Last minute damp and timber survey!

[FingersXrossed]

We're due to move out to a rental place this weekend, exchange keys etc next week with buyer.

The buyer's solicitor has come back to mine and asked that they get access for a damp and timber survey to be carried out next week. There'd been suggestions that this might happen some time ago but it all went quiet and now this, seriously, leaving it until the last minute! I have never had any problems with damp but it was found on the home report survey from the surveyor's damp meter (very wet week and the building is over 100 years old). There was also some 'movement' discovered in one room, which I'd never noticed before.

Now I'm scared that they'll find something that's going to cost ££££ to fix and the sale will fall through, or they'll want more money off (when they're already paying less than the asking price).

Sigh. I just want this all to be over and for us to move on. I can't bear the thought of being back at square one. Need to calm down and just see what happens but my mind is all over the place :(

So sorry - don't get a company in that sell damp courses, I lost my sale because of the people I was told to contact, his mortgage company threw the report out as completely unsuitable. I'd paid the £300 for it as a gesture of goodwill and it backfired on me, complete waste of money. As yours is a heritage building perhaps you could find someone that specialises in them and organise it for yourselves? You will have to get a joiner to take up the floorboards so they can inspect the joists.

I found this article really useful, my buyer was quoting £10K for the damp in my listed building, just to chip chip chip the price down lower and lower.

www.heritage-house.org/damp-and-condensation/managing-damp-in-old-buildings.html

Thanks. The buyer has already instructed someone to do the survey (need to see if the lender is happy with this apparently). None of his has actually been arranged yet but we are supposed to be handing the keys over in a week!

It's already a cheap buy, price was reduced and then I accepted their offer that was under my asking price. I'm just dreading them "finding" something wrong that's going to be expensive to fix.

Can you ring your EA and ask who they've instructed? The PCA damp specialist that came to my house said I should have been told to lift the floorboards in readiness - as I hadn't, he said he didn't have time to do it himself, so he didn't inspect the joists. The buyer's mortgage lender was very critical and dismissed the report. I think this may delay your completion date - I had to wait over a week for the report?

insist on independent surveyor rather than somenone who works for damp company, for sure they will advise for a treatement.

They quoted a company name and said they were waiting to find out from the lender if they were ok to use. Good idea to check if I need to do anything, hopefully won't expect me to lift floorboards though?!

I just can't believe that they've waited until a week before completion date (when we've found ourselves somewhere else to live, because, duh we need a roof over our heads before we leave here) and then they're like surprise we need this done now. They could have organised this weeks ago! It smacks of backing me into a corner. Not happy.

I am really sorry they've put you in this situation, it is ridiculous you don't know yet, I can't see how the survey results will be ready in time. Will you have to take time off work for the appointment?

My buyer's mortgage company insisted on a PCA member damp/timber surveyor - it was one of the ones not recommended in the report on the listed property info I posted - they were just damp proof course and humidifier sales people. Report was thrown out by buyer's mortgage company and buyer gave ridiculous quotes wanting money off - £10K off for the damp works to the walls - and £15K off to replace all my ground floor timbers. My buyer was a despicable chancer, I hope yours isn't.

We're moving into the rental today. Haven't heard anything else yet! Will phone solicitor tomorrow. My work will be fine about me getting time off etc, I'm just worried about what might happen.

My buyer is a property investor, they won't be living there but renting it out. I'm in Scotland so we already got a home report, the "damp" put off everyone but this one person who already has a couple of older properties in their portfolio. I'm just pissed off that this has been sprung on us just before we're due to leave so no idea how long it's going to drag out for - am I going to end up paying for rent AND a mortgage?!

I am sorry this is so stressful for you, keeping my fingers crossed.

Could you play hardball here and say sort it or relist it?

Solicitor has advised that we don't pressure the buyer as the instruction is coming from the mortgage lender, not them. Have got surveyor coming this week so fingers crossed nothing is wrong!

My buyer's mortgage lender had valued my house at £0 as they wanted the damp/timber report. I can't understand how your buyer exchanged if he didn't have his mortgage agreed. Were you asked to lift floorboards so the joists can be inspected? Good luck, let us know what happens.

Let us know how you get on @FingersXrossed!

I mentioned the floor boards to my EA, was told I probably don't need to do that. Will check with solicitor beforehand that there's definitely nothing I need to do but last I heard they just need the room to be empty? Sorry to hear that @Salome61 I have no idea how things happen here but there was a definite lag in things being done which worried me but I've calmed down now and will see what transpires.

Hopefully all ok and thanks for the good wishes!

Update: survey was done and I was told the results would be back in a day or two. Didn't hear anything so got my solicitor to chase and the buyer's lawyer said there's a small amount of work needing done which the buyer is going to cover! So we're just waiting on them getting their mortgage now. Fingers crossed!

Fingers crossed!

Buyer now has their mortgage papers and we have a new completion date! Relieved!

Congratulations - and breathe!

Thank you! I'll be having a delayed celebratory drink later!