by Rosemary Redfern

Created on: December 13, 2010

Mold is an indication of water where it should not be. This means the property is not watertight and mold has taken advantage of an environment which pleases it.  Such environments are not good for humans. Serious health problems can arise from moldy buildings. The immediate answer is ‘no’ do not buy, the risks are too great for health and finances.

However, there may be circumstances where the damage can be mended.  There are number of factors to take into account. It is worth having a building surveyor check the property to see if he can identify where the damage has occurred and if it is repairable. It the problem is caused by a leaking drain pipe which has allowed water to enter the walls, this might be a simple job to put right. However, mold has a tendency to be persistent and this should be considered; all the mold needs to be eliminated for the good health of anyone using the property. Sometimes water creeps through nooks and crannies through capillary action and the origin is hard to locate.  These jobs require considerable effort to solve and can be very expensive to repair, but a qualified and experienced surveyor should be able to offer good advice as to whether the risk is worth it. 

A contributing factor to buying a property which has mold is the price. If a surveyor considers the issue treatable it may be worth buying. At this point it is important to work out who will pay for the remedial work.  Can the price to the vendor be lowered to take into account the work needed, or is the vendor prepared to consider having the work done. Mold shows the property is damaged.  Buying a damaged property is a risk for anyone with no building expertise.  Perhaps someone with building experience might feel they have the skills to deal with an issue like this, but for the average person not buying is a safer bet. 

There is another issue which might affect the purchasers viewpoint.  Finding a property which is as close to the ideal as possible is a time consuming and emotional occupation. If a property with mold ticks all the buyers boxes with regards to location, layout, accessibility and price, the emotional response to the building might override common sense. The purchaser might feel it is worth taking the risk to have what they want. This is an element which cannot be regulated. 

Buying a property with mold needs careful consideration, expert advice and a cold hard look at the facts of repair. Property is expensive and added costs are never welcome. 

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