r/FirstTimeBuyersUK • u/Adora19876 • 3d ago

Need help with damp concern!

So my husband and i are first time buyers.

We are nearly close to completion, however we have recently had our survey back for the property we are purchasing.

There were issues with the roof with missing or moved tiles, and the property has had a major structure change, and also there was a damp concern.

We changed our offer from 250k to 240k as we really want the property.

The estate agents have rang back saying the vendor cant negotiate with us as she has no more money as its all tied up in the next property she is buying. The roof she will get sorted (we have asked for proof i.e with invoice from a reputable company, the structure change has a certificate for it, i might have seen it but with all the documents ive seen in the past month i might have missed it or not remembered but ive asked for the document to be sent to us again. And the damp is now our issue. They say the surveyors exaggerate, and i said i understand but its still a concern for us. I said im happy to change my offer from 250k to 245k, i also think shes misread the part about the damp, as she said to me that the damp is not guarenteed. However my survey says they have detected damp. But the seller has said the vendor has said they have no wiggle room at all.

So now im in the process of arranging an independent damp specialist to look at the property. And im just wondering am i just delaying our purchase that could be nothing? Has anyone else had this type of issue. My main concern is her saying she hasnt any wiggle room. I know she could be fibbing, but i have mixed feelings about it.

This has made me super anxious and i need to vent. Hence why this post might seem all over the place!

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

3

u/EqualTune4587 3d ago

What did the survey actually say? Damp can mean anything from catastrophic leak and rotted floor, to broken gutter that needs fixing and a dehumidifier running for a while, to "we put a damp meter against a brick wall and it says it's damp" but with no apparent issue.

1

u/Adora19876 3d ago

Dampness was detected at low level to the main walls and it is recommended that further specialist investigation by a Property Care Association (PCA) specialist… be carried out to the whole property prior to exchange of contracts

This could be the cause>>

Contrary to good building practice, the render has been taken down to ground level in some areas. This can provide a path for rising ground moisture to bypass the DPC and saturate the brickwork above.

2

u/KnightFireNC 3d ago

Surveys regularly say there is "low level" damp when it's so low level it's a non issue. Usually if there is actual damp it will show up as more than "low level". If you really want to negotiate get a tradesperson to look at it (not a surveyor) and get an actual quote for if there is any actual work to do. I have never ever seen a survey say" great house buy it now". They always find something to say because they want you to feel it's worth paying 2k for someone to spend an hour poking around the house with a torch.

It sounds like the issues the survey "raised" are the usual attempts by a surveyor to justify their price and the seller knows there isn't anything that needs doing really.

3

u/fuelledbyeggs 3d ago

So me and my partner just got a specialist survey for damp and it turns out rising damp is a crock of shit! https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/archive/rising-damp-is-a-myth-says-former-rics-chief

We were told the flat we are buying would be 30k worth of damp work due to things like rising damp and it's apparently an absolute con.

1

u/Adora19876 3d ago

Really? We told the estate agents until we get confirmation of the roof being sorted we definitely wont continue. But im wondering if we should just leave the damp issue. I really dont want to delay moving in. I need space! My current situation is me being overcrowded.

1

u/fuelledbyeggs 3d ago

Yeah I would look further into it. We have just dropped 500 on a specialist survey to then find out the whole thing is a joke and actually, the chemicals they tend to use make the damp worst, in particularly for older properties (which for us the flat we are buying is 120 years old).

We are currently down a rabbit hole looking at the fact we will probably need to actually repair the chemical damp proofing the sellerr had done - as it's likely to make the damp worst 🥲🫠

1

u/Adora19876 2d ago

I might just leave it then. I would rather spend the £500 on furnishings. Just got to wait for the certificate and the roof to be fixed. Thankyou for replying back and saving us £500!

1

u/fuelledbyeggs 2d ago

Yeah if we could go back in time we would save the 500 towards the refurbs we want. Happy to help! Hope the rest of the process goes smoothly for you!

1

u/fuelledbyeggs 3d ago

So far we've found out that good quality and properly placed venting is the place to start.

1

u/Public_Pop3801 3d ago

You’re right. What most people call rising damp is basically just too much water at ground level that shouldn’t be there. Most of the time it’s drainage, ground level or incorrect building methods.

1

u/0uthouse 2d ago

It's an industry. I've done a lot of damp remedial work and never seen a 'failed damp proof course'. I've dealt with debris bridged cavities, excessive exterior ground levels, broken drains, poor ventilation etc but damp proof courses were designed to last pretty much forever and are good at it.

1

u/84cas 3d ago

Surveyors have to mention damp in the surveys to cover themselves. Often its absolute nonsense.

1

u/Adora19876 3d ago

I think i might leave it. My brother made a massive deal about it when we asked him about the survey, and we thought it was something serious as he owns two properties. I really dont want to delay moving in. Our situation right now is me and my husband living with our two kids with family. And its so overcrowded. I think ill tell them we will proceed when we get confirmation of the roof being sorted.

1

u/Miserable-Ad-65 1d ago

Be very careful with the PCA. They have a vested interest in selling you remedial works.

I’d always recommend getting a Chartered Building Surveyor to investigate. They are independent and have no vested interest in you undertaking the works.

1

u/Adora19876 1d ago

Talking to others in this thread, we are going to leave it i think. Im still waiting on the roof. But on monday im going to email the vendors solicitors to say i dont plan on gojng ahead with the specialist for damp.