Homebuyer's Report Query

giggletastic

Hi,

I'm a FTB, and paid for a Homebuyer's Report with my mortgage application.

It's come back with the answer "Yes" to "Has the property suffered structural movement", but "No" to it being recent, significant or progressive, and "No" to there being any evidence of, or future risk of, subsidence, heave, landslip, and flood. The surveyor has also not elaborated on the first "Yes" answer.

Should I be worried about this?

Obviously I will call the surveyor and find out what he means by this, but am hoping you nice people can put my mind at rest in the meantime!

They've valued the property at my offer price, and the only recommendation is to do a test on the central heating system!

Thanks peeps,
giggle

Patr100

No.

Older houses certainly eg a Victorian Terrace is likely to have settled over time .
Nothing to worry about if there is no recent movement detected.

giggletastic

Thanks for that! I should have said the house is c.25 years old, and is a semi.

Doozergirl

You should be able to call the surveyor and ask. Houses do settle onto their foundations and then consequently over time - it sounds like the house has simply settled or he's ticked that yes box in error if he hasn't elaborated.

giggletastic

Thank you! I spoke to him, and it was that some trees had been removed many years ago, and the (minor) damage corrected. All good

lovethymini

Our surveyor rang yesterday after inspecting the house we're buying to tell me it has had a subsidence claim caused by shrubs back in '05.

Although the house is now sound, we're finding it tricky getting insurance quotes. Direct Line said that if a house has had subsidence they will not cover it, no matter how long ago it occurred.

lincroft1710

Wherever there is a risk element above the norm in whatever field many mainstream insurers will not want to know.

devon007

lovethymini wrote: »

Our surveyor rang yesterday after inspecting the house we're buying to tell me it has had a subsidence claim caused by shrubs back in '05.

Although the house is now sound, we're finding it tricky getting insurance quotes. Direct Line said that if a house has had subsidence they will not cover it, no matter how long ago it occurred.

Find out who the current owner is using for hous e insurance and ask them to carry the insurance risk on with you! If they have been with the same insurer for years, you may well find the premium is not exorbitant. Alternatively ask your Lender to give you a buildings insurance quote, after all if their valuer accepts it, it should be okay for their Insurer.

Patr100

lovethymini wrote: »

Our surveyor rang yesterday after inspecting the house we're buying to tell me it has had a subsidence claim caused by shrubs back in '05.

Although the house is now sound, we're finding it tricky getting insurance quotes. Direct Line said that if a house has had subsidence they will not cover it, no matter how long ago it occurred.

You're mixing up two different things. As I said settlement is quite common and not necessarily something to worry about or affect insurance premiums.
Subsidence is quite a different matter.
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