lower ground floor flat damp - buy or pull out

[chocolate25]

we put an offer on a lower ground floor flat in CLondon - did a damp survey and it came back with damp. The issue seems to be in three different places front, back, and the bathroom. They had a damp proof course done last year but I guess it's not worked. When we went back to look at it (after the survey) they had a couple of de-humidifiers around the place though they werent there when we viewed it the first time. Now we are trying to figure out whether we ask for some money off the asking price or just pull out. Would anyone have any experiences of successfully dealing with damp in lower ground floor flats?

bump anyone?

Dont buy it

Run. It's not worth it

avoid

Avoid

Don’t do it.

thank you for feedback. guess most people think we should walk away.

does anyone have any personal experience they would like to share?

i've never lived in one so not quite sure what to expect

Having rented a basement flat with damp I can confirm it's a miserable experience

they probably had a chemical injection done. It won't repair whatever the fault was.

Likely broken pipes or drains, but basements are very prone to damp.

Damp can come from anywhere it isn't necessarily rising damp, it can come from loose guttering, missing tiles, drain problems.
I've bought homes with damp before all with easily fixable solutions.
Get someone to take a look first and quote for the repairs then you will know what's what. It will also give you leverage on the asking price.

Avoid. It will be a damp miserable money pit and you will have the same issue when you come to sell.

Not necessarily. Our house has a lower ground floor which had some damp. Got it fixed as soon as we bought it, it wasn't madly expensive and it's been fine ever since. The important thing is to have it properly assessed and find out what can/needs to be done

Guessing it's in a terrace of other houses; it could be that the neighbouring lower floors/basements have been completely tanked; in which case the only fix will be to do the same, along with a complete bare wall refurbishment.

Many London houses were built in the days when putting in good foundations was thought of as unnecessary expense. I still flinch when I think about what lies under my house.

Plus London clay isn’t known for its good drainage. If there is a problem it is not going to fix itself. You could in the worst possible scenario be looking at tanking the entire floor if conventional damp proof remedies are not working.

Damp in at least three areas does not sound good, if you are really keen on the property then it would be worthwhile getting a specialist surveyor in so at least you know what you are letting yourself in for if you go ahead. I am assuming that you have just had a mortgage ready survey done, not a proper structural survey.

thank you, everyone. we've had a specialist damp survey from an independent surveyor. he's pointed out things that might help and a few things to investigate. but having lived in one - it's just very hard to tell whether it will just keep on coming back or not. other houses also have lower ground floor flats

They may have put in a damp proof course but not have sorted the source of the problem. Damp can be sorted but it is expensive and stressful. I wouldn't do it if I were you

IMHO it is a problem, & will always be a problem. I have lived in Georgian & Victorian houses, the basements are always damp somewhere.
My H is a builder, he has frequently been involved in attempting to relieve damp in old buildings, we even live in one with no foundations.
"Attempt" is the important word. How much money do you throw at it ?