Potentially Contaminated Land - Help Please

jockosjungle

Hi All

Just got my Environmental Report back and it says that my property I'm buying could potentially be on contaminated land, to prove this they have included an old map with a coal mine on it in the 1920's.

Actually in the report where it asks if there is any entry in the contaminated land register, it says NO.

They seem to be basing it on the fact that it was built on an old coal mine.

They also want £350 + VAT to do further checks.

The Lending Assessment says

As the property has NOT received a certificate, RPS is unable to confirm that "contaminated land" issues do not have an impact on the security of the property for normal lending purposes.

The property is in St Helens, which is pretty much all old coal mines.

Anyone got any experience of similar reports and what they can do?

I'm loathed to pay a massive fee to do all sorts of checks and I'm pretty sure you can get indemnity insurance for this issue.

Will this report scupper the mortgage deal and the whole house deal going through?

R

G_M

Are you asking if you should withdraw your offer? Impossible to advise without knowing a lot more about you, your requirements, the property, and the report.

jockosjungle

No not looking to withdraw the offer, I'm well aware that the house is built on an old coal mine. Really I want to know if the largely speculative report is going to stop be getting the house and what I may need to do, if anything, to get it rectified.

I'm pretty sure the land isn't contaminated in any way and the report seems to agree, they've just flagged it was built on an old mine and want to charge me £350 to tell me its ok. I'm concerned about the threats about impact on the security for lending purposes."

R

G_M

what I may need to do, if anything, to get it rectified.

Fill in the coal mine?

concerned about the threats about impact on the security for lending purposes."

Presumably since you've had the report done you are a fair way along the process. Either wait to see what your lender says when they see the report, or pre-empt this by asking them.

Thrugelmir

I bought new house in 1989. When I came to sell it in 2005. It transpired that the site of the housing developement had been a chemical works back in the 1850's. (This was in a village of 300 properties to put the matter into perspective).

After considerable debate and investigation. We agreed to pay the indemnity premium to cover the cost of demolishing the house and excavating the garden to a depth of 15 feet and removing the soil. In the event of contamination ever being found. It cost us 1% of the selling value of the property to underwrite the risk.

jockosjungle

Thanks for the information, is it likely to bother a mortgage company then?

timmyt

which company did the report?

CML Handbook for most lenders do not require to see adverse envir reports

is their any independent evidence to suggest your house is on contamintaed land?

you can get enviro contam insurance, your lawyer can get it for relative small cost

jockosjungle

Home Check Professional did the report. It all seems based on the fact that in 1929 they closed a coal mine on the site. There is no evidence to suggest the land is contaminated, the actual report says it is not on the contaminated land register which you would think it would be. They seem to have based it all on an old ordnace survey map.

I've rung the solicitor for the next step

R

jockosjungle

Just an update - I needed a coal board report doing as well (said so in the report) which i accept as needed doing and they were doing a deal for another company to do a Environmental report. They had someone actually review the information in the report instead of just calling it potential and said that it was unlikely to be a problem and gave us a PASS!

R