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Original poster

Another damp one (flat this time)

6 replies

LisaVanderpump1 · 12/08/2022 10:42

My part lower ground floor flat is having some damp issues, and I'm at a bit of a loss about what to do. On the one hand, I want to get a surveyor out to get an idea of how to solve the problems at the root cause. On the other hand, I know a couple of the issues (high ground levels is one of them) I might not be able to solve if I couldn't get permission from the other freeholders in the building or the cost makes it unviable, which then makes getting the survey a bit redundant. Anyone here successful got their lower ground floor flat dry?

OP posts:
Lemonlemon88 · 12/08/2022 10:48

Are you built into the ground? We are built into a hill and have had to dig out a retaining wall and retank it to solve a damp issue.

ComtesseDeSpair · 12/08/2022 10:59

Your lease should detail the obligations of all freeholders in the event that one unit requires essential maintenance. If a professional surveyor identifies structural reasons for the damp and makes recommendations for its rectification the other freeholders can’t simply refuse to give permission and the lease should also detail how the costs should be shared. They can no more claim that they should have to pay because they aren’t affected by the basement than you can claim you shouldn’t contribute to roof repairs or anything above you.

Sometimes it can be a relatively easy fix as previous poster advises with tanking. Our neighbours had their partially subterranean lower ground tanked recently and it didn’t seem terribly disruptive.

Original poster
LisaVanderpump1 · 12/08/2022 11:08

Lemonlemon88 · 12/08/2022 10:48

Are you built into the ground? We are built into a hill and have had to dig out a retaining wall and retank it to solve a damp issue.

We're sort of built into the ground. I'll take some photos to make it clearer. What did the tanking involve?

OP posts:
Original poster
LisaVanderpump1 · 12/08/2022 11:14

ComtesseDeSpair · 12/08/2022 10:59

Your lease should detail the obligations of all freeholders in the event that one unit requires essential maintenance. If a professional surveyor identifies structural reasons for the damp and makes recommendations for its rectification the other freeholders can’t simply refuse to give permission and the lease should also detail how the costs should be shared. They can no more claim that they should have to pay because they aren’t affected by the basement than you can claim you shouldn’t contribute to roof repairs or anything above you.

Sometimes it can be a relatively easy fix as previous poster advises with tanking. Our neighbours had their partially subterranean lower ground tanked recently and it didn’t seem terribly disruptive.

I think I'm just nervous about bringing it up to the other freeholders as I have a dog (with permission), and I don't want their to be any "retribution" (for want of a better word) for me asking for work to be done. Also, the people who owned the flat before me never mentioned having any problems (even though I can't see how they wouldn't have) and I'm worried the other freeholders might prefer that I just manage them like the old owners did, rather than rectify them.

OP posts:
Original poster
LisaVanderpump1 · 12/08/2022 11:14

Sorry. There, not their!

OP posts:
Lemonlemon88 · 12/08/2022 21:02

For us, it involved digging out the retaining wall as the bottom story is built into a hill and then applying a tanking coating then backfilling it with some sort of material to encourage better drainage. Here's a good explainer www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Tanking

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