A family's dream of a perfect home quickly turned into a nightmare when they discovered severe dry rot throughout their new property.
Henrik and Tamsin Smith-Thaudal, along with their three children, moved into the terraced house in Ebbw Vale, Wales, only to find the destructive fungus lurking beneath their dining room table just two weeks later. Builders who began work less than a fortnight ago to tackle the issue have warned the family of a "potentially full house infestation". The insidious dry rot has spread to multiple rooms including two bedrooms, the kitchen, bathroom, study and dining area.
As the extent of the damage unfolds, with walls and ceilings being torn down and part of the roof needing replacement, the family is enduring makeshift living conditions with a camping shower and portable loo. The Smith-Thaudals, whose sons are aged three, 10, and 14, face repair costs soaring to £30,000, reports Wales Online.
In an emotional statement, Mrs. Smith-Thaudal, a 41-year-old NHS commissioning manager, said: "We've been crying quite a lot. The kids are suffering more. They've finally come to a house where they have more space than the flat we were renting, but they can't use it. My husband has been signed off work due to stress and is really struggling. It's been an utter nightmare."
Tamsin looks through the rotten ceiling from the kitchen into the upstairs bathroom (Richard Swingler Photography/Media Wales)The couple, whose home insurers do not cover dry rot, have started a Gofundme page in the hope of covering some of the costs, which will be beyond their savings. As first-time buyers, they believed they had taken all necessary precautions before shelling out £203,000 for the property.
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"We had a survey, we discussed any issues with the house with the sellers," said Mr Smith-Thaudal, who has developed a hacking cough since the builders' work filled the home with dust. The property seemed like a "dream house", with "nice-looking finishing", he said, and it was within the catchment area of their sons' secondary school. The only issues flagged by the surveyor were two windows needing replacement and a floor requiring reinforcement.
"We paid just under £2,000 for the survey and we didn't pay the extra £1,000 for an intrusive survey because we couldn't afford it," Mrs Smith-Thaudal admitted. "Now we have learned the hard way." The couple revealed that the house, which dates back to around 1900, hides a lot of rotting wood behind its surfaces. They are unsure how long the infestation has been spreading, but according to the builders: "it would take a long time to grow this much".
Henrik pictured on the landing (Richard Swingler Photography/Media Wales)It remains uncertain how long the builders' work will continue. If more dry rot is discovered, the family may need to find temporary accommodation. The homeowners expressed their distress, saying it's been heartbreaking to see their house "getting smaller by the hour". They explained: "We are doing this Gofundme as we do not know what else to do. We have set a limit of £30,000, but as the survey work is still ongoing, we do not know if that would be enough, dependent on how much more is uncovered."
They hope that by sharing their ordeal, they can "help other first-time buyers avoid purchases that can be life-changing, in the wrong way".
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