Do you know whats causing the stench..damp?? Damp can be a major issue in the home. Find answers to questions or post your own here.

[Sonja]

Hi
Im a newbie here and at my witsend. We bought our house last November and have a small front bedroom we cant use because of the terrible smell in the room. We were told by the prev owner her elderly mother had spilt acrylic thinners in there and that what the small was, and like fools we believed her. We cannot get rid of the smell.
A carpet fitter and electrician said it was damp but theres no show of damp. I got the mortgate comp to resend a surveyer and they sent the area manager who said there was no reading of damp in the room and he though it was a more chemically type smell. Told us to redecorate and it would go. But I dont think he knew that for certain.
Would he lie and is it damp, I dont know..
The room gets the afternoon sun and has that niineteen sixties wooden cladding over the brickwork and we wondered if water had got in behind this and into the cavity?
If I find my camera lead Ill post a photo. The smell is so bad that I cant go in there without the window fully open. We keep the window open on sunny days and we also heat the room.
Any ideas would be welcomed as we cant use the room at all.
Should be take the external wooden cladding off and seal the outside bricks?? Should we have the whole room replastered,somebody help!

[welsh brickie]

Hi difficult to say where smell is coming from,is it next door?
Try lifting a floorboard could be a dead mouse?.If its that bad call the council out enviromental health they could probably ditermine the smell.
Sorry.

[Sonja]

Hi and thanks for your reply.

Your idea is one we havnt thought off and is actually worth a go.
I called the enviro health and they then sent me a form to complain about the smell comming from my neighbours house. :? I have asked the neighbours and they dont have a problem in the adjoining room and they dont come accross as having a collection of dead bodies statched away in the wall cavity.
Its getting to the point where Im thinking do I call the police and ask them to come round!!! to see if its anything more dubious.
Iv wondered if the wall ties had gone wether that might be the problem.