what would you do?

[cupcake222]

DH and I found and offered on a lower ground floor. We both liked it when viewing it but in the meantime having done the surveys etc -it seems that it has ongoing damp problems, the vendor is in breach of the lease and we might need to put the carpets back in (which we hate) plus the service charges seem a lot more than we first got told. So whilst we both thought it was ok by now am beginning to feel that the compromise that it was a basement flat have compounded to make it a basement flat with damp with expensive charges and where we might have to put carpets back (DH has asthma massively exacerbated by mites/dust etc - and we were specifically looking for something with hard floors). Just feeling a bit stuck and not sure whehter we should just pull out and start again or go ahead with it

I’d walk away, it’s not worth the hassle of all those things combined. Damp you can generally solve relatively easy if everything else was perfect, but it isn’t.

Also, if hard floors are non-negotiable for you, you need to ask this early on as it’s common for flats above ground floor to require carpets for sound insulation.

plus in the meantime DH got told he can work from home.............we could put an office in the garden but would need permission from the freeholder etc.

just feels like when we offered on it - it looked fine on paper but just doesnt by now

@ComtesseDeSpair thank you! We specifically asked about the floors when looking at it (it currently has hard floors) and got told it's all fine and they are allowed. But they arent, vendor never got permission for them

Is anyone below you?
That’s why carpets - so flats below you aren’t bothered.

I’d personally walk. Damp, although sometimes easy to fix can also be more tricky; it really depends on the cause. If it’s damage to the drainage system or sewer it can be very expensive to fix. Even the “standard” approach (chemical dpc into wall then replaster) is a messy expensive job.

Walk away, nightmare.

He is the service charge so high, lots of flat currently have high service charges because of problems with external insulation so that would concern me.

@Chewingle nope it's a lower ground floor flat. so there's no one below us but the freeholder seems crap and would be within their right to make us change back to carpets.

Thank you for everyone's thoughts - just feeling so stuck now but equally it's so much money to invest into something that already feels like it wont work

I wouldn't worry about the carpet, no one is going to chase you to rectify the breach.
I've sold with a breach(wooden floor instead of carpet).
yes, for a solicitor has to declare any breach to the lender and to you to remedy the issue or get indemnity insurance(we did).