so it's still up to you to make sure you're happy with the condition of the property on purchase and any problems with it are yours to deal with.

    I'd be surprised if you haven't got similar but it's worth investigating.
  • BoGoF
    BoGoF Posts: 7,099 Forumite
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    Seeing as it's an 'old property' you did pay for your own independant survey?
  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596 Forumite
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    Given how significant the problems appear, it would seem odd for them to go undetected for 4 months. Certainly no hope of a claim against the seller anyway, potentially against the surveyor (if there was a survey...) if they failed to pick up on something which they ought to have.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
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    davidmcn wrote: »
    Given how significant the problems appear, it would seem odd for them to go undetected for 4 months.
    4mo for the bathroom leak - but 15mo for the roof leaks...
  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596 Forumite
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    AdrianC wrote: »
    4mo for the bathroom leak - but 15mo for the roof leaks...
    Oh yes. Still can't get used to this new-fangled year...even less hope for the OP then if they want to persuade anybody that this was a pre-existing problem.
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
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    Danp321 wrote: »
    just wondering could there be any responsibility with the previous owner as nothing was picked up when we bought it ?


    I can't understand how someone who last owned the property over a year ago can have any responsibility for its condition now.
  • cattie
    cattie Posts: 8,841 Forumite
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    You can't blame problems on previous owners if these leaks have only been discovered & you having already owned the property for this length of time. When buying the house if there had been existing water problems for a reasonable length of time there would have been damp marks showing in the bedroom where water was coming in & also on the ceiling of the room below the bathroom.

    Older properties do require regular maintenance & after heavy rain the rooms below the roof should be checked for any water inlet. This is something I did religiously to satisfy myself that there were no roof problems.
    The bigger the bargain, the better I feel.

    I should mention that there's only one of me, don't confuse me with others of the same name.
  • ess0two
    ess0two Posts: 3,606 Forumite
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    Davesnave wrote: »
    I can't understand how someone who last owned the property over a year ago can have any responsibility for its condition now.


    Its like this for anything you sell now,people seem to think they get a lifetime warranty,its a minefield.
    Official MR B fan club,dont go............................
  • Puflet
    Puflet Posts: 58 Forumite
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    Sadly, after all this time, the property's condition is nobody's responsibility but your own.

    Presumably there weren't water stains when the property was initially inspected, so the problems with the bathroom plumbing and roof seem to have developed since. Previous owners can't be held liable for repairs which happen after they move on.

    However, have you checked your buildings insurance policy to see if they would be able to help? You wouldn't be covered for the roof leak ('wear and tear'), but you might well be able to claim the costs of redecorating and making good the damage caused by the roof leak .

    You don't say how old your house is, but I know from personal experience that old houses, though they may be charming and full of character, do take a lot of maintenance. I once told my next door neighbour that it felt as though I was living permanently in a house 'under construction' - and he responded that it was 'one of the joys of owning a cottage'!

    Good luck with all this!
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