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Right, we rent a property from an association local to us but it is suffering from damp on both an interior and the exterior bathroom wall. We have had the same association plumber sent out both times who advised us that he felt it was the toilet leaking at first, then that there was a leaky bath seal after seeing the wet outer wall on a dry day. He said to remove the tiles on his first visit.
While we were arranging for someone to come and remove the tiles, my partner ran the hot tap one day and noticed a damp patch appearing above the tiles on the inside wall. As the bath wasn't at the time being filled, she didn't think it was the seal and called their repairs line again. When she was on the phone, the girl she spoke to seemed to agree it wasn't a case of a leaking seal. So the plumber came out a second time and repeated his opinion that the tiles needed removed and it was a seal. However he did investigate a bit more and when he tried to remove the bath panel, it had swollen up so much that it snapped when he removed it and had to replace it for us. Yet the first time he came out, it came off with no issue. So clearly water is leaking from somewhere.
Tonight we have started to remove the tiles as asked and to be honest, the issue is much worse than initially thought. The strip at the bottom of the bath was first removed and the wood underneath is rotten. Then the wall clockwise to this also against the bath was next. A large amount of tiles came off with little to no effort by hand. About 15 couldn't be removed they were so well fixed to the wall (from the bottom of the bath to about 1/2 along the bath). In the top corner of the bath where that wall joins the outside wall, the wall is visibly damp from the bath vertically by about 2 feet and down under the bath,as the plumber noticed this while underneath the bath. Along the outside wall, where the taps are situated, the wall smells heavily of dampness and is soaked, not damp. We have continued removing the tiles along the inside of the outside wall, past the sink unit and toilet and the wall is wet right along to the toilet, at least a metre beyond the bath itself. There is also a little evidence of damp beyond the toilet but not a lot.
We have been bathing at my partners grandparents since the 2nd visit, to allow the bathroom to dry out for retiling but if anything, the damp has got worse so we do not think it is a leaky bath seal.
We've arranged for a damp inspector to come out to assess the problem in 2 weeks but I'd like to know more on where I stand legally- ie what they have to do and the like. I have photos as evidence.
Bottom of the bath
Damp visible above tiles but bath unused for 5days
The damp behind the tiles
Behind the taps
The wall with tiles removed
While we were arranging for someone to come and remove the tiles, my partner ran the hot tap one day and noticed a damp patch appearing above the tiles on the inside wall. As the bath wasn't at the time being filled, she didn't think it was the seal and called their repairs line again. When she was on the phone, the girl she spoke to seemed to agree it wasn't a case of a leaking seal. So the plumber came out a second time and repeated his opinion that the tiles needed removed and it was a seal. However he did investigate a bit more and when he tried to remove the bath panel, it had swollen up so much that it snapped when he removed it and had to replace it for us. Yet the first time he came out, it came off with no issue. So clearly water is leaking from somewhere.
Tonight we have started to remove the tiles as asked and to be honest, the issue is much worse than initially thought. The strip at the bottom of the bath was first removed and the wood underneath is rotten. Then the wall clockwise to this also against the bath was next. A large amount of tiles came off with little to no effort by hand. About 15 couldn't be removed they were so well fixed to the wall (from the bottom of the bath to about 1/2 along the bath). In the top corner of the bath where that wall joins the outside wall, the wall is visibly damp from the bath vertically by about 2 feet and down under the bath,as the plumber noticed this while underneath the bath. Along the outside wall, where the taps are situated, the wall smells heavily of dampness and is soaked, not damp. We have continued removing the tiles along the inside of the outside wall, past the sink unit and toilet and the wall is wet right along to the toilet, at least a metre beyond the bath itself. There is also a little evidence of damp beyond the toilet but not a lot.
We have been bathing at my partners grandparents since the 2nd visit, to allow the bathroom to dry out for retiling but if anything, the damp has got worse so we do not think it is a leaky bath seal.
We've arranged for a damp inspector to come out to assess the problem in 2 weeks but I'd like to know more on where I stand legally- ie what they have to do and the like. I have photos as evidence.
Bottom of the bath
Damp visible above tiles but bath unused for 5days
The damp behind the tiles
Behind the taps
The wall with tiles removed
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