Coal Search - confused???

skim

We're SSTC & our solicitor contacted us yesterday saying that our buyers solicitor had requested a Coal search report & that we had to pay £47 to have this done unless we already had one from when we bought the house.

I asked why should we be paying for the purchasers searches?

My solicitor said they had already had the normal search but this showed a mineshaft within 20metres of the property & there was an option to purchase a more in depth report & this is what the purchasers solicitors are asking us to provide.

Should we be paying for their report?

What really annoys me is that the mineshaft is not 20metres from the property - it's more like 400metres as my uncle worked for the Coal board & filled it in nearly 50 years ago.

david29dpo

yes, buyers usually pay for all searches, but it this case it may be better for you to pay for this extra search because it could but a lot of buyers off. i had this recently with a house i was thinking of buying which had no less than 6 mine-shafts within 20 metres of the boundaries. i didn't even bother with the extra search and the seller refused to pay for it. the house is still on the market 12 months on.

skim

I've paid for it but am not happy about it.

benood

Seems odd you solicitor missed it when you bought the place, but perhaps your local knowledge meant it was unnecessary for you to do it.

skim

benood wrote:

Seems odd you solicitor missed it when you bought the place, but perhaps your local knowledge meant it was unnecessary for you to do it.

There was a coal search done when I bought the property - just that they didn't request a in depth report that my buyers solicitor is asking for.

maliachammy

It has got to be worth £47 to give your buyer piece of mind though. although i'll admit it is a bit cheeky.

Victoria_Falls

In my opinion you shouldn't be paying for this. The onus is on the buyer to make the checks etc. The only reason I can think of why they have asked you is to whether there has been any claims made against the coal board. The coal mining report (amongst other things) will state if there has ever been any claims made, but it will not state the details, ie cost of repair etc. This will only be disclosed to the current owner / acting solicitor and not the purchaser. This normally costs around £90 though. It is cheaky asking you to supply the coal mining report, but if it is a deal breaker, at £30 tops, its not much to pay and not worth losing the potential purchaser.

skim

I've paid it now so hopefully it'll come out ok.

Strange thing is that my report when I moved into my house in 1994 says there is a mineshaft within 20metres however next doors coal report from 4 years earlier doesn't mention that there is a mineshaft within 20 metre even though that house is supposedly closer to the shaft.