Environmental Search

saver78

Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on this.


I've had the environmental search back on a house I'm buying and it's 'passed' - hooray!


However....there are a couple of potential risks identified: one was a "rare" possibility of minor vein mineral mining where the house is located and the other was the possibility that there could be some in-filled land where the house is, due to something (I think it was a brickworks) from the turn of the last century. And this can potentially cause subsidence.


My initial reaction was how ridiculous, this is historic land use from over a 100 years ago and the house itself is late Victorian with a clean bill of health in the Building Survey (I had the full one done). I'm minded to think it's just an environmental search company being extremely cautious by listing every possible threat, however miniscule.


But then you wonder whether it is something to be concerned about? Has anyone come across similar and if so has it led to any issues?

woodworm001

I asked a similar question recently (though not had any replies). I have this on my envirosearch

What is the potential for natural ground instability in the area within 50m of the property? = Moderate

In our case the house has been there for at least 200 years without any signs of movement so personally I'm not concerned.

Our solicitor did offer a further 'Ground Stability Report' for around £25 though I haven't taken her up on this.

saver78

Hmm...I'm wondering if it's a case of the enviro search people wanting to flag up any conceivable scenario, however minute the risk. I did mention it to the solicitor and I don't think there was another report I could go for in my case that would provide any answers so it was a case of speaking to my surveyor. Although the survey came back clear anyway.

woodworm001

That is how I feel so haven't asked for the additional report. I would be interested to hear if you think it's worthwhile though if you do go for it.

Glover1862

woodworm001 wrote: »

I asked a similar question recently (though not had any replies). I have this on my envirosearch

What is the potential for natural ground instability in the area within 50m of the property? = Moderate

In our case the house has been there for at least 200 years without any signs of movement so personally I'm not concerned.

Our solicitor did offer a further 'Ground Stability Report' for around £25 though I haven't taken her up on this.

I had exactly this, the area is not know for subsidence and when I did a search on homecheck it came up as low which was the bottom category. The way I look at it, every house will have some risk of subsidence so low/moderate would be applied as a very minimum, I was advised to contact the insurance company but didn't bother. My current house came up as medium which I didnlt even know about.