Need to repair chimney, but refused a license for scaffolding until next year - so what happens if the damage gets worse?

[KirstyJC]

Grrr I am so bloody angry!! We noticed earlier this year that water was coming in along the top of the roof by the chimney,causing damp in the chimney stack and the bricks to disintegrate. Also we were getting damp in one of the bedrooms directly under where the water was coming in (DS2's room and he gets asthma).

After what has seemed like an age, we have sorted a builder, got the loan for the repair work and was all set to start work next week.

I have now just heard from the builder that the council has refused a pavement license for the scaffolding, because another road next to us has been closed while repairs are done to a dangerous house, so the traffic is coming down our street. This is likely to take until next year.

What the hell are we supposed to do now? We have an old cottage which may contain cobb, no way we want to let water in over this winter! (Which is why we got a loan - next year we could probable have afforded it without one but figured we couldn't afford to leave it). What about the damage that it may cause leaving it if lots more water gets in?

We have buildings insurance but I presume if we fail to rectify a known problem them any further damage wouldn't be covered.

What can we do? I can't work out how a pavement license should affect traffic - cars shouldn't be on the pavement anyway, surely? And the scaffolding wouldn't stick out into the road at all.

Is there any comeback at all from this? Any way we can change the council's mind? And what happens if more damage is done to our property - do we just have to magic up more money to sort it out? So far we haven't said anything to the insurance company as it is purely a maintenance issue we have identified and were planning to rectify asap, so no need to.

Help!!

I think you need to talk to the council, never hear of anyone being refused permission to do vital work. Most odd, we often have multi builds going on, never ever been refused.

Especially something that might fall and kill a passer by, (hint hint)

A pavement licence usually allows you to close or restrict the pavement width, meaning pedestrians have to cross to the opposite pavement or you have to create a temporaty 'pavement' at the edge of the road with timber baulks thus restricting the road's capacity.

If the road is already busier due to an adjacent street closure then the council would quite understandably have to consider - on safety grounds - not allowing further restrictions

Nothing to do with "cars on pavements"

That said, if you have a genuine concern about the safety of your building then speak to the council again and have a word with your local councillor as well.

Could the scaffolding be built the width of the pavement so pedestrians can pass under it rather than cross the road? That way it might be considered to have less impact. It does seem mad.

I'm sorry I've got no advice about the pavement license, but wonder if I could ask you about your problem? We have a 2-story extension on the back of our house, and there was a chimney, but think it was taken down below roof level. Anyway - we've got a huge area of damp in the childrens' bedroom on the original chimney breast wall. A roofer has inspected the roof tiles/felt and says it all looks ok. We don't know what is causing the damp. How did you find out? And is the repair work costly? I worry constantly because I have two young children in the bedroom, and don't understand what is causing the damp, let alone how to sort it out! I would suggest that you ring the council and carefully explain your situation, am sure they must have alternative measures they could bring in when the situation is pressing, like yours. I hope they are helpful.

It is highly likely that the damp patch is caused by moisture condensing on the plaster as a result of the redundant flue being sealed and thus unventilated.

Usually this is further exacerbated by salts left from the old condensed flue gasses leaching through the wall and - as they are hydroscopic - attracting more moisture to condense.

This is very common when chimneys are removed above roof level but the chimney breasts left in situ below ceiling level.

Have a look in the loft and see if the top of the redundant flue has been sealed, if so open it up and make sure the loft space is ventilated as well. Replacing the plaster with treated battens and foil backed insulated plasterbard and skim would be the next step.

If however plasterboard is too expensive or disruptive then a cheap 'fix' is to seal the existing damp plaster with a waterproofing compound, then use a thin foam liner to provide a measure of insulation, then liner wallpaperpaper on the foam and then wallpaper - but the damp will still be there!

I think I have understood the situation but you can PM me a sketch if you want and I can advise further.

If you really can't get round this ask the roofer to do a temporary repair just to weatherproof while you wait. They can use roof ladders to go up just for a quick repair.