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XXXX
JOB REFERENCE: XXXXX
PROPERTY REPORT
XXXX
Brentwood,
Essex,
CM14 XXX
FOR
XXX
Prepared by:
XXXXX
INDEPENDENT CHARTERED SURVEYORS
XXXX Brentwood, Essex CM14 XXX
XXXX
Independent Chartered Surveyors
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CONTENTS
Introduction and Instruction page 3
Synopsis page 4
Executive Summary page 5
Summary Upon Reflection page 11
Limitations page 14
Appendices page 16
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INTRODUCTION AND INSTRUCTION
We have been instructed to inspect part of the multi-occupied property that has
been rented to XXXX at XXXX Brentwood, Essex CM14 XXX
We inspected the property on XXX and we were subsequently emailed a copy
of the lease from yourselves.
As discussed you advised us the lease is outside the Landlord Tenant Act and
the terms within the lease, from our reading of it, are mainly Internal Only
items with some shared responsibilities areas. As we see it the main areas of
relevance to the schedule are:-
1. common items section 11
2. repairs of internal items section 22
3. repairs of floor coverings section 23 and 24
4. redecoration clause in the last three months section 23.
The subject lease, as we understand it, relates to:
Externally
1. Shared entrance
2. Shared car park but we could not see any specific reference to this but we
assume that it is part of the lease.
3. Shared courtyard
Internally
1. Shared entrance and vestibule
2. Reception area (noted as Office Two on the plan)
3. Middle Office
4. Rear Office
5. Kitchen to rear
6. Toilet lobby, rear right hand side
7. Toilet, rear right hand side
Note the lease plans do not give the layout of the building as it now is.
You need to take advice from a solicitor with regard to the exact legal position
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with regard to the exact requirements of the lease we feel there may be a
shared liability externally to maintain the property.
This Report is to be read in conjunction with the Schedule of Condition.
Whilst we appreciate that you occupy the building some of this information
may seem obvious; it does give a reference point in time when the property
has been examined by an independent Chartered Surveyor.
SYNOPSIS
SITUATION AND DESCRIPTION
(All directions given as you face the property)
This is a double bayed two storey Victorian property with a lease to the ground
floor left hand side which enjoys the benefit of a shared vestibule entrance,
shared rear access and courtyard area.
The lease plan of the building is within the Appendices and is not the layout as
seen on our inspection.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Internal only lease
Having inspected the property and viewed the lease we would comment that
most tenants would perceive the lease as being an Internal Only lease and as
such the redecoration that has been carried out is what they would expect to do
at the end of the lease.
The lease, we feel, could be better drafted as we read it, may give you scope to
also charge for a percentage of the external repairs to the property but this is,
in our opinion, not as clear as it could be.
Shared responsibilities
In our experience to make such a claim you will need to produce evidence that
such work has been carried out or is about to be carried out although we could
produce a claim based upon anticipated cost of work. We feel this would be
strongly contested from our brief discussions with the occupiers and may
result in protracted negotiations/legal action.
Layout
We did note that the property has been altered and is different from the plan
that we have been given, you may have a legal right to ask occupiers to return
it back to its original layout regardless of whether it is now considered a better
layout or not, this is assuming that you have not given permission via a written
letter or other format to alter and amend the layout.
Market conditions
We would advise that we are currently in relatively poor property market
generally with regard to letting. The terms and conditions that were once
possible only a few years ago are no longer acceptable to people wishing to
lease in this current climate (we hope that we are not pointing out the obvious).
We therefore feel that a realistic approach should be taken when a lease is
coming to an end and very much believe that whilst you may have a legal case
with regard to the outside of the property it is by no means certain. If you do
win then the other party may not have the means to pay for the legal costs and
repair costs. The occupiers may also be able to argue strongly and advise that
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they have had an informal schedule carried out by themselves when they
moved into the property (we appreciate that if this is not appended to the lease
it is not a legal requirement however it does give them a basis from which to
negotiate).
Summary
We would summarise by saying that most landlords are currently happy if the
property is given back in a lettable state whilst you do have some issues with
the property such as dampness we feel it could be argued that these are outside
the control of the occupier as they may be down to high ground levels and
poor repairs to the brickwork and we certainly would not recommend inserting
a damp proof course in this age of property.
XXXX Brentwood, Essex CM14 XXX
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Maintenance to your building
It is debateable as to what the current tenants need to contribute with regard to
the external of the property, we feel you should obtain very specific legal
advice on this matter as we feel the current occupiers will disagree from our
brief discussions we had with them. However we would highlight the
following areas as the sort of thing that would typically come under a
Dilapidations claim at the end of the lease:-
1.0 Annual clearing of gutters and downpipes and gullies if it takes place
2.0 Annual maintenance of the external of the property, such as repointing the
walls, again if it takes place.
3.0 General cleaning
There is equally an argument that the latter work only needs to take place
every five or so years.
Other items such as general clearing of the vegetation to the car park and
surrounding areas could also be included.
Older buildings should breathe
As a more general comment we would advise that the age of property you have
has to what is termed as “breatheable” building. We can see and some
additions and alternations that are not to current best practice.
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Suspended timber floor
You have a suspended timber floor
at ground level which has then had
rear extensions in concrete. A
suspended timber floor needs air
and ventilation underneath it to
reduce the chances of wet rot, dry
rot and woodworm and also rising
damp. Without these this will
occur.
Rising damp and ground level
We noted that to the rear of this property in the area that you have leased out
there is rising damp, however this could be considered as an inherent defect
and therefore there is no liability by the current occupiers to improve the
standard of your building by removing the dampness, however from your part
there is a benefit to ensuring there is ventilation underneath the property
because as mentioned this reduces the chance of wet rot, dry rot and
woodworm.
Filling of bricks with cement mortar
stops the bricks from breathing
Patches of cement mortar
- Re-pointing recommended
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Airbricks acting as gutters
We also have the situation to the rear where the air vents are acting as gutters
which needs some form of protection to stop this from occurring and the
checking of timbers beneath at some point.
Whilst we are discussing the breathability of this type of building we noted
that cement mortar has been used on it which from memory you also recalled
had also been water proofed, which unfortunately is not ideal as these
buildings are meant to take in water and then dissipate it.
Asbestos
We also noticed an asbestos flue. Generally a
landlord and tenant lease requires an
asbestos register, which we recommend for
your own protection as you advise that the
lease is outside the Landlord and Tenant Act
that you have an asbestos register carried out
and ideally remove any asbestos as soon as
possible, as although we rarely come across
instances where it is a problem we feel the
perception of a problem with asbestos can
put people off leases sometimes.
Airbrick acting as gutter
This could be the reason for
dampness in the middle office
Asbestos flue
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What benefit does being outside the Landlord and Tenant Act give you?
Whilst we appreciate that this lease is outside the Landlord and Tenant Act,
which means in turn that there is no protected tenancy rights for the occupiers.
When the lease does come to an end, as in this case, you then have a problem
serving a Dilapidations claim where a Schedule of Condition has not been
carried out.
We would be happy to carry out a Schedule of Condition prior to the leasing of
the property which we would do by amending the current document we have
sent you.
Sinking Fund
We would also recommend that you set aside a sinking fund and advise future
tenants of anticipated work in common areas and to the external elements of
the building when they are taking the lease. This would then, we feel, reduce
the chances of a future tenant thinking that they have an internal only lease,
rather than having this plus other responsibilities.
For reactive maintenance, i.e. blockages of drains and electrics not working,
you need to have a clear process by which this can be carried out.
Current market recommendations
As we have mentioned, in the current relatively difficult market we feel you
should work with your tenants as much as possible (we do appreciate that
some tenants you just cannot work with). Get them to carry out as much of the
Dilapidations Schedule as possible and base this wherever possible on an
existing Schedule of Condition. You should also be flexible and understand
that whilst you can win the dilapidations negotiations claim again this is
pointless if the occupiers are not able to pay the bill and it can be pointless if
the owners cannot pay the bill (apart from the principal of winning) and you
will always have substantial legal costs.
XXXX Brentwood, Essex CM14 XXX
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The Summary Upon Reflection is a second summary so to speak, which is
carried out when we are doing the second or third draft a few days after the
initial survey when we have had time to reflect upon our thoughts on the
property. We would add the following in this instance:
We feel that there are several main issues here:-
1. Without a good Schedule of Condition at the start of the lease it
is difficult to request repairs over and above the redecoration
covenant unless they are very obvious, which in this case they are
not with the exception of the rising damp that is found at the rear
of the property. However we feel this is more to do with the
original type of construction and the ground levels than a tenant
issue and would be classed as an inherent defect.
2. Are the occupiers/tenants required to contribute externally as
unfortunately again without a Schedule of Condition at the start
of the lease it makes this more difficult.
However using common sense and basing the lease from XXXX
it could be argued that there has been a proportional deterioration
during this time and contributions towards costs should be made.
Unfortunately without a willingness of the tenant this would be a
costly and long discussion in the Courts.
3. We can see that there are various general maintenance issues at
the property that would best be dealt with sooner rather than later
to minimise future costs. We would comment these are:-
1. External re-pointing
SUMMARY UPON REFLECTION
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2. Dampness. We would
suggest the addition of a
French drain to the rear of
the property to stop the
dampness getting in.
3. Protection of the airbricks to allow an air flow under the floor,
currently some of them are acting as gutters.
4. Changes to the management of the future lease.
With the new leasing of the property it may be better to, as we
have mentioned, introduce a sinking fund so the
tenants/occupiers know that they will be contributing twenty
five percent towards and also to introduce an annual property
day when you and the tenant that you have inspect the external
of the property and agree any maintenance work.
XXXX Brentwood, Essex CM14 XXX
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As a general comment when proposing work we would always recommend
that you obtain at least three quotations for any work from a qualified, time
served tradesperson or a competent registered building contractor prior to legal
completion.
We would ask that you read this Property Report and the Schedule of
Condition and contact us on any issues that you require further clarification on.
If you would like any further advice on any of the issues discussed (or indeed
any that have not been discussed!) then please do not hesitate to contact us on
XXXX Brentwood, Essex CM14 XXX
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LIMITATIONS
CONDITIONS OF ENGAGEMENT
The report has been prepared in accordance with our Conditions of
Engagement dated XXXX and should be regarded as a comment on the overall
condition of the property and the quality of its structure and not as an
inventory of every single defect. It relates to those parts of the property that
were reasonably and safely accessible at the time of the inspection, but you
should be aware that defects can subsequently develop particularly if you do
not follow the recommendations.
ENGLISH LAW
We would remind you that this report should not be published or reproduced in
any way without the surveyor’s expressed permission and is governed by
English Law and any dispute arising there from shall be adjudicated upon only
by the English Courts.
SOLE USE
This report is for the sole use of the named Client and is confidential to the
Client and his professional advisors. Any other persons rely on the Report at
their own risk.
ONLY HUMAN!
Although we are pointing out the obvious, our Surveyors obviously can’t see
through walls, floors, heavy furniture, fixed kitchen units etc. they have
therefore made their best assumptions in these areas.
As this is a one off inspection, we cannot guarantee that there are no other
defects than those mentioned in the report and also that defects can
subsequently develop.
XXXX Brentwood, Essex CM14 XXX
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15
WEATHER
It was a mild winter’s day at the time of the inspection.
Our weather seems to be moving towards the extremities from relatively mid
range. A few interesting facts in Britain over the years have been:
NOT LOCAL
It should be noted that we are not local surveyors to this area and are carrying
out the work without the benefits of local knowledge on such things as soil
conditions, aeroplane flight paths, and common defects in materials used in the
area etc.
INSPECTION LIMITED
Unfortunately in this instance our inspection has been limited due to only
inspecting the property area that is being leased as denoted in the report.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Our computer system sends two copies of our Terms and Conditions to the
email address given to us when booking the survey; one has the terms attached
and the other has links to the Terms and Conditions on our website (for a
limited time). If you have not received these please phone your contact
immediately.
The work has been carried out as per our standard Terms and Conditions of
Contract which have been emailed to you as part of the confirmation of our
instructions. If you would like further clarification please do not hesitate to
contact us.
XXXX Brentwood, Essex CM14 XXX
XXXX
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APPENDICES
1. Plan
2. External photographs
3. Facilities
4. Summary of Construction
5. Photographic record
6. The best way to proceed.
7. Rising damp, or is it?
8. Rising damp, condensation and damp through your walls
9. French drains
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PLAN OF XXX Brentwood, Essex. CM14XXX
We assume the area marked in red is exclusive use and area marked in blue is a
shared area i.e. to the main entrance and rear courtyard.
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EXTERNAL PHOTOGRAPHS
We appreciate that you occupy the property the photographs give a record at the
point in time of our inspection.
Front Elevation
Rear Elevation Right Hand Elevation
Street View
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19
FACILITIES
(All directions given as you face the property)
The following is a list of the facilities that we have inspected.
Ground Floor
1.0 Shared entrance/vestibule
2.0 Reception area
3.0 Middle
4.0 Rear Office
5.0 Kitchen to rear
6.0 Lobby, rear right hand side
7.0 Toilet, rear right hand side
Outside Areas
1.0 Shared entrance
2.0 Shared courtyard
3.0 Shared car park
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SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION
External
Chimneys:
Two chimneys – removed and capped
Left hand chimney abuts the main property but is next
door’s chimney. Where it abuts it has a cement fillet
flashing rather than a lead flashing.
Main Roof:
Roof Structure:
Pitched, clad with slate
Unknown
Gutters and Downpipes:
Plastic
Soil and Vent Pipe:
Walls:
Plastic, internal
Red Flemish Bond brickwork
External Joinery: Plastic double glazed windows, with and without
trickle vents
Internal
Ceilings:
Originally lath and plaster, likely to be some areas
replaced with gypsum plaster and plasterboard and
many areas now have suspended ceilings
Walls: Solid and studwork (assumed)
Floors: Ground Floor:
Suspended timber floor to front and concrete to rear
(assumed)
Services
We believe that the property has a mains water supply, drainage, electricity and gas. The
boiler is located in the kitchen.
The above terms are explained in full in the main body of the Report.
We have used the term ‘assumed’ as we have not opened up the structure.
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PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD
See Schedule of Condition
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22
THE BEST WAY TO PROCEED
In years gone by the best way to proceed when you have a client that has left a
property in poor condition was to serve a Schedule of Dilapidations. However
in the current market we do not believe this to be the best advice and whilst we
have always recommended negotiation, apart from with the most obvious of
cases and the most difficult of clients, we now also recommend in the case of
small to medium sized clients that you carry out negotiations and understand
the tenant’s/occupier’s financial position and what they can and cannot
negotiate with.
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LEASE SUMMARY
Lease dated: XXXX
Tenant: XXXX
Guarantor: XXX
Lease date: XXXX
Section 1: Interpretation:
The section defines the areas to be considered and relates mainly to internal
only areas such as :-
a) Floor finishes but nothing below them
b) Ceiling finishes and any suspended ceiling but nothing above the ceiling
finishes
This is additionally defined using an Exclusion section, it does however make
reference to Service Charges at twenty five percent of the service cost as
defined in Section 7.
Section 7.3.1 refers to column parts and structural parts of the building. We
feel there will only be a liability where such work has actually been carried out
and it would be best if such work has the relevant invoices etc relating to it (we
have not had any details with regard to service charges over the years).
Section 2: The Grant
Section 3: Ancillary Rights
Section 4: Rights accepted and Reserved
Section 5: Party Rights
Section 6: Annual Rent
Section 7: Services and Service Charge
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Section 8: Insurance
Section 9: Rates and Taxes
Section 10: Utilities – all costs are to the tenant
Section 11: Common items
Section 11.1 advises the tenant should pay the landlord on demand a fair
proportion of all the costs payable by a landlord for maintenance, repair,
lighting, cleaning and renewal of all Service Media, structures and other items
not on the Building but used or capable of being used by the Building in
common with other land.
This needs further clarification by appropriately qualified and experienced
solicitor.
Section 12: VAT
Section 13: Default Interest and Interest
Section 14: Costs – all costs in relation to professionals to be paid
Section 15: No deduction, Counterclaim or Set-off
Section 16: Assignments
Section 17: Underlettings
Section 18: Sharing occupation
Section 19: Charging
Section 20: Prohibition of Other Dealings
Section 21: Registration and Notification of Dealings and Occupation
Section 22: Repairs
Section 23: Decoration
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23.1/2/3 Redecorate within the last three months before the end of the term
23.4 Replace floor coverings
Section 24: Alterations and Signs
Section 25: Returning the Property to the Landlord
Section 26: Use
Section 27: Management of the Building
Section 28: Compliance With Laws
Section 29: Encroachments, Obstructions and Acquisition of Rights
Section 30: Remedy Breaches
Section 31: Indemnity
Section 32: Landlord’s Covenant for Quiet Enjoyment
Section 33: Guarantee and Indemnity
Section 34: Condition for Re-entry
Section 35: Liability
Section 36: Entire Agreement and Exclusion of Representations
Section 37: Notices, Consents and Approvals
Section 38: Governing Law and Jurisdiction
Section 39: Exclusion of Sections 24-28 of the 1954 Act
Section 40: Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999
Section 41: Landlord and Tenant (Covenants) Act 1995
Schedule – Guarantee and Indemnity
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We advise that we have not had legal confirmation that the lease that we have looked
at is the agreed lease. We also would confirm that we have not had any legal advice
with regard to this document.
XXXX Brentwood, Essex CM14 XXX
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27
Rising Damp Or Is It?
Is It Rising Damp?
In this particular article we are going to look at how
dampness can be caused by water leaks. We have
come across two instances recently where rising
damp has been diagnosed. However, when we came
to inspect the rising damp work that had been
carried out, it had been completely pointless as there
was a nearby burst water main that was causing
water to come into a cellar in one instance and in
another instance it was flooding underneath the
suspended timber floor, almost river like.
Dampness specialists will ninety nine times out of a hundred say it is rising
damp
Whichever way you look at it if you are a rising damp company often known as a damp proof specialist
you will recommend the product that you are selling. There are many other reasons for walls to be damp
everything from leaking gutters to a sloping site where the water discharges against the property.
We have recently come across two situations which we feel both warrant an article. They relate to
leaking water supply pipes. The reason we were able to diagnose this is because the supply pipes have
chlorine in them and you are able to do chlorine tests. However, in both instances rising damp had been
diagnosed. In one case a rising damp proof course had been inserted together with re-plastering and
many thousands of pounds of costs, and in the other luckily the work had not started but the proposal
was to tank all the cellar.
Tanking Defined
Tanking is a tar like substance that is supplied to walls to waterproof it very much like a water tank.
Independent Chartered Surveyors and Damp Proof Specialist Surveyors
When an independent chartered surveyor is called in they are really in a unique position as they are able
to identify the real problems and advise on the best solution, as they do not have any product to sell.
Whilst we are talking about independent chartered surveyors, we would also just mention the surveyor
that is sent round by the damp proofing companies that have BWPDA qualifications. Whilst these are
better than nothing they certainly do not compare to the mix of college, university and training with
another surveyor, that a chartered surveyor goes through before they are finally tested in front of an
independent panel.
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Rising damp, condensation and
damp through your walls
Rising damp
This is probably the most frequently diagnosed type of dampness, yet
interestingly there is substantial evidence that this type of dampness does
not exist at all. Jeff Howell, in his book The Rising Damp Myth, spent many
years trying to produce dampness in brickwork, without much success
(which in itself actually was a success!) as part of his research at South
Bank University in London and there has also been much research carried
out by the Building Research establishment (originally were the Government
department that researched building problems and now a private
equivalent), as far back as the 1960's and again in the 1980's, couldn't find the illusive rising damp.
Common sense says there is no such thing as rising damp
We would refer you to such articles, such as those produced by M Richards in 1987 If you can't see it, it
probably isn't rising damp from Structural Survey magazine and P Roper 1984 Chemical DPC's Under the
Microscope Most Rising Damp Isn't from the Building Trades Journal. We would also ask you to carry out
the following common sense questionnaire.
• Very old properties don't tend to have any damp proof course at all, yet many are not damp. Why?
• Some reasonably old properties have slate damp courses; some are damp and some are not. Again,
we would ask why?
• A modern damp proof company puts liquid into a wall to stop rising damp. How do they know when
the liquid has formed a distant barrier around the brickwork?
• Should the liquid be pumped into the brickwork or the mortar joint?
A clue with the answer, think where you typically drill the holes.
But, the specialist damp proof company surveyor used a damp proof meter
and showed me there was rising damp
This is always an interesting question, as the damp proof meters can detect all sorts of things as well as
rising damp. The electronic damp meters that they use are conductivity meters and measure the
conductivity of electricity through materials, which vary. These damp proof meters, commonly known by
the most popular trade name of Protimeter, have usually been set up to diagnose dampness based upon
wood and therefore use what is known as the wood differential scale.
First of all you need to look to see if it has been used on any other material but timber. Secondly, you
have understand how to interpret the readings; both if it is being used on timber or other materials, such
as plaster, paintwork, etc, and thirdly you need to check that the damp proof specialist surveyor hasn't
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Taking a damp meter reading
got his fingers over the conductivity pin to make the unit ring!
Interestingly, we have heard it argued that in a house any moisture that is in the air would be heavier
and therefore settle to the lower part of the house, and therefore the lower part of the wall causing
condensation, so this is what is being detected.
Electronic damp meters, commonly known as Protimeters
It should be remembered that the meters were designed to test for dampness
in timber and they are frequently used to test for dampness in plaster, although
a wood differential scale has been used. There is also the possibility of the
damp proof meter conducting with any metal that is nearby, such as foil backed
plasterboard, or pipes in the wall and there is always the chance that the damp
proof specialist surveyor has accidentally put his hand against the damp proof
meter and obtained a reading that way.
Using a Protometer
Example of wrongly diagnosed rising damp
We have actually seen one case of rising damp that wasn't rising damp in an old property, which had
been extended and altered over the years, and which has resulted in large areas of roofing discharging
onto other large areas of roof (these being the extensions), which in turn made the gutters overflow
whenever it rained heavily and discharge down the wall. This water coming down the wall met up with all
the water coming off the garden where it had been paved and the nearby driveway where it had been
paved, and this all resulted in water sitting against the base of the wall.
The effect was the rising damp in this case, the cause was the overflowing gutters, the patio and the
driveway discharging the water against the walls.
Please see our articles dampness for a more detailed view.
Condensation Commonly, condensation is
misdiagnosed as rising damp. Several
clues to condensation: if there is a lot of
humidity in the room and not very much
ventilation, such as in a bathroom or a
shower, where there isn't an extract fan,
then it is likely to be condensation. If you
can see a blackness to the walls, which
some people would describe as mould,
this is also condensation. The solution is
to improve ventilation, which is ironic
when we spend so much time and effort
in modern properties stopping
ventilation with plastic windows, doors,
etc. Another way of getting rid of
condensation, along with ventilation, is
to add insulation.
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Lateral dampness, also known as penetrating damp or falling damp, as it is
often caused by rain
This is where dampness comes through the wall and could be, for example, a rusted or cracked cast iron
guttering or downpipe. We have also seen it where water has been held by ivy on the property and this
causes spalling brickwork by the freeze thaw action of the water expanding and contracting as it freezes
and thaws. We have found this quite frequently on Victorian and Edwardian properties close to bay
windows, where the original two inch downpipe has either been blocked or replaced badly and is allowing
dampness in. Therefore, this is an area that is worth looking at if this is the type of property you have.
Dampness to valley gutters
Equally, we have found dampness to the valley gutter areas, where it can
get into the walls, particularly where there is, for example, a butterfly roof,
which leads into a hopper head, and this can often overflow and cause the
water to discharge down the wall. Unfortunately, or should we say
fortunately, there is a relatively easy way of checking this, that is next
time it is raining hard you need to go outside and inspect how the gutters
and downpipes are dealing with the water.
Valley gutter
Leaking pipes
This can relate to anything from a leaking radiator pipe or radiators, to
a leaking hot and cold water supply pipe, to leaking drainage pipes, to
the tails of old disused piping set within the wall. With the exception of
the radiator pipes, where we have seen minor leaks, we haven't seen
any major leaks in these areas over the many years we have been
carrying out surveys and we certainly haven't knowingly seen any damp
from leaking pipes. We have heard of pinhole leaks in radiator pipes that
have occurred, although we haven't actually seen it, due to a cheap
supply of piping that came over to the country many years ago.
The area where we have seen problems is with regard to defects in the drainage, particularly in Victorian
and Edwardian properties, where drains have leaked over many years and this has resulted in movement
in the property and the leaking water has forced its way into the property. In one particular case it was
actually the drains from the neighbouring property that was causing the problem and there was an
excessive amount of groundwater pressure that was forcing it up in the kitchen on the party/shared wall.
We did once see an excellent video which showed how an outside water supply for the garden had
expanded and contracted due to the cold, causing cracks within the wall.
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French Drains
Using a French Drain to resolve a Damp Problem
We are finding where we are asked to look at damp problems in general (i.e. damp walls and floors) that
commonly it is due to the external ground level being higher than the internal ground level. It could also
be that air bricks have been blocked, or simply paving slabs, decking or briquettes have been used to
form a patio area which then discharges any rainwater against the building. Quite often the solution is to
add a French drain. Whilst French drains are quite simple and are basically nothing more than trenches
filled with gravel (although there is a little bit more to them as we will explain), they are almost a DIY
job for most people and they are relatively easy to install and are for the most part low cost. You do
however need some care and attention when installing them. You could install what we have heard
referred to as the French pond.
What use is a French Drain?
A French drain is a trench of approximately 6 or 150mm wide (or
the width of your spade), approximately twice the depth (i.e. 12
or 300mm). In most cases this will suffice however where there is
a large amount of ground water, you may wish to make the
trench wider and deeper. A French drain acts as an area where
water soaks away quickly. We often recommend them close to
the building and not next to the building as this helps to reduce
the ground level and it will take any water that is directed at that
area away (for example as mentioned where a patio has been
placed which aims any rainwater to part of the wall). As
mentioned, whilst a French drain is a DIY job it does need some
understand of how it works.
French Drains must be on a slope
The pipe that is at the base of a French drain should be perforated or as we did years ago for land drains,
there should be gaps between each pipe which should be set onto a bed of firm ground and the pipes
should be on a fall to the drain. Whilst you should be able to ensure that there is enough fall by site, we
always like the idea of rolling a marble from one end to the other! You will then need to place the pipes
down and fill the trench with 0.5 (7.5mm) to 1 (15mm) sized gravel. You can leave it at that, or in
addition you can cover this with sand and then turf over it. This is how a basic French drain is carried
out.
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The French Drain System which we would recommend
The French drain system which we would recommend would be as described although we would add to
the base an inch or two of gravel onto which the perforated drainage pipe would rest (the drainage pipe
should be 4 (100mm) to 6 (150mm). We would then wrap around that drainage pipe a filter fabric. This
is to stop the holes in the perforated pipe from blocking up! We would then add gravel around this and
further fill with gravel. In addition to this, we would add a silt trap. This is added in the run of the pipe
and is very similar to a road gully (not that this is of much use if you don't understand how a road gully
works!). The silt trap is a rectangular box with a pipe opening at each end. The drain water passes into
this. Any particles sink to the bottom of the box and then the water travels on to the other side of the
box, enabling it to feed into a drain. These are usually made of glass reinforced polyester (it being
available in this form since the mid 1980's) and then normally reinforced with a steel frame for additional
strength and bedded in concrete.
The French Pond!
French drains will over time clog up, which is why we recommend using a filter fabric however even with
this, they will eventually clog up. Unfortunately there is no Dyno Rod equivalent and it is normally fine
sand organic matter or clay which clogs up the French drain. In this case it will have to be dug up and
the pipe work will require cleaning (or it may be quicker to just replace it) adding a filter fabric and
refilling the gravel.