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Hi all, I moved into a downstairs flat last year, and noticed after decorating that there’s a wet patch on the wall in the bedroom where the chimney breast is (it’s boarded up) I constantly leave the windows open in the bedroom as if I don’t it stinks of damp. After mentioning this to my landlord he keeps telling me that it’s the upstairs homeowners responsibility to have the roof and chimney looked at in case there’s water coming in and causing damp upstairs. However after speaking to my upstairs neighbour he’s had someone out to look at the roof and he said he wouldn’t touch the chimney as it’s my landlords responsibility. I’m really confused as to who is responsible to fix this, as I shouldn’t really have to live in a flat which is damp, not sure what I can do as a tenant, and don’t want to upset anybody either but I don’t want to put my health at risk. can anybody point me in the right direction or give me some information so I know who is responsible etc? thanks so much :)

Happy New Year to you all. Please can you help me. I know I am a real novice, but I guess we all have to start somewhere. I purchased a 2 bedroom terrace house in the Rotherham area back in July 2019. I still do not have it anywhere near ready to rent out. The main reason was someone I paid 2500 GBP to damp proof it with a tanking slurry ripped me off. The first person ever in 50 years! Anyway they were meant to use a tanking slurry as I had rising damp and all the downstairs walls had high levels of moisture in them. After completion the plaster began to crack and after getting a family friend to check the job, he told me there was no tanking slurry uses or damp course installed. Instead he removed my plaster and added his own for 2500GBP. Yes fuming but I have written that money off now. So the family friend has quoted me 10,000 GBP to get the property up to scratch to start renting it out. Here are the list of jobs he has said are necessary : 1. Damp Proof Course installed correctly with K11 tanking slurry (whole of the ground floor) 2500 GBP 2. Replace Flat Roof with new boarding and install gutters left and right sides 2000 GBP 3. Install insulation boards outside front and back of property, then render front, back and side 3000 GBP 4. Plaster & reskim all walls upstairs and down to a smooth finish. 5. Redecorate property entirely installing new skirting throughout and painting. All this he will do comes to approximately 10,000 GBP. (He will give me full quote in the New Year) The rental for this property is 450 GBP a month but possibly 500 after the work is done. My friend who uses Property Hub & has told me to post this on here. He has told me nearly everyone will tell me I am mad and nobody on here would pay that kind of money for a property bringing in that kind of rent. I understand that entirely, but it does need a lot of work doing. For starters plastering or perhaps wallpapering again? Only problem is if any damp appears again then it is easier to for me to paint rather than wallpaper. There are patches upstairs where the flat and pitched roof meet (possible water ingress here) that has marked the wallpaper and I have had to strip it. Is it better to get the walls reskimmed and then paint over or cover existing walls with paper again to hide the problems, as this is a rental? The two properties each side of me both had rising damp so I am guessing I will have to pay the 2500 GBP again to have it sorted? The flat roof needs to be fixed as water is coming in at the join with the pitched roof and it is not safe to stand on in parts? The render at the back looks terrible and the side has blown. Can I get away with just repointing the front and not rendering? (See attached photo) So my main question is do I have to spend 10,000 GBP to get this property suitable for renting? I have included a PDF report I had carried out on the problems. If you have any advice, howvever small, I will be so grateful. Do you think people are trying to quote for jobs that do not need doing? How much do you think the cost is to put everything right? I have attached several photos & the PDF report to illustrate the various problems. Thank you very much for reading I look forward to your replies. Damp (Northern Yorkshire Construction) (Report & Damp Issues).pdf

Just trying to get people thoughts on what is considered best to do with chimney stacks? Our house has 2 chimney stacks for 4 fireplaces but none of them are working and we don't intend on ever using them. So we want to stop the draft that they are allowing in and have 2 options. 1-cap the tops and block the fireplaces proudly 2-remove the chimney stacks and tile over roof Removing the stacks would mean a much simpler roof, absolutely no draft or risk or leaks and never having to worry about them blowing over. However we worry people in the future may want working chimneys. So do you think the people of 8 or so years time would like a chimney in a end terrace Victorian type town house or would they rather the no worry and hard work done of the chimney stacks been removed. Thanks for your help