House Underpinned?

chocoholic1_2

Our buyers survey came back saying the flat had been underpinned. This worried the buyer and she wanted more details.

The problem is, our solicitor can find no record of this. The management company (who would be responsible for all building work) is run by the same solicitors, and they have no record of it. Is it likely they did it without keeping records?

Our survey when we bought mentions 'minor structural work similar to other flats in the location'. Our survey did not convey it as being an issue, it was more concerned with some missing coving and other minor issues.

Apparently they are sending another surveyor round to give their opinion. But we are worried about losing the sale, it all takes so long! We are relocating, so we have to sell!

olias

How long have the solicitors been running the management company? I can only think the underpinning was done prior to them taking over the running of the company. If this was some time ago, then it is evidence of historic work that is now stable (and has been for certainly as long as the solicitors have been acting as management agents). I don't see this as being a great problem (unless your buyers are terrible worriers!).

I would just get your solicitors to explain the above to the buyers solicitors. I'm sure if they word it correctly then there won't be an issue.

Olias

chocoholic1_2

Thank you. I'm not sure when it was done, but probably before the management company took over. We've never had any problems in 7 years, will have to check with the couple upstairs, but as far as I'm aware there have been no problems.

Apparently the surveyor is coming back when she comes back off holiday.

Thank you for your reassurance. Hopefully the buyer is just making sure everything gets checked.

cattie

Sometimes the word underpinning can be used inappropriately by solicitors & council departments. One house I was selling had a solicitor querying underpinning done to the property. I was shocked as no mention of underpinning had been mentioned to me when I bought the house.

It turned out to be to do with the supports put in when some chimney breasts had been taken out by the previous owner, the local council had this down as underpinning & I felt quite miffed at them using a word that scares the living daylights out of many buyers & was misleading as to what work had in fact been carried out.

ankspon

Before my parents bought there council house they had to pay for it underpinning,even though 4 years earlier the council supposedly underpinned every home on the estate.
It was found that no work was undertaken by the council even though they dug all the holes at the front and back of the property,they just filled them back in without doing the work

chocoholic1_2

Well it seems our buyer is particularly nervous because she pulled out! We are absolutely gutted. We are relocating, and on a short time scale, and now we've lost 2 months and have to start all over again!

I talked to the people upstairs, it seems the house was underpinned about 19 years ago, no problems since, but there is a small crack. Apparently the other flats in the close also had some work done (which is what our survey says), but ours is the only one actually underpinned. Apparently it was because it was built on marshland, and was done by a reputable company, paid for by the builders.

I don't know why there is no record of it - or if there is, why no one could find it.

I'm so gutted, I can't believe we are back to square one.

cattie

So sorry to hear your buyer's pulled out chocoholic. I can imagine how gutted you feel.

Remedial work that is 19yrs old really shouldn't worry people, but sadly it does.

For myself, as long as the insurance company is willing to continue with insuring the property, past remedial works wouldn't be a big issue for me if I liked the place enough.

chocoholic1_2

Thank you Cattie, it's nice to know there is a buyer out there who is prepared to buy an underpinned house. It's just that under our time contraints, we don't have time to find them.