Damp high on landing

[Richard Copp]

Good afternoon. I have stumbled across this very helpful site looking for advice.
I live in a terrace house with neighbours each side. Only one house is occupied, the other has been empty with no attention for about 4 years now. I looked up high on my landing above the stairs about 5 months ago and noticed this....

This is next to next doors chimney which is an empty property and has been empty for 4 years or so.
I feel it may be damp from constant drying of clothes on radiators and a busy house of 3 people and 4 cats. There is no vents in this area. Many of the windows are left on catch to keep air flowing through out.
If I'm wrong and this is coming from a chimney next door then I may need to get a solicitor involved as this may become tricky. This is the only room in the house where this is visible. The view of the chimney through the attic is dry along with all other rooms that lie along the wall.

I contacted the owner and he capped the chimneys of the home about 3 months ago

This photo was taken in MARCH 2016.

the finish seems to have bubbled in patches.

What do you think this could be?

 

[vinn]

Most people who "cap" chimney stacks do themselves a disservice - flues need ventilation at top & bottom.
Sometimes the flaunching and pots/terminals need remedial work or the lead flashing needs attention to prevent moisture entering the stack & chimney breast.

However, its sometimes the case that sooty chemicals in an unswept flue can leach through to next door - so its not capping but maybe sweeping that the neighbour's flue(s) need.
What about any flues that you might have - have they been swept?

Almost anything on a party wall comes under the party wall act (PWA) - search in the planning and regs forum or the building forum.

 

[Richard Copp]

Thanks for your help. The thing that makes all this tricky is that this wall is on next doors chimney. The house has been empty for 4 years now and the owner does nothing to it. Its a total disgrace and is in need of care and attention.
I have some people coming to look at my landing and roof this week to rule out anything that I maybe able to repair.

 

[^woody^]

Most likely moisture leaching from the flue. But check your own chimney flashing as that ceiling looks damp too

If it is the flue, and you wanted to force a repair, then you could get the council's environmental protection team in, and claim a statutory nuisance against the neighbour, and the council will deal with it under their powers.

Otherwise, you would need to hack off the plaster about 1m in each direction and seal the wall with aliquid sealer and then replaster. That textured coating may contain asbestos though, so research that.

 

[^woody^]

Almost anything on a party wall comes under the party wall act (PWA) - search in the planning and regs forum or the building forum.

Except damp issues amongst others