You’ve found a house that ticks all the boxes but you are worried that it may have damp problems. Here’s a guide to what you should do before buying a house with damp.
When viewing a new property, it’s important that you not only look at the overall appearance, location and suitability to your needs, but keep an eye out for potential issues as well.
Damp problems are relatively common, and some sellers may either not know that their home has them, or may be attempting to cover them up to avoid paying for repairs or lowering their asking price.
It’s important that you diagnose potential problems with damp before paying full-price for a new property, as the presence of damp, especially the more serious kind such as a faulty damp proof course, will likely cost you money once ownership is transferred to you.
Property surveys are a common practice that are usually organised between your solicitor and mortgage lender in order to ensure that the property in question is being sold at the correct price.
Impartial damp surveyors, such as ourselves, can diagnose whether the house has a damp problem and produce a full report for you to evaluate.
We know that paying for damp repairs on top of paying full-price for a new home can be a big turn off for potential buyers, which is why we suggest that you renegotiate with the seller regarding any damp problems flagged up in the survey report.
The seller can often either be convinced to foot the bill for fixing the damp problem or to drop the overall asking price of the house, to compensate for the predicted cost of the repairs you’ll need to undertake once you move in.
If the seller refuses to budge, then you’ll have to decide how much the other aspects of the house make up for a damp problem that you’ll have to fix at some point in the future, since damp can be dangerous to ignore. If you decide to buy the new house regardless, we can help fix your damp problems at a great price and with a high level of professionalism.
If you require a damp survey in Dorset or Hampshire, we are the team for you! We have a long history of working alongside estate agents and potential buyers. Get in touch today on 01202 737739.
