Will Trading Standards be able to help?

[beatie]

I am sorry to use this topic area as a sounding board for all my house-selling problems but I feel like I'll get the biggest audience here.

Summary: Selling house. Buyers survey has shown up small areas of low level damp. He doesn't recommend the mess and inconvenience of getting it sorted out for such small pockets BUT buyers want it done.

We bought the house 3 years ago. A dampproof course was done at that time and we have written guarantees for the work for 30 years. Only problem? The company have disappeared or at least changed their name. I ring the number and get a voicemail. I have visited the premises address but it is a residential address (no sign of a business being run from it) in the most dodgy part of the city.

Will Trading Standards be able to confirm the company have disappeared? If the company are now operating under a different name - are the guarantees worth nothing?

Thanks.

Don't know what the implications are here but yes - Trading Standards WILL be interested to know about this. At the very least they can then look to see if there have been other complaints about this company and I believe can deny them a licence for trading.

Don't know about your guarentees but TS should be able to advise you if their worthless or not. I hope they're not worthless.

If the Company is no longer trading or have changed their name, then sorry the guarantee is worth nothing...if the buyer wants it done have some quotes done, ask your Agent who they reccommend, get Agents to ask your purchasers to have them done also, when quotes are in, discuss options on contribution's for works required {if required} and agree a reduction on completion, No works should be carried out on your property whilst you are still residing there. Some may wish works to be done after exchange of contracts only then is a Sale binding..HTH

Thanks MotherNature. I'll speak to the Estate Agent and see what they suggest we do next.

Good point about the work not being done before exchange of contracts. Better that we give them the money of the price of the quotes. The surveyor (who they chose) was very nice and spoke to me about the damp and has said it should only cost appx £300.