Damp patches

[gilliflower]

I know it is difficult to guess at the cause of this sort of thing without seeing it, but I have some damp patches which have recently appeared just above the skirting board in my sitting room and also in my downstairs hallway. The sitting room patches are on an outer wall (end terrace), but the hallway ones are on the wall between hall and sitting room. Any ideas? Is it going to cost me a fortune to get it fixed?

[Old_Geezer]

Damp on an internal wall ? Is it condensation ? Or do you have a flooded basment ?

The other could be penetrating or rising damp. I'd get an expert to check it out if I were you.

[AlBags]

Ask someone local that's competent first!
Might end up costing you a lot less.

[johnk]

On the outer wall has anything bridged the damp proof course? A heap of soil, sand, bricks, or anything else. Do you have central heating and is it leaking somewhere?

[gilliflower]

Thanks everyone. I don't think it's condensation, Old_Geezer, and I don't have a basement . What's worrying me is that it might be rising damp as a couple of you have suggested. I've looked at the outer wall, johnk, and I do have plants growing up that might be bridging the damp proof course. I think the central heating is OK. One thing I have noticed this evening is that the front garden is very wet, even after two days of sunshine, and I wonder if there might be a leaking water pipe. I'll get Thames Water to check.