Highly unlikely to be the freeholder's problem I'm afraid.Major repair issues such as pointing are an absolute nightmare to resolve in a leasehold situation unless there is already a management company in place which takes a very robust approach on such matters.However the pointing has probably been "defective" for a very long time and perhaps without causing a problem.The pointing on most older buildings in Ealing is in less than perfect nick, but that doesn't mean that all such buildings are damp.Let us first look closer to home - how long have you owned the flat, and have you recently made any major "improvements" - such as new double glazing for example? Such a change will have a huge impact on the moisture "turnover" that the building previously enjoyed.However, my number one question for you is: "where do your tenants dry their washing?" Don't rely on their answers to this one - find out for yourself somehow. Drying washing inside (even just hanging it over the bath) screws up the decoration (it absolutely ruins wallpaper when hung on radiators) and in my experience tenants either don't realise (too young / mother never taught them properly in the first place) or don't care (not theirs!) that this practice will lead to serious damage.Do you provide an outside area with a line (training may need to be given - see above re 'too young' :-) )that tenants can dry their washing on? if not, what about an (externally vented) tumble dryer or condensing washer/dryer?And all of them to a (wo)man bitterly resent being asked to pay for the damage at the end of their tenancy.Apologies if it turns out to be a 'leaky' building in the end, it's just that in my experience it is usually the (often unwitting) behaviour of the tenants.
Tony Colliver ● 5794d