It may take a long time - if at all - for the chimney breast to dry out.
If the rain has been getting in for some time, there may be salt deposits in the brickwork and plaster which are hygroscopic and which attract moisture, eg from condensation. This can make it look as though rain is still getting in, when in fact it might not be.
Most contributors to this thread have slagged-off the workmanship, and they are not wrong; one can sympathise with your predicament because the work just doesn't 'look right'. And the attitude of the 'builder' does suggest 'Rogue Trader'
But that of itself doesn't mean that what the man has done won't keep the water out. The ultimate scenario is proving to a County Court judge that it doesn't work, and that may be harder than people assume.
If the rain has been getting in for some time, there may be salt deposits in the brickwork and plaster which are hygroscopic and which attract moisture, eg from condensation. This can make it look as though rain is still getting in, when in fact it might not be.
Most contributors to this thread have slagged-off the workmanship, and they are not wrong; one can sympathise with your predicament because the work just doesn't 'look right'. And the attitude of the 'builder' does suggest 'Rogue Trader'
But that of itself doesn't mean that what the man has done won't keep the water out. The ultimate scenario is proving to a County Court judge that it doesn't work, and that may be harder than people assume.