damp disaster!

[yamato]

Hi,

I'm looking for some advice about a damp situation. Basically moved in about a year ago, full survey done, -no damp. Recently we notice damp on the outside wall (end terraced). It appeared after the hufe amount of rainfall we had.

Damp guy comes round and says it's because the neighbour, who built their house in 2010, built their drive higher than our damp course. It takes about 2 years to show apparently, and that's what happened.

I've tried calling the building control, but he wasn't interested and said it was a civil matter (which I thought a bit odd, as I thought the council had to check things were built to specification?). so now I'm trying to work out my next step.

The damp will have to be treated and the wall replastered as well as some repointing and replacing bricks. I feel that my neighbour should really pay for this, as he (or his builders) have directly caused damage to my property.

Anyone have any idea how I stand on this?

 

[jeds]

First thing is to speak with your neighbour. Tell them their works have caused a damp problem, which is causing damage and which will get worse if not resolved. Ask them what they propose? Keep a record of the conversation - you might need to put things in writing if nothing happens. The next step depends on their response.

 

[yamato]

Do you think it's better to call them or email them?

I would usually call as it's usually better to deal directly with people. But face to fce and a phone call are not the same thing.

Email might give him a chance to think more about his answer?

Any suggestions?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Why not just knock on their door and speak to them? Writing or phoning in the first instance is just gonna make things more awkward. Its gonna make sense if you both have a look at the issues together in the first instance.

 

[^woody^]

If you have your neighbours phone number and email address, then you must be on good terms with them!
Just go around and tell them what the problem is

You could involve your insurer to deal with it if you get nowhere with the neighbour

 

[yamato]

if only it was that easy!

Naw, he's a landlord. i only have his number 'cos I ran into him one day and he gave me his business card. He seems ok, but the only contact opportunities are by phone or email.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Phone him up then, next best thing. Is it being rented through an agent?

 

[^woody^]

Wow, I haven't seen him for a while. Doesn't noseall have copyright on his use in this forum?

 

[peterperfection]

Phone him up then, next best thing. Is it being rented through an agent?

Looks like a normal sort of devon lad to me .

 

[yamato]

Long time no type.

Well the neighbour refused to pay saying it was nothing to do with him and the land was 'always that level.' We had the wall damp proofed with injecta. That helped but now it seems to be coming back again.

Injecta 'helpfully' told us that they don't guarantee for penetrating damp so they're not willing to sort it out.

We have now decided that the legal route is probably the only one left to us. Anyone done this before?

 

[michaelbailey]

Hi,

I'm looking for some advice about a damp situation. Basically moved in about a year ago, full survey done, -no damp. Recently we notice damp on the outside wall (end terraced). It appeared after the hufe amount of rainfall we had.

Damp guy comes round and says it's because the neighbour, who built their house in 2010, built their drive higher than our damp course. It takes about 2 years to show apparently, and that's what happened.

I've tried calling the building control, but he wasn't interested and said it was a civil matter (which I thought a bit odd, as I thought the council had to check things were built to specification?). so now I'm trying to work out my next step.

The damp will have to be treated and the wall replastered as well as some repointing and replacing bricks. I feel that my neighbour should really pay for this, as he (or his builders) have directly caused damage to my property.

Anyone have any idea how I stand on this?

if ths house next door hass been approve by the council then the bco is responsible for this problem the bco has personnaly signed it off don`t let them get away with it find out which bco is responsible for your area and talk to h/her

 

[yamato]

Hi,

The council route doesn't seem to be a very fruitful one. I've now got a problem and wonder if any of you guys can help?

I've been talking to a solicitor and the biggest problem seems to be identifying the actual source of the damp. Now I've had a few people say that it's because of the neighbours drive but:

A is this something I can prove?

B who could I call to give me this info

The damp people haven't been great. They just say 'yeah this is damp here is what we offer'. Their assessment of the what is damp differ, their solutions differ as well. I need someone who knows what they are talking about.

 

[tony1851]

To start with, you need a proper, independant surveyor to assess the problem, which will of course cost.

 

[yamato]

To start with, you need a proper, independant surveyor to assess the problem, which will of course cost.

OK done.

The independent surveyor said that the damp isn't so bad and that a lot of houses have it. He suggested marking where the damp is on the walls with pencil and watching it for 12 months.

He also said he would be unwilling to say it was the neighbours fault as though the drive is not as low as it would ideally be it's not soil piled up or completely covering the damp course and besides, the new chemical damp course should solve that issue anyway.

In his (expensive) report he suggested pulling up the laminate flooring and then the floor boards to see if I could find evidence of water under the house. Sigh...will this ever end?

1. if I pull up the laminate flooring I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get it back down again, in exactly the same way.
2. If I do find water down there what then? I've already got a damp course and a chemical damp course, is there anywhere to go from here?

The guy who came round made me feel really great by pointing out that it looks like the house might be moving slightly! GREAT! So when we bought it over two years and had a full survey we were told "no damp, no subsidence" now it looks like we have both!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Is the neighbour open to idea of the problem being addressed, albeit not at his own expense, ie would he have a problem if you did the necessary works, obviously requiring access onto his property and some local disturbance to his driveway whilst appropriate works are carried out?

With all you've probably spent so far this approach would have been more appropriate.