Halifax1812
08-01-2012, 21:51 PM
I have got a buy to let property in Sutton in Surrey which is about 220 miles from where I live. The property is a one bedroomed ground floor flat built by Bellway in 2004. The flat effectively has three exterior walls as to each side of the flat is a bike shed storage area and a bin storage area to the other side.
My tenants have experienced a persistant mould & damp problem in the bedroom area which I had orinally put down to lifestyle (i.e. lack of ventilation, cleaning and drying clothes which creates condensation etc.)
As this problem has been persitent. I organised a mould survey to be carried out by a specialist, who has stated that the level of water in the bottom of one of the exterior wall which backs on to the binstore is at 60-80% when measured by a protimetre and said that the route cause due to ingress of water. Looking at the construction of the bin storage wall which effectively forms an outside wall and backs onto my bed room it appears that it is constructed out of concrete blocks (formerly called breeze blocks.)
I am sure that where concrete blocks are used to construct external walls that there should be a layer of cladding, waterproofing or rendering to weather and water proof the wall. Would any one know if this is the case and if this could possibly be the cause of my damp wall?
Also as the property was only built in 2004, I have some NHBC cover until 2014, is this somthing I could claim on this policy as surely this should have been picked up by building inspectors during the build stage? And would this mean that Bellway homes should be ultimately responsible for rectifying
Any help would be much appreciated on this?
My tenants have experienced a persistant mould & damp problem in the bedroom area which I had orinally put down to lifestyle (i.e. lack of ventilation, cleaning and drying clothes which creates condensation etc.)
As this problem has been persitent. I organised a mould survey to be carried out by a specialist, who has stated that the level of water in the bottom of one of the exterior wall which backs on to the binstore is at 60-80% when measured by a protimetre and said that the route cause due to ingress of water. Looking at the construction of the bin storage wall which effectively forms an outside wall and backs onto my bed room it appears that it is constructed out of concrete blocks (formerly called breeze blocks.)
I am sure that where concrete blocks are used to construct external walls that there should be a layer of cladding, waterproofing or rendering to weather and water proof the wall. Would any one know if this is the case and if this could possibly be the cause of my damp wall?
Also as the property was only built in 2004, I have some NHBC cover until 2014, is this somthing I could claim on this policy as surely this should have been picked up by building inspectors during the build stage? And would this mean that Bellway homes should be ultimately responsible for rectifying
Any help would be much appreciated on this?