Damp and mould are among the most common problems in London homes, and among the most often misdiagnosed. Many damp surveys are offered free of charge by companies that sell damp-proofing, which does not make for impartial advice.
Our damp and mould surveys are carried out by an independent chartered building surveyor with more than 10 years’ post-qualification experience, working to the latest RICS and Property Care Association (PCA) guidance and practice notes. The aim is to find the actual cause and recommend the most proportionate way to put it right.
The most common cause of mould. Moisture from cooking, bathing and drying clothes condenses on cold surfaces, typically in corners, behind furniture and around windows. It is usually a combination of ventilation, heating and insulation, so both the building and the way it is used play a part.
Water getting in from outside through defective roofs, gutters and downpipes, failed pointing or render, leaking window frames or bridged cavities.
Moisture drawn up from the ground through walls without an effective damp-proof course. Genuine rising damp exists, but it is diagnosed far more often than it occurs. High external ground levels, bridged damp-proof courses and cement renders on solid walls are frequent culprits, and often need no chemical injection at all.
Hidden leaks from water supply pipes, heating, waste pipes and showers can easily be mistaken for other forms of damp.
The surveyor inspects the affected areas and the building as a whole, inside and out, because the cause of a damp patch is often some distance from where it appears.
Damp and mould are a recognised health hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, and the law is tightening. Awaab’s Law requires social landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould hazards within set timescales, and the Renters’ Rights Act contains powers to extend similar requirements to privately rented homes.
An independent survey gives landlords and managing agents a clear diagnosis, a record of the condition of the property and a proportionate repair plan. Tenants can equally rely on an independent report where there is disagreement about the cause.
Guide fee
Diagnosis and recommendations for a typical house or flat. The fee depends on the size of the property and the extent of the problem, and is confirmed before you instruct.
A single, isolated damp patch may be better suited to a specific defect report, from £500 + VAT. If you are unsure which you need, tell us what you are seeing and we will recommend the right option.
Tell us where the damp or mould is, how long it has been there and send photographs if you can. Enquiries are normally answered within 24 to 48 hours.
You receive a fixed fee and the surveyor’s terms of engagement. You instruct and contract with the surveyor directly.
An inspection inside and out using moisture meters and, where useful, thermal imaging.
The type and cause of the dampness are identified and set out in a clear report with photographs and recommendations.
Questions on the report are answered, so you can act on it with confidence.
Tell us the address, where the damp or mould is and whether you own, rent or manage the property. Call us on 020 7373 7373 or complete the form below and we will come back to you within 24 to 48 hours.
Specialist surveys are carried out by our associate chartered building surveyor. You instruct and contract with the surveyor directly, on his own terms of engagement.
Other specialist surveys: party wall surveys, specific defect reports, spray foam insulation surveys and licence to alter surveys.
Both can cause mould, but the remedies are very different. Condensation is controlled through ventilation, heating and insulation, while penetrating or rising damp needs a building defect to be fixed. The survey establishes which it is, or whether more than one cause is at play.
Often not. Many walls diagnosed with rising damp are actually affected by condensation, leaks, bridging or high ground levels. Remedial treatments are only recommended where the evidence supports them.
Free surveys are usually offered by companies selling treatments. An independent survey is paid for, but the surveyor has no interest in what you buy, and the right diagnosis often saves far more than the fee.
From £600 + VAT for diagnosis and recommendations. A fixed fee is confirmed before you instruct.
Mould can aggravate asthma, allergies and other respiratory conditions, particularly for children, older people and anyone with a weakened immune system. That is why it is treated as a serious housing hazard and why the cause should be dealt with promptly.
Yes. Tenants, landlords and agents can all instruct a survey. The report is independent and sets out the cause and the remedy, whoever pays for it.
No. The inspection is non-invasive. If opening up is needed to confirm a hidden cause, the report will explain where and why.
Survey reports often recommend further investigation of damp. A specialist survey before exchange tells you what is causing it and what is likely to be involved in fixing it, so you can negotiate or proceed with confidence.
