Damp in wall plaster

[DaveyV]

Just finished having the ceiling and walls plastered in an old victorian terrace (no cavity walls) we have bought. Part of the replastering involved the builder refixing the ceiling plasterboard in one corner to the joists above. Damp has now appeared which when it rains spreads accross the corner of the ceiling and along the top of the walls in the corner. (This explains why the original ceiling had come away from the joists!!!) The house is on a hill and abuts another terraced house with a flat roof which appears to leak. When it rains the water falls on to the wall below the felt and the damp appears to travel along the wall till it reaches the corner of my property where it appears in the wall below the joists in the upstairs bedroom. Tried getting the neighbours to repair the leak next door but they dont want to know. Unfortunately I also had a new fitted kitchen and the damp is now behind the top wall units.

Is there anything I can do my side to prevent it? Will replastering with a water proof render above the cabinets help or will it just drive the damp further down the walls? Or will all the kitchen units need to be removed and redo the walls top to bottom with new render/plaster? Or is there another solution?

HELP!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Really you need the assistance of your neighbour, it can be quite hard to force them to make a repair.
Do you have free legal advice on your building insurance, if so it could be well worth calling them and seeing what can be done. They may be able to claim on your neighbour insurance?
The only other option would be to bite the bullet explain to your neighbours what the problem is and go fifty fifty on the cost of the repair.
But in future don't repair any plaster work until you are sure damp problems are solved.

 

[DaveyV]

Thanks for your help. Still working on the neighbour. Unfortunately they are in the process of selling their house and have a buyer and suspect they dont want the hassle (or cost) before moving!