Damp found in home buyers survey

[EGW1]

Hi all,

We've just had a level 2 survey undertaken on a 1930s house that we are looking to buy and the surveyor has found damp in the upstairs bedrooms from using a moisture meter. The house is in good condition but it is a probate sale and the house has not been lived in for ~a year. We had a good look around and couldn't find any signs of damp but he did spot a small dried-out leak patch with a bit of mold above the skirting board in one of the external walls of a bedroom. Is this something to be expected in a house that hasn't been lived in for a while or would you look to get a damp specialist in? We have only lived in newly built flats before so are not sure what is considered 'normal'. Thanks!

It sounds like it could be Dry Rot which will be very expensive to fix and you never really get rid of it once it's taken hold!

I would get a specialist in.

Yes get it checked out.

What could you see outside? Any leaking gutters or downpipes? It really wouldn't worry me, if it was just a small patch. I imagine the house needs some attention from being empty, and general age of furnishings and decoration.

Whatever you do, don't get a damp proofing specialist. It is a total con. Can you pay for a more intensive survey?

Are you doing a full gut job anyway? 1930s, probate and uninhibited for a year sounds a far cry from turn key so it wouldn’t worry me at all, just another thing to add to the list.

I wouldn't be bothered. All houses have some level of moisture in them and if the home has been empty for a while then it probably hasn't been ventilated regularly during that time. It's only if it was visibly wet or mouldy that I'd worry about it.

If the heating has been off for a year then it will be damp because of that. There might be other issues causing damp too but it will be difficult to work out if there is any other cause of damp and how bad it is if noone is occupying the building.

No big deal. First floor so maybe a bit of dislodged pointing+ blocked gutter, or slipped tile etc.

Expected for a house of that age and that has been empty for so long

@SourPuss1968
Bit of a leap to dry rot. Do you make a habit of terrifying people with worst case scenario?

It may very well be as a result of not being lived in but I’d get someone in to have a look. Not a ‘damp specialist’ that wants to sell you a DPC though.

Sounds fine and to be expected.

We had damp and a bit of mould appear in our 1930s house a few years ago, under the window and above the skirting and it was from a blocked gutter, we fixed the gutter, stripped the wallpaper and put some polycell mould killer on then re wallpapered it, it's been fine ever since