Buyer - damp survey, stressed

[FingersXrossed]

My solicitor has come back and said that they've spoken to the surveyor who carried out the survey on my (Scottish) flat and it's looking like the buyer is going to want a damp specialist survey.

I've never had any problems with damp but this is a very old property and apparently this kind of thing is often seen in Victorian buildings.

I feel sick, we need to move and I'm so worried that they're either going to want ££££ off the selling price (which was already reduced, meaning our deposit is reduced) or pull out of the sale.

A quick Google showed these surveys cost a few hundred £. But I'm concerned that they're going to say it needs loads done at some ridiculous price.

Solicitor is waiting on my comments. Which right now are fuck shit fuck.

What do I do?!

English property, but our buyer found damp (we’d never seen any signs) and the follow up damp survey yesterday showed damp on one wall. About 2k to fix, we have offered to knock full amount off asking price. Waiting to hear if they are happy with that. They haven’t walked away so far, so fingers crossed.

No advice as such but maybe hope that it isn’t a catastrophe. Fingers crossed for you.

Years ago we bought a property where 'damp' was raised by the surveyors in two rooms.
We got a specialist surveyor in. The said damp not in one room, but a bit in the other with a quote to install DPC which was

This damp came up in the home report which vendors have to get up here prior to selling. It was raining heavily the entire week so it might have been something to do with that but who knows.

There's already a DPC installed. It was done before I bought this place and I wasn't even aware of it until the surveyor showed me it.

So will see what happens. Quite nervous about all this.

When we bought our current house the surveyor suggested a damp survey which also alarmed our seller but the damp survey came back with nothing of concern to note.

It may have been noted as from an old, but now resolved, leak but I can't remember exactly.

Anyhow, we still bought the house.

See what the specialist says before worrying (easier said than done, I know).

if you mean it already has chemical injections, i am unsurprised damp remains.

common causes are plumbing and drain leaks, gutters, condensation, lack of ventilation and blocked airbricks. Chemical injections don't cure any of those faults.

If the buyers think another chemical injection will repair the fault, let them try, and give them a bit off the price.

if the house doesn't sell, we can try to identify the cause and get it fixed.

Forgot to say, if it makes you feel any better OP we are buying a Victorian terrace built in 1890s and the survey found damp in one area (cellar). Our surveyor has experience with old properties and reassured us it shouldn’t be a deal breaker, and we are happy to progress. People buy houses with damp!

I've read online that people get these free damp surveys that come back showing that lots of expensive work is required. That it's a bit of a scam.

Yes it's the little indentations on the side of the building. I hadn't noticed them before (don't tend to look down there). Family member has pointed out that the seller is getting this place for over 10k under the valuation but I think we'll have to do something or they might be unable to get a mortgage or just pull out anyway. Several viewers were put off by the damp in the survey and this person is the only one who put in a (reduced) offer.

If the buyer wants to get (and pay for) a damp survey, let them: if you say no they’ll assume it’s v dodgy!
Try to get them to let you see a copy of survey direct from the surveyor company, usually you’d have to pay something for this unless they’re reducing their offer!
That way if it does fall apart then you know exactly what /how bad the issues are and can resolve them if necessary. And you’ll have reassurance over how much to knock off the price ;if anything).

I've told my solicitor that they can get one done or I can organise it. Bit nervous that they will go for an aforementioned free survey though and get told it's needing lots done.

I guess I can ask my solicitor to obtain a copy of the survey when it's been done?

I'd also recommend getting a survey done by a specialist in older buildings. When we bought ours (1760s ish) we used one who advertised the fact that he specialises in historic buildings. It means they have a much better understanding of what is normal for that age and style of building. We now have a lime render wall in one room, but still get a bit of 'damp' coming through -its an old limestone building with no foundations. We have lime render to allow it to breathe, but anyone with a damp meter who only understands new properties would come in and say "it's damp".

I am also getting a damp survey done by independant company after advice by surveyor who found high readings along one wall. It is a Victorian terrace so not too surprised but will be good to find out reasons and scale of problem, or just be reassured. If there is a cost involved/work doing I will be asking for sellers to cover at least part of that for sure. I think lots of buyers are asking for specialist damp surveys - one guy I spoke to was booked up for weeks.

I'll see what the solicitor comes back with. The buyer is going to rent it out and already has a number of older properties so hopefully knows about this stuff already?

I'm just shitting myself that the sale will fall through, I've wanted to move for years and I finally pull myself together to do something and now this has happened.

I did have one viewer whose father is a building surveyor and she'd borrowed his damp meter to check the room in question and it was ok? And another guy in the same profession viewed it who couldn't find anything wrong. So hopefully it was just the wet weather on the survey day.

Yep dodgy damp surveys are a thing. When buying my current property then l got 3 different damp quotes. They all said there was damp but in different locations to each other

Did you have specialists getting quotes for the surveys @EL8888? Did you get work done?

I haven't heard anything else yet, I hate the waiting.

I don't think you are allowed to see any of the buyer's surveys; but it might be different in Scotland.

They were all specialists but none could agree. I got the work done by the least stupid sounding and for the areas the original surveyor for the property purchase has identified. Guy was an idiot unfortunately. We met at the property, he gave me a quote, we discussed it by phone and by email. Then he wondered why l was aggravated about being rang at work to ask what the plan was

Nothing has been mentioned about a damp survey however the buyer has now asked for a valuation survey to be conducted by a chartered surveyor. I have been told (by my EA) that this is just for their mortgage purposes (they are BTL buyer) and nothing to worry about. But I am worrying.

Supposing they offer less than they already offered due to this valuation? That means we'll have a smaller deposit, it might not even be worth moving. And the offered price is cheap anyway (much less than the valuation from the surveyor). And I don't know if they're still going to request this damp survey. Stressing again.