How worried should I be?

Leigh1987

Just phoned the solicitor today to see how our house purchase is going and was told that because the coal search mentioned a former opencast mine was near to the property they had contacted the seller's solicitor for a response, then this response would be sent to the mortgage lender to see if it was acceptable. This house is in the North East of England so there is quite a lot of mining about. The house is on a housing estate that was only built 4 years ago and I have not heard of any problems due to old mines. Surely they wouldn't build an estate on land with issues that would affect the likelihood of getting a mortgage?

So, to sum up, how worried should I be?

Jeffrey_Shaw

Well, a similar search was- I hope!- made when you were buying four years ago. It should be with your deeds. What did it say then?

princeofpounds

Opencast is much less likely to be an issue than underground. Can't say for sure but if it's built on a reclaimed site it's likely to have been dealt with as part of such a huge development, and if it's just next door then as long as you aren't teetering on the edge of a pit, should be ok.

Jeffrey_Shaw

But the position has surely not changed in the last four years, has it?

Leigh1987

Well, a similar search was- I hope!- made when you were buying four years ago. It should be with your deeds. What did it say then?

I didn't buy the house 4 years ago, someone else did and I am buying from them. My solicitor has requested copies of the land registry deed transfers already.

Hopefully the house builder did some good investigation work 4 years ago when they built the whole estate as to the condition of the land and that will satisfy the lender.