Cheque made out to me in sterling can i put it in my spanish account

We bought two apartments at  opposite ends Block 5 and took possession in July 2006.   Due  to difficulties in getting snags rectified neither is yet ready for letting.  

In October 2006 we  reported  damp patches with cracked plaster and peeling paint in both apartments around the patio doors.  A patch-up job was done and the ground floor apartment seemed fine at end 2006.  We also  understand that in another apartment in Block 5 the curtain pole has detached from the wall due to soft plaster.  Our first floor apartment is STILL problematic; we are informed that Interlaken have taken photographs to send to their head office in Barcelona with a view to claiming from their insurance.  This suggests a major problem and I would warn all of you to ensure that you are damp free; this may mean inspecting behind your curtains.

We have been very tolerant with reporting snags and expecting things to be put right, in fact we were even supportive of MLH on this message board - we found this  strategy DOES NOT WORK.  In hindsight we would not have completed until everything on our snag list was done to our satisfaction.

We will be checking things out personally next weekend, an unnecessary expense.  We shall report back on progress (or lack of it) thereafter.

Michael and Hazel

We too are having damp problems in our first floor apartment in block 21. Our snagging has revealed inadequate sealing around windows & doors. Interlaken has undertaken to do the work within 30 days, and we're following-up closely as we can't get out until the beginning of April.Will advise of developments/progress.

How can you possibly put up with this?

I have DSS tenants who would not, they would be calling the local council environment section down on my head.

Surely you should call in a surveyor with his damp meter and calling into question the habitation certificate.

Can we not act together against this rip off?

Is it only the English who put on a brave face and say nothing whilst their pants are taken down?

What to do?

We visited our lower penthouse (Block 5) at the start of March and viewed the damp patch with paint peeling off and mildew evident.  The problem is serious in our opinion as there is obvious sign of damp on the outside wall under the external stairs.  We walked around the development and noted the same problem in many other blocks.  The problem is most noticeable on walls which do not have direct sun on them (see photo in Shared Photos).

We are informed that Interlaken have taken photographs and are planning to claim from their insurance - given this is Spain it will probably take an eternity.  We enquired of Ammex about claiming of our community buildings insurance in order to speed up the rectification process.  We were  told initially that they would send the insurance assessor then received a further email telling us to claim from our our insurance.  We can't understand why we  should have insured the building twice?

Has anybody had their damp problem resolved permanently?  If so, what was done to rectify it?  Can anyone demystify the insurance issue we mentioned above?

Michael and Hazel

We had a very similar problem with our lower penthouse in Block 13. We had quite severe damp around the skirting line of the internal walls in Bedroom 1.

Problem was caused by defective damp proofing at the joint between the external stairs and wall allowing rainwater to penetrate the building structure. Interlaken solved the problem by remoning the external render all of the way along the stair line to approximately one foot in height, re-applied the bitumen based waterproofing and reinstated the render.

Last time we visited in late February everything had dried out sufficiently such that only localised repainting was outstanding. This despite recent heavy rainfall.

If Interlaken are making an insurance claim for this issue it should not affect the speed with which they should correct the defective waterproofing. I (rather cynically) believe that our problem was resolved promptly because the apartment below was probably being damaged by the water ingress and may well have held up completion!

With regard to insurance cover, my understanding is that cover is/should be provided as follows:

Ammex insure common and communal areas.

Apartment owners insure their own apartments.

Interlaken insure the works (common areas and apartments) for construction risks prior to handover/completion.

I hope this helps.

Defects of this nature are covered by the Developer which is similar to the NHBC Guarantee we have in the UK.

To quote the MLH website from the original blurb and is the norm now in Spain for new build:

"Builder responsible for any defects found by owner in the first year"

"Developer is responsible for any defects affecting habitability in first 3 years and serious construction defects for 10 years."

"Builder and developer have neccessary insurance (same framework as NHBC)"

The fault you are referring to (as S Longhursts states) is almost certainly the lack of a DPM (Damp Proof Membrane)

At lower levels and on a horizontal course this is easy to insert and is normally 150mm above ground level. When something abuts to outer wall at higher levels and particularly if its on the rake, (such as a lower roof or concrete stairs) inserting this DPM becomes a problem. In the UK this is resolved by using a system of "Stepped Cavity Trays" but they dont appear to use this system in Spain from what ive seen.  Also, It is far more difficult to insert this DPM when the abutment is at an angle such as a flight of stairs, as the stairs cross all the horizontal courses.

The water lodges against the outside wall and eventually seeps through and runs down the cavity (if there is one) and if there is an obstruction in the cavity (such as a concrete floor or just a build up of mortar) it will then bridge the cavity at this point and pass to the inside wall. The internal leaf will always be built on top of the concrete floor so if the damp doesnt show higher up the wall, it will almost certainly show at skirting level.

The answer is as S Longhurst points out and that is to ensure that where water can lodge against the main wall, this point must be protected with a bitumen based water repellent or DPM. It is not a big job to insert this membrane if the problem arises and probably just a case of getting Interlaken to do it ASAP. The other thing to check out is whether the render is waterproof. The render should have a waterproof additive in it for obvious reasons.

I am over next on the 1st of April and will have a look around to see if there is an obvious defect although it may be difficult to tell if the DPM is there or not, the obvious sign is inside the apt after rain. I have inspected my Apt and didnt spot any damp but dont have any stairs attached to mine and therefore dont have the same problems as others.

In relation to the windows and patios, these should have a DPC around them to prevent water passing through from the outside skin to the inside skin. The fact that these walls are rendered as well suggests to me that it is the mastic sealing around the windows and doors that is probably the main cause of the water coming in. I checked the mastic sealant around these openings on mine when over in sept 2006 and they were done quite well and ive not had any signs of damp showing through even after torrential rain in Jan 2007. Spain have been using DPC's for some years now due to the guarantees they now have to offer, whether they were done tho is down to the building inspectors who monitor the construction. I would imagine that elevations facing east will get the most driving rain and therefore more likely to have problems as the wind on CDS is predominantly from the east.

Ian

Ian

That was very useful info, thank you, although a bit technical for me in places! So if we have a bit of damp around the patio doors in the living room, on the second floor, does that make it simple or not so simple?! There is also the odd patch of damp on the lower terrace where the wall meets the tiled skirting of the terrace, mainly in corners. How easy is that to rectify?

Thanks,

Emma

Hi Emma

I would say simple to rectify. Get someone to check and reseal all your windows and patios and preferably someone who is used to british weather conditions as we know how important it is to seal correctly. It shouldnt take long to do but the benefits are enormous. It is best to try the simplest and obvious remedies first before chopping off render to check for DPC's.The Spanish tend not to think of rain when they build unlike us in the UK who regard it as highly important.

With regard to the terrace areas it is best to mastic seal all round the terrace where the floor tiles meet the walls as this is where the water can lodge and seep through. Also, this is an area that is constantly missed with grout by the floor tilers. A vulnerable area is under the patio window where it is easy to bodge up with mortar should there be a gap under the patio and this would be easy for water to get through if not properly sealed.

I can recommend a guy who used to specialise in double glazing in the UK and now lives in Spain and is obviously used to applying sealant to the above.

His name is John Jones and he has done quite a lot on CDS with regard to these sort of jobs inc bath and shower screens and bay to utility room etc.   0034 678 771 402

Hope this helps

Ian

Thanks Ian,

That is really helpful. I've already been in touch with John Jones and had several emails about breakfast bar / laundry enclosure, thanks to one of your earlier recommendations to someone else and he was also recommended by Sharon who lives on site, so I think he'll be doing bits in our apartment after completion anyway, so I'll get him to check the seals etc while he's there.  I've also been in touch with Sean at Imperial, who was incredibly helpful.

Regards, Emma

Technically there should always be 150 mm clearance between horizontal levels against walls and the horizontal d.p.c. this allows for rain splash-up after hitting the ground. Thus preventing rising damp up the wall. If the inner floor is at the same level as the outer ground level then the 150 mm protection is provided by a vertical damp proof course as has been done in one case here. This vertical d.p.c. should also be provided wherever horizontal levels, such as exterior stairways abut the house walls.

However all levels should drain away from the property to inhibit any possible ponding standing against the walls or under patio doors etc. All sealing should be in tact at all points, even the ones difficult to reach such as under the patio doors.

This is all standard stuff that should have been provided and approved before any occupation certificate was issued. It is fundamental construction and not "snagging". No properties should have been legally completed with these issues outstanding.

Happy snagging.

ps

I would just add that chemical additives whether included in the render mix or brush applied afterwards are no substitute for a properly constructed property with the obligatory properly applied damp proof membranes even in climates that may be generally kinder than the UK.

I am informed by Sharon who is managing my apartment (Ground floor) that there is a serious damp problem involving a damp smell and green mould on light fittings curtains etc.... does anyone else have this specific problem...  are Interlaken sorting these damp issues to anyones satisfaction....

An apartment in that state should be re-inspected by the official who granted the habitation licence, since it is clearly a health risk. Perhaps your agent should do this. Though you may still need a survey report.

Surely this is too much to bear even for those who enjoy do-it-yourself?

Good luck.

This is not a problem specific to our site, we have friends who own an apartment which is 8 years old near Estepona and they said that during the winter things go mouldy if the apartment is not used / aired because of the inherent humidity which is worse in winter. There has been exceptionally wet weather there over the last month, I've witnessed it, having been out for 12 days until Friday! It was indeed very damp there even when not raining and difficult to dry clothes, etc even outside if the sun was not out. This is not necessarily an issue with our site but a spanish climate issue.  A dehumidifier may be the answer.

Emma

The problem is surely not site specific, otherwise all 500 or so apartments would be affected, wouldn't they?

For similar reason it surely cannot be area or country specific, otherwise dehumidifiers would be standard equipment and known to all including the agent responsible.

Perhaps it really is apartment specific as the agent says.

It is very difficult to see why a brand new building to today's standards of insulation, ventilation etc. should have serious inherent damp problems, unless there is some fault or faults.

I trust some one will help find the answer but a surveyors damp meter is simple to operate and a good deal cheaper than a dehumidifier. Worth trying as a first resort, perhaps?

We reported our damp walls at the start of January.  Interlaken slapped some paint over the damp and left it.  At the start of March the damp was worse; this was reported and Interlaken took photos (we are told) with a view to claim off their insurance to get it fixed.  Guess what?  Nothing has been been done by them in the two months!  We need the apartment habitable so we commissioned Steve Garrot of Paintbusters (0034 670 885 219) to chip back the soft plaster, prepare the walls, replaster and paint.

The cause probably hasn't been rectified as damp is getting in from ouside - see photo on Shared Photos.  The same problem is present in many blocks, usually north facing.

The lesson we learned is Interlaken are not in a rush to do anything to rectify their shoddy workmanship. They will promise but don't deliver.

Michael

Dear Michael,

If rainwater is passing through your wall as you suggest then it is a serious problem. Any wall that is soaking up rainwater like this is defective and perhaps Interlaken are right to call in their insurance company, they should also be calling back the site supervising architect/engineer and advising the Local Authority.

Investigation should be made by taking out a core through the wall and inspecting the cavity, if there is one. If the wall is solid then the core should be tested. If the materials are faulty and too permeable then the only proper solution is demolishion and rebuild, whether partial or full. Paint and chemicals etc. are only a bodge up and will not last. We all need a proper solution to this problem not just a patch up and wait for the famed 320 days of sun. If structural concrete is found to be weak and faulty then it is definitely a case of full demolishion.

Try to find time to press on and get it sorted for everyones sakes.

Norman