Mortgage Valuation Surveys

[Anonymous]

I am sure this has been mentioned before.

We are in the process of buying a 19th century terraced house, the survey basically suggests that there is damp in all external walls, timber treatments are needed etc - basically the easy options for the surveyor and nothing that you wouldn't expect from a 100 year old house.

Now the mortgage offer has a special condition that we get these matters fully checked by a 'specialist' within 6 months of completion. This concerns me for a number of reasons:

I am not convinced that the damp is a problem, they will have checked it with a meter, the house has been empty for some time etc. Now I know that if I get a surveyor involved they will just say 'oh use a chemical DPC, you get your guarentee etc.' Even though as the property is stone built its unlikley to work.

Secondly I really do not want to treat all the timber unless absolutely necessary!!

I just feel that the surveyor and morgage company have imposed these conditions as a fairly standard issue without really understanding the property. Equally I would like to property get to the bottom of these issues before tacking any works required. Finally i am a Conservation Professional and it would really pain me to do such works if they can be avoided until everything is fully understood!!!!

Does anyone else have any experience of these conditions.

Cheers.

 

[Anonymous]

All of us! Certainly been there done that - and the supposed 'damp and timber' specialists proposed solutions were horrific, expensive and in the end wrong and not required. A cocktail of measures was needed, not cement render fllor to ceiling. Sadly we had to have a small amount of une

Basically - better to employ for yourself a RICS surveyor with the appropriate conservation qualifications, and that way you don't get the idiots with their moisture meters who simply want to flog you their products.

You now have a choice - pay for another survey, or get in a 'proper' damp/timber firm used to assessing buildings for genuine problems and giving conservation wise solutions.

Try for example Ridouts or Oxleys... there are others.

Give SPAB a ring and ask for recommendations.

It will save money and the fabric of the building in the long term to pay now for proper advice.

 

[Anonymous]

Oops - that should have said unrequired work done just to get the mortgage and move in - which will have to br rectified in time.

 

[Anonymous]

Your situation is one that I have experienced four times this week already. I will be surveying three further properties before Sunday and no doubt they will be similar.

You have a fairly well defined choice: you can contact a ‘specialist’ who will very probably give you advice based upon his or her company’s products; or you can instruct an Independent Remedial Treatments Surveyor, affiliated to the BWPDA (so that the lender can accept their report).

I am one of the latter and can assure you that the recommendation for treatment with invasive products or techniques is always the very last resort.

I don’t know where you are in the country but if you visit the BWPDA website (http://www.bwpda.co.uk) you will be able to find a surveyor near your location.

Follow my link below to reassure yourself that you are not alone <IMG SRC="http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussing/smileys/smile.gif" BORDER=0 ALT="">

Patrick

p.s. I forgot to mention, as Evelyn says, some chartered surveyors will also be able to fulfill your needs. I suppose it's expense and convenience really!

HTH



Homebuyer's reports and Dampness

 

[Anonymous]

Strange that the OP should come from Lancashire...

There are firms such as those I mentioned who are real experts in their field and who operate nationally and who have many years of expertise in period buildings, large and small.

SPAB keeps lists of such people.


http://www.spab.co.uk

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice and ideas, I will see what I can do...

I would like to reassure you that this is not a 'put up job', I am actually a LA conservation officer and whilst i know all the technical in's and outs of this its the sorting out of the mortgage company's conditions thats the problem.

 

[Anonymous]

Gosh - one of the few then! In short supply are CO's! As indeed will terraced houses in the north if John Prescott gets his way.

I appreciate the problems - but have you had a retention until any perceived problems are solved? A few months of living in the place and heating may well sort out any difficulties. Then a professional who understands period houses will probaly give the all clear. i doubt such an all clear will break the bank.

Patrick I am afraid is rather too keen on his moisture meter and thinks lime plaster will fall off the walls in ten years. I would be very wary of the association he mentions if you are keen on retention of historic fabric!

After over two hundred I'm now deeply concerned, and have taken to sitting in a hard hat...

 

[Anonymous]

Now for reasons I cannot fathom my SPAB link was not the right one - here's the right one!



http://www.spab.org.uk

 

[Anonymous]

The way I see it:-

The mortgage company will want to protect their investment by making sure the property has no defects, and presumably in 6 mts time the surveyor will reappear with his moisture meter and so on, to re check and confirm that everything is fine.
As far as the lenders are concerned , they will follow paperwork trails which is all in order.
You are in a difficult situation because you are victim of a "blanket" approach to house survey.

Surely then a professional report is required from surveyors connected with these type of buildings, detailing any remedy or repairs which should satisfy both you and the lenders.

It means more costs, and tactically convince the lenders to liaise with the " expert" surveyor, and I am sure that the damp meter man will be satisfied.

 

[Anonymous]

Having been through this just twelve months ago we discussed in saome detail with our mortgage company the property and its requirements. They sent there normal surveyor round, who did the initial inspection and agreed he was not best placed to do the work and they then discussed with us the "qualified" surveyor, who we then got in and who did a proper job. He then worked with us on site visits etc whilst we undertook several items of work the mortgage company wanted doing, then signed us off.

My advice, talk to them, try to find someone who at least knows what an old house is and talk to them some more. Ours where very helpful.

Graham

 

[Anonymous]

I would suggest that 'I am a local authority Conservation Officer' is a good starting point for any negotiation anyhow! You can at least talk the talk about conservation of historic fabric etc.

If it was really considered serious there would be a mortgage retention (unless you are borrowing nothing like the asking price) and the requirement that a specialist report is urgent and all remedial works should be carried out within a short period of time - and only then will the full amount be released.

It may be that the surveyor has realised an empty house may have temporary issues with damp!

In all probability there should already be a DPC in the house so another isn't required, the damp may be not actually there or be condensation, the pointing may be cement, the gutters leaking, and there are old flight holes around. Six months of heat and ventilation will give you time to deal with these issues anyhow, and then employ someone sensible to give a report and clean bill of health, or recommend then appropriate methods of remediation.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, this is a common problem and has been discussed before at length on this site.

As a Chartered Building Surveyor my advice would be as follows:

Agree to the condition that you will get in a 'specialist' to deal with the 'problem'.

Find a professional with experience in dealing with damp problems in historic buildings. NB the professional might be a building surveyor, an architect, an independent damp proofing consultant, etc. I would suggest you avoid those who may have a vested interest in the advice they give. In other words be prepared to pay for an independent view.

Once the problem (if there is one) has been identified have the appropriate works undertaken (if any are actually necessary).

IF the mortgage company do return to check on whether you have fulfilled the requirements of the condition you will then have postive evidecne of independent investigation and appropriate work. The fact that you may not end up with a 'guarantee' should not matter.

Finally, as a Conservation Officer it should eb no problem for you to point out that some of the work that the conventional 'high street' treatment company would recommend would require listed building consent. As a CO you cna also say that without very good and clear independent justification you would not give consent for such work. Therefore insistance on a certain course of action by the mortgage company could result in a legal conflict for the borrower (you in this case).

I hope these tips help.

 

[Anonymous]

My mortgage company (2 words- think of someone that originates from the country to the north of England and people that have lost their other half) wrote to say that I had to undertake the pointless damp works within 6 months of completion (no retention though, I should add). I rang back to query this and tell them I wouldn't be doing any of the works- they said they wouldn't actually bother checking up on this at the end of the six months...and here we are, two and a half years down the line, and they have been true to their word.
I would also take the time to ring up SPAB- it is an invaluable source of info and reassurance when you are confronted with the chronic ignorance of the mortgage companies (and most builders etc.) in respect of period properties.

 

[Anonymous]

Excellent !!!!.

Living proof that a bit of controlled and ventilated damp does not kill anybody, the house is still standing and made a mockerish example of the sad spinster's rules

( I think you can make money as expert witness and save people a lot of money on repairs)

 

[Anonymous]

Surely, if its damp my friend in the BWPDA would recommend demolition as the best course of action in this throw away society, this might in turn help clear a site for a nice new property. <IMG SRC="http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussing/smileys/smile.gif" BORDER=0 ALT="">

 

[Anonymous]

Perhaps you might reconsider your choice of lender? A number of building societies and ex building society banks do take a more joined-up approach to historic buildings, with a proper consideration given to conservation issues. Ecology Building Society is one.

 

[Anonymous]

Norwich and Peterborough is another - although they don't always have the best rate!

Actually, if anyone has any recommendations for other buildings societies who will lend even when a building may be very delapidated I'd be interested to know. I can pass that on and it can be incorporated in the SAVE Buildings at Risk catalogue currently in the final stages of compilation.

 

[Anonymous]

If it helps we have be given a mortgage by the Skipton Building Society part way through a complete restoration of a Yorkshire Sheduled Ancient Monument. (even with the roof off)
They have been more than happy and even paid the surveyer to come out to value with no specialists reports requested.
We just needed to provide the building site insurance cover.
They have made us very happy.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks! I'll pas that one on.