We live in a mid-terrace victorian house which we are selling and have accepted an offer on. Our buyers had a regular homebuyer survey which showed up slight dampness. The surveyor actually told us it was nothing to worry about, as higher readings are normal in older houses but that he would recommend a specialised damp survey, basically to cover his own back.
Our buyers organised a survey, and a guy came from an actual damp proofing company, put his little meter on the wall and claimed our whole house had rising damp. He was very assure that no lender would lend on a damp house. We've lived here for 3 years and aside from one patch by the front door there is no signs whatsoever of damp. He even claimed our newly renovated kitchen would need to be ripped out and every single wall injected it was 'that' bad. He even said to us "I don't know how you live here - it's so damp!" I was so baffled and confused, if it was that bad how did we not know? Why are there no signs? After he went alarm bells just started ringing.. how can someone claim there's a problem when there is no problem? And he was so assure that his report would stop any buyer being able to buy this house without an injection course needed first, almost as if it was in his power to get us to buy the bloody treatment off of him otherwise we can't sell! I also realised he never even checked the exterior of the house, what about the pointing? Or maybe an overflowing drain? He was so quick to label it 'rising damp' throughout the whole downstairs. Our first time buyers are bound to run a mile, and like he said, if they don't, will the lender request a course? I feel scammed, conned and confused. I thought about getting our own surveyor in.. But if we don't believe our buyers surveyor, why would they believe ours?
He actually went as far to use the word "saturated" in damp. I've had a second opinion from a builder (not damp specialist, I know) but he didn't pin-point cause, only confirmed it wasn't that damp and he recommended no need for injections. He highlighted areas that were worse - around the chimney breast, and a couple of areas on the wall which has an alley running through on the other side, but that 'saturated' was an over-statement and the wall moisture nothing to worry about.
Is there anything I should do to try and solve this WITHOUT injections, or should I just get an independent surveyor straight in and challenge the original guys opinion?
Our buyers organised a survey, and a guy came from an actual damp proofing company, put his little meter on the wall and claimed our whole house had rising damp. He was very assure that no lender would lend on a damp house. We've lived here for 3 years and aside from one patch by the front door there is no signs whatsoever of damp. He even claimed our newly renovated kitchen would need to be ripped out and every single wall injected it was 'that' bad. He even said to us "I don't know how you live here - it's so damp!" I was so baffled and confused, if it was that bad how did we not know? Why are there no signs? After he went alarm bells just started ringing.. how can someone claim there's a problem when there is no problem? And he was so assure that his report would stop any buyer being able to buy this house without an injection course needed first, almost as if it was in his power to get us to buy the bloody treatment off of him otherwise we can't sell! I also realised he never even checked the exterior of the house, what about the pointing? Or maybe an overflowing drain? He was so quick to label it 'rising damp' throughout the whole downstairs. Our first time buyers are bound to run a mile, and like he said, if they don't, will the lender request a course? I feel scammed, conned and confused. I thought about getting our own surveyor in.. But if we don't believe our buyers surveyor, why would they believe ours?
He actually went as far to use the word "saturated" in damp. I've had a second opinion from a builder (not damp specialist, I know) but he didn't pin-point cause, only confirmed it wasn't that damp and he recommended no need for injections. He highlighted areas that were worse - around the chimney breast, and a couple of areas on the wall which has an alley running through on the other side, but that 'saturated' was an over-statement and the wall moisture nothing to worry about.
Is there anything I should do to try and solve this WITHOUT injections, or should I just get an independent surveyor straight in and challenge the original guys opinion?