Looking at a House with Possible Subsidence Issue HELP !!

morgan_1982

Hi

I have been to look at a house with a view to buying but there may be a problem. I really like the house and am seriously considering putting in an offer but need some help first.

I am currently waiting for copies of all documents relating to the issue so i will add details to this thread as i have them.

According to the Vendor the subsidence confined to the gable end was caused by a collapsed drain. The insurance company paid for all work to be carried out and she was charged £50 water damage excess.

Work carried out was replaced drains by dynorod, and then two walls of the house where 'stitched' at various locations which i am told involves cutting in to the brick work horizontally and inserting the stitch and then sealing with resin.

The house was then tracked for a further year with monthly measurements to check that the was no continued movement and was recently passed and given a ten year garentee.

I am a first time buyer and so am un experienced so any help advice or questions to ask would be very very greatly appreciated.

I understand that it may be difficult to help on the supplied information, but if there is any important facts left out please say and i will find them out.

morgan

maryjane01

Check what the situation is with the insurance. You should be able to use the current insurer so you should get a quote from them. We bought a house which had crack repairs completed due to possible subsidence. The insurer the vendor used quoted us over £800:eek: We had a full structural survey done which showed no signs of subsidence, provided this along with the crack reports from the previous owners and we were luckily taken on by a new insurer for about £270 a year.

I was quite ignorant with subsidence issues but lucky for us it has worked out fine (for now). Get that insurance quote and assume the worst, that is you will be stuck using that insurer and paying their fees year after year and deduct from your offer accordingly if the premiums are high.

morgan_1982

on detail i forgot

the property according to the vendor has not been underpinned.

does this mean that the subsidence was not serious?

thanks

Debt_Free_Chick

morgan_1982 wrote:

on detail i forgot

the property according to the vendor has not been underpinned.

does this mean that the subsidence was not serious?

thanks

There are different types of subsidence and this one is one of the least serious. Essentially, the ground only shifted as the drains leaked and the land became waterlogged. Now that the drains are fixed, there is no reason why the problem should recur.

If it were a localized land slippage/heave, you and any other property owner would have no control over that and you would expect continual movement, with some serious underpinning!

epz_2

expect to pay well over the odds for buildings insurance if you can even get it and dont even think about forgetting to mention it or it will void your policy.

if i were you i would phone round insurance companys and check to see if its a goer or not.

that said it does seem a lot less serious than the issues we have up here with undocumented mine works collapsing etc.

morgan_1982

I am getting copies of all documentation tomorrow so i guess the rest of the day is calling insurance companies.

That seems like the biggest stumbling block so far

Jonny_B_3

I'm looking at same sort of thing:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=380551&highlight=underpinning