damp on internal wall?

[Fresh121]

My neighbour has damp coming through his dinning room wall and claims it is our fault. The house is terraced and there was flooding last year, when we were all affected some more than others. The neighbour has built an extension to the rear of the property, which was flooded along with the dinning room last year.

Question: Is it up to the neighbour to make a claim on his building insurance?
Do I have to give him mine, as I don't think it's my fault, but an act of nature?
And how should I get back to him without causing resentment?

[buildersmate]

1) Yes
2) No. Ask him to put in writing to you the nature of his claim, then you can consider what to do - an option is then to send the letter to your insurer.
3) Don't go there - not worth starting a war.

[Fresh121]

Buildermate,

Thank you for that post!

In relation to the neighbours dinning room being flooded last year. Would I be right in saying if they have not made an effort to hire a dehumidifier last year to help reduce the damp, it would still be prevalent?

We hired an industrial one and found it to be effective.

I will advise him to contact his building insurance company and leave it at that.

[cassa333]

Not knowing about buildings like this I don't know if they are built with insulation inbetween or not but I would have thought that if you don't have a problem in your house then it would more than likely be his...

[Fresh121]

Hi Casa,

The property was built in the 1900 and is terraced so the walls are thin. As in my previous post there was a flood in November last year, some of the residents claimed through their own insurance to repair any damage caused. I hired an industrial demidifier, which helped reduce the damp dramatically. I don't think they did anything as they are retied. I am going to write to them suggesting they make a claim on their building insurance. The property is rented now so I have decided to write to them.

[4getmenot]

he can make a claim and they will come and investigate if they then find it is your responsibility his insurers will contact yours

[Fresh121]

Thanks 4getmenot

As I�m not going to offer my building insurance. I expect his building insurance will write to me asking for my insurance company details. I just feel they are trying to pull a fast one, as the floodwater was above the floorboard in their dinning room.

The flood water seeped back into the ground, but I know there would always be some form of damp.