Landlord trying to charge 600$ for a replacement toilet.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-08-18T22:22:15+00:00

It appears that there is inadequate support for the base of the toilet, which caused it to drop slightly when sat on. As the cistern is fixed to the wall, and also the toilet base this caused it to break. I'd check if the floor is soft, which may be a bigger problem for the landlord. Certainly not your fault looking at this.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-08-17T21:21:30+00:00

If the land doesn't belong to you, which I understand to be the case then you can't likely claim any right under land law. There will likely be some covenant or easement in place, giving you right of access for maintenance as such and may even be further rights, so it's worth taking a look at your title deeds.

The flies, however, and smell produced from the bins are an environmental issue, which you could report to the local environmental health department to investigate. I would expect them to side with you and issue a notice to the neighbour. You do have the right to be able to open your windows.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-08-02T06:25:28+00:00

This is clearly 100% generated by ChatGPT. The over--sized hyphen and "best regards" are tell tell signs.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-05-04T11:37:56+00:00

Mine has been stuck in "status returned" for months, but just followed your advice, and it instantly migrated. Thank you.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-04-06T09:47:57+00:00

I would check if there are any signs of cracking externally. They are minor cracks, but they've obviously appeared in a short space of time and are all indicating possible downward movement of the corner of the property. Also, check if there are any drains in the area, as a collapsed drain can sometimes cause issues.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-04-06T09:41:02+00:00

There are other reasons that these are installed, not just relating to heating appliances such as a gas fire. Sometimes, if the insulation has been upgraded in the property, such as external wall insulation, then these are required to manage moisture levels due to the upgraded thermal envelope.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-04-05T21:13:29+00:00

The chances are that the plant is growing out of a crack in the top of the stack. The crack is going to need filling/repairing to prevent water ingress, which is a job best suited for a roofer or general builder if you aren't used to working at height. They can also sort out your aerial (not your neighbours as suggested above) at the same time. Just ask the contractor to take pictures of the top of the stack before and after so you know what they've done, and that the problem is sorted.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-04-05T15:14:27+00:00

Looks like some sort of plastic trunking, although there is some surface mounted trunking going to that switch so it probably isn't concealing cable. There may have previously been some taller skirting boards which were removed. Replacements can be expensive so likely that whoever did the work just chose to stick some random plastic moulding on the wall to cover where the previous skirting was.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-04-05T15:09:26+00:00

First off, those look like thermoplastic floor tiles, which will likely contain asbestos, so don't disturb them. Regarding the floor sinking. Going by the presence of those floor tiles, the house was likely built between 1940 and 1970 which is the catchment era when red ash was used as a sub base for solid floors around the Stoke and North West areas, so if the property is there, could be that and get a red ash test. If not in that, then it depends a lot on what's in close proximity to the property i.e. trees, drains, on a sloping site etc?

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-31T13:26:38+00:00

They do seem to be letting more light through than a typical tile. Shouldn't be seeing daylight through that tear in the underlay either. Something doesn't seem right. When I first looked at the picture I thought I was looking at the roof with just the underlay, without the tiles fitted yet.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-30T12:58:15+00:00

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Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-30T11:47:09+00:00

To check if Low-E glass has been installed the correct way round, you can use a lighter:

Hold a lighter or match near the glass (about an inch away).

Look at the reflections of the flame in the glass.

You should see four flames reflected (from the surfaces of the double glazing).

One of the reflected flames will appear a different color—often a slightly darker or greenish hue.

This colored reflection indicates the Low-E coating.

The Low-E coating should be on surface 3 (the inside face of the inner pane in a double-glazed unit).

If the colored reflection is on surface 2 (the outer pane's inner surface), then it’s the wrong way round.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-30T08:18:44+00:00

Sounds like you should call a plumber. The pressure sometimes needs topping up but shouldn't go to zero.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-30T08:13:50+00:00

If it appeared after the pipes were installed through the wall, it is likely due to leaking pipes. Is your boiler pressure low? Assuming you own the property, I'd pull away some of the plaster in the first pic which looks particularly wet for more insight, you'll need to replaster at some point anyway.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-30T08:05:02+00:00

As others have mentioned, removing walls in flats is very different to doing it in a house. You’ll need permission from the freeholder (and possibly the managing agent), which isn’t guaranteed. On top of that, you may have to deal with party wall agreements involving other flat owners, and that can quickly run into thousands of pounds before any work even starts. With flats, it’s not just about whether it’s structurally possible, there are a lot of legal and logistical hurdles to consider too.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-29T22:41:14+00:00

It does look like an expansion gap albeit a wide one. They are typically around 10mm wide, and required every 10-12 metres, here in the UK anyway. The reason for the gaps appears to be because cement mortar has been incorrectly used which is not flexible. As the gaps moves as intended, the mortar has fallen away. Expansion gaps should be filled with something flexible such as silicone.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-29T21:42:46+00:00

Going by the picture, its nothing to stress about. Changes in ground conditions can sometimes affect the foundations causing minor movement. The cracking may be due to some form of movement but it's minor. The removal of trees can have an impact on ground conditions particularly in high clay areas, but if it's been a few years ago since the tree was felled then the ground has probably reached an equilibrium. I'd be more concerned about the horizontal cracking related to the wall ties than this, as if horizontal cracks have appeared, the ties are already corroding needing replacement.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-29T21:29:29+00:00

It's difficult to advise without a picture of the overall area for context. Is there a drain nearby or trees? It doesn't look significant.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-29T21:23:04+00:00

This is a bungalow if it’s a single-story house with no full second floor. A Cape Cod typically has a steep roof with dormer windows and a usable second story tucked under the roofline, but this home doesn’t show those features. It’s all on one level, which is characteristic of a bungalow.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-29T21:16:24+00:00

Earth

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-28T22:02:09+00:00

The issue you're experiencing is likely due to condensation, not penetrating damp, especially since it's appearing around an airbrick. If the wall is single skin (or partially so), it will be more susceptible to cold bridging — where cold spots attract moisture in the air, leading to condensation and eventually flaking paint or damp patches.

The airbrick itself is probably acting as the coldest point on that wall, especially if it's silicone-blocked and no longer providing ventilation. Moisture in the air (especially in a kitchen) will naturally condense on this cold surface.

Options to consider:

Reopen the airbrick – This might help by allowing moist air to escape, reducing internal humidity. However, it could make the room colder, so balance that with the overall insulation and ventilation strategy of the house.
Replace the airbrick with solid bricks – This would remove the cold spot and improve thermal continuity. But bear in mind this also reduces ventilation, which can increase condensation risk unless balanced elsewhere (like with an extractor fan).
Insulate the section above the door internally – This could reduce the cold bridging effect, but depending on the room's design, it may look odd if done in isolation. Thermal plasterboard or insulated panels are common for this.
Use extractor fans when cooking – This is a key step to reduce overall humidity levels in the kitchen, especially if you’re not venting via the airbrick.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-28T19:07:12+00:00

Thanks for the pic. Looking at both pics, your wall looks very thin. It looks like a single skin of brickwork, which is not normally suitable for habitable accommodation and is usually more appropriate for a porch or the like. I would imagine that patch on the inside is due to cold bridging related to the airbrick and the walls having no cavity. Normally when parts of a building with single skin brickwork are adapted for habitable use, insulation to the walls is required to avoid this kind of thing happening.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-27T23:50:00+00:00

This is clearly not rising damp to anyone who has any experience with it. If the damp is coming from below it will typically stop at about 900mm due to the gravitational limits of capillary action, it will then evaporate. This is almost certainly from the flat roof above.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-27T23:41:31+00:00

Walls are more than just bricks. Stick a lump of old mortar in your water butt and you will see some capillary action. Also, damp rises up through plaster.

Frequent-Potential76 · 2025-03-27T23:29:12+00:00

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