cracks in wall - when to inform insurance? -leasehold

fimonkey

Hi, not sure if this is the right place but just looking for some advice.

I bought my flat just over 2 years ago, its a 1st floor flat in a converted house, just one other flat underneath. My flat is leasehold and the flat below is the freeholder.

The flat is in an area with known subsidence (so I am told, how do I find out if this is true?).

Since moving in, a few cracks over the corner of the biulding have appeared on both interior (plasterboard) and the brick interior wall, and the ceiling. You can trace the cracks through the bedroom and bathroom and its as if a corner of the building has slipped. You can't see any cracks on the outside wall because it is pebbledash rendered, but you can see where a crack runing the height of teh building but not very wide, on the outside wall (same side) has been covered up in the past.

I've pointed it out to my neighbour (freeholder) who thinks she should get a friend to come and have a look.

Is that sufficient or should we be moving/acting quicker? The cracks are not growing daily, but they are getting longer (not wider).

Would the procedure to be to inform the buildings insurance comapny and get them to send someone to look, or to get someone out ourselves first? If so who?

PS. The drains are along the same side as teh cracks. I had a drains report when I bought the flat and all was OK.

Quentin

Where subsidence is involved, be sure that you really do have a problem for which you can claim before contacting your insurer.

rs65

fimonkey wrote: »

I've pointed it out to my neighbour (freeholder) who thinks she should get a friend to come and have a look.

I hope the friend is a structural engineer. I would get an engineer out asap but as Quentin says, don't mention the s word to insurers before you have to.

huckster

fimonkey wrote: »

Hi, not sure if this is the right place but just looking for some advice.

I bought my flat just over 2 years ago, its a 1st floor flat in a converted house, just one other flat underneath. My flat is leasehold and the flat below is the freeholder.

The flat is in an area with known subsidence (so I am told, how do I find out if this is true?).

Since moving in, a few cracks over the corner of the biulding have appeared on both interior (plasterboard) and the brick interior wall, and the ceiling. You can trace the cracks through the bedroom and bathroom and its as if a corner of the building has slipped. You can't see any cracks on the outside wall because it is pebbledash rendered, but you can see where a crack runing the height of teh building but not very wide, on the outside wall (same side) has been covered up in the past.

I've pointed it out to my neighbour (freeholder) who thinks she should get a friend to come and have a look.

Is that sufficient or should we be moving/acting quicker? The cracks are not growing daily, but they are getting longer (not wider).

Would the procedure to be to inform the buildings insurance comapny and get them to send someone to look, or to get someone out ourselves first? If so who?

PS. The drains are along the same side as teh cracks. I had a drains report when I bought the flat and all was OK.

As has been said already. DO NOT get Insurers involved until you know it is definitely a subsidence issue. If the policyholder for the Building Insurance informed their Insurers of a possible subsidence claim, it would be entered as such on a claims database used by most Insurers. This would cause you problems in the future, if you wanted to change Insurers, plus increased premiums.

If there are no problems showing at the bottom of the ground floor level, my instinct is telling me that this may be a structural problem caused by building works not being done properly when the conversion was done into flats. If the problem is a building defect, this would not be covered by Insurance. You would have to sort this out with whoever was responsible in the freehold/leasehold agreements.

fimonkey

huckster wrote: »

If there are no problems showing at the bottom of the ground floor level, my instinct is telling me that this may be a structural problem caused by building works not being done properly when the conversion was done into flats. If the problem is a building defect, this would not be covered by Insurance. You would have to sort this out with whoever was responsible in the freehold/leasehold agreements.

Ouch re costs, we're 50/50... The building was built c1920's (I think) and the conversion undertaken in 1962..... could it take this long for problems to show?

I've since Googled cracks etc, and aparently if its subsidence the crack at the top would be larger than at the bottom. There was also a mention of drains failing due to the adverse weather last Winter. I live close to the river stour which flooded badly (within 1/2 a mile fo me).

I'll speak to my neighbour and suggest we go 50/50 for a structural engineer to come out and take a look. How much would that cost?

Thanks indeed

huckster

fimonkey wrote: »

Ouch re costs, we're 50/50... The building was built c1920's (I think) and the conversion undertaken in 1962..... could it take this long for problems to show?

I've since Googled cracks etc, and aparently if its subsidence the crack at the top would be larger than at the bottom. There was also a mention of drains failing due to the adverse weather last Winter. I live close to the river stour which flooded badly (within 1/2 a mile fo me).

I'll speak to my neighbour and suggest we go 50/50 for a structural engineer to come out and take a look. How much would that cost?

Thanks indeed

You would need someone qualified to check, as the cause could be anything. If the conversion was done that long ago, it is probably not the cause. A proper structual engineers report may cost about £1000.

Before you pay for a structural engineer to come out, it may be an idea to speak to neighbours and to have a good look at the condition of the property together. Are there are any signs of cracking at ground level ? If it were subsidence, I would expect this to be the case, even with pebble dashing. Perhaps you can get a couple of experienced builders out, who deal with building type problems and get their opinion. As this would probably be free of charge and they are normally busy, it may not be easy to get them to come out.

You do get cracks appearing in properties during the Summer, particularly if it has been very warm, caused by thermal expansion. Just have a google on thermal expansion cracks and you will see many images online. If you are getting cracks in the upstairs flat and there is none downstairs, it may not be subsidence.

fimonkey

Thanks Huckster. That's been incredibly helpful.

fimonkey

An update. After asking around, a friend of a friend who is a structural engineer popped round. Turns out our roof needs replacing and it is this causing causing the cracks (apparently typical of cracks in the upstairs and not the downstairs). He wasn't too concerned, itcost me a cup of coffee, and we are in the process of getting quotes.... thanks for info everyone.