Dampness In A Property You Want to Buy
Anyone looking to purchase a property will very likely be put off if there is any sign of dampness in buildings they are considering putting an offer in for. In fact, any mention of dampness in buildings as part of the Home Report can, and does, seriously reduce interest in the properties for sale and will almost certainly put many people off that property. After all, a house purchase is the biggest single investment most people will ever make and nobody wants to take a chance on potentially making a poor investment decision.
However, canny and experienced property buyers may well recognise that Home Reports mentioning dampness will often be a general statement of observable moisture and that it most certainly does not mean that the property is an unworthy investment. Phrases like “Evidence of dampness in the bedroom ceiling” or “Moisture evident on wall in dining room” can send shivers down the spines of many potential buyers. The seeds of doubt will be there and they will begin to fret on the causes of the reported dampness and the costs involved eradicating it. Inevitably the property may well fail to achieve a high price on the open market as a result.
If dampness in buildings is mentioned in a Home Report there could be several reasons for this: flood damage, burst water pipes, rising damp, condensation and even residual moisture evidence after cooking or a shower. The cause of the moisture may be already dealt with, however the doubts will still linger for many. So if you are looking at a property and hoping to bid whilst others are turning away, it may well be an ideal opportunity to have your own independent damp survey carried out by a specialist.
Water Damage Surveys
More experienced property investors know that Home Reports are prepared by solicitors or estate agents acting as the selling agent. The Home Report will only take a ‘snapshot’ of the condition of the property at the time of survey and is an indicator of general condition for the potential buyers. They certainly do not contain in-depth moisture surveys that assess the causes of moisture nor the scale of deeper damage, if there is any.
Inexpert Opinions Lower Property Prices
The problem is that any mention of dampness in buildings is very likely to put buyers off even though the scale and source of the moisture has not been thoroughly investigated. Home Report surveys may include the use of a damp meter as part of the general process, however they are only an indicator that further investigation should take place. Various building materials, ambient humidity, weather conditions and a range of other factors can all affect the readings. Damp Meters are not infallible and great care should be taken in reporting dampness in buildings when they are used. Phrases like “Evidence of dampness” may show on the Home Report. These types of phrases are not definitive and do now show the scale of the problem, if there is one.
Damp meters can also show wrong readings (false positives) and these often find their way into a Home Report. The property may then be effectively ignored by many potential buyers.
Gain Expert Advice
Any potential buyer can arrange for a specialist survey to be carried out to fully assess the source and extent of the moisture level, damage and potential building reinstatement costs. So a property may require less work that many fear. It could be an easily affordable ‘fix’ so the property becomes a very worthwhile investment for the canny property buyer. Investing in an in-depth damp survey can reassure a potential buyer who could then go on to save £Thousands when putting a bid in for the property, knowing that the moisture ‘issue’ is easily solved. Equally, any property owner looking to sell may also have their own specialist damp survey carried out to show potential buyers that the scale of dampness is not a concern. Some property owners may decide to rectify the dampness issue before putting the property back on the market.
The KEY ISSUE is to ensure that a specialist expert in dampness in buildings is called in to assess, report and reassure the property sellers and buyers alike.
How We Can Help
Paradigm Reinstatements is based in Central Scotland and is one of the UK’s leading experts relating to all forms of dampness in buildings, their causes, their severity and how to eradicate dampness and the causes of dampness in any property.
