Subsoil washed away by neighbours mains

Billydog

Hello all,

I need advice on insurance, cover or claiming for damage caused by neighbours leaking water mains that has/is resulting in subsidence.

We bought our victorian terrace a year and a half ago. There was some damp so got this 'sorted' as requested by lender. I have now come to re build an old single story extension to the rear and on digging out the concrete floor, I've found very, very wet soil/clay. I also found an old lead water feed, capped off and not leaking, coming though the party wall from next door. Water can be seen trickling through the wall just above the footings and after excavating next door to find the leak, (with their permission), it would seem the leak is more like a small running stream running under their concrete floor much further back from where I have exposed.This is in the process of being stopped as I type this, BUT, this has been like this for a very long time. Structural engineer coming out to have a look. . .

Any advice very much appreciate. . .

Quentin

Don't mention this to your insurer till you hear the engineers verdict.

InsideInsurance

Sounds like something that your insurers will deem as subsidence which means a large excess to pay and blighting yourself and the property going forward.

Whilst clearly i wont be advocating not informing your insurer of the ground movement I'd be wanting expert opinion etc too

huckster

Unless I missed it, has the actual structure moved or was it just the subsoil.

Under most policies the walls of the house have to be affected by subsidence. Would not cover floors, subsoils being damaged by a leak, unless the walls were also affected.

As Quentin says, let the SE report on what has actually happened and then it can be checked as to what Insurance claim could be made.

InsideInsurance

huckster wrote: »

Under most policies the walls of the house have to be affected by subsidence. Would not cover floors, subsoils being damaged by a leak, unless the walls were also affected.

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/building-subsidence.htm#a

The FOS definition is:

subsidence

Downward movement of the ground beneath the buildings other than by settlement.

It doesnt actually require the building itself to have started moving

huckster

InsideInsurance wrote: »

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/building-subsidence.htm#a

The FOS definition is:


It doesnt actually require the building itself to have started moving

That is just about what is defined as subsidence. It depends on what the policy wording states.