I don't understand the ground stability / mining reports

zzzt

I'm buying a house. The ground stability report came back with a picture underneath the whole street for "historic surface ground workings". The risk assessment was passed. This initially confused me because I thought the map was showing coal mines, but that's actually the next section that doesn't have a map.

Apparently the surface ground workings were all reservoirs and bodies of water from the late 19th and early 20th century (there's a list of them).

Underneath coal mining it says there are coal mining areas within 75m and it is need of further assessment. That's it for that report.

On to the coal mining report. :j

1. Seam details for past underground coal mining:
Seam - see remarks
Depth - blank
Sect - blank
Date - blank
Remarks - no previous recorded coal workings

2. Seam details for current and future coal mining:
Seam - blank
Depth - blank
Sect - blank
Date - blank
Remarks - Coal in reserve - no workings currently planned

4. Opencast coal mining
Not situated near any previous, current or planned workings.

5. Shafts, adits
None within 20m.

6. Future coal mining activity
Nothing.

7. Past coal mining subsidence
No evidence of coal mining subsidence claims since 1994 (presumably that's when records began? or does it mean there was a claim in 1994?)

8. Likelihood of future coal mining
Unlikely in the foreseeable future.

9. Coal mining risk level
Normal risk.

That's it. It's all it says - virtually nothing. What does it all mean? I don't get it. Where's all the coal mining allegedly happening? Is there a shaft running under the street? Why did I need to buy this report with nothing in it?

davidmcn

Yes, 1994 is just when the records began.

Coal mining area just means you're in a post code where there might be coal and therefore it's recommended that you get the search. But yours is what I would regard as a "clean" search.

zzzt

davidmcn wrote: »

Yes, 1994 is just when the records began.

Coal mining area just means you're in a post code where there might be coal and therefore it's recommended that you get the search. But yours is what I would regard as a "clean" search.

Great, that's good news.

Dan-Dan

Its unfortunate that your solicitor wasnt able to put your mind at rest with it

zzzt

Dan-Dan wrote: »

Its unfortunate that your solicitor wasnt able to put your mind at rest with it

They said that they can only do the searches for me, not advise me, and I have to make up my own mind and tell them if I don't want to go ahead with the purchase, otherwise they'll continue on.

D_M_E

Shafts, Adits
None within 20m

Shafts and adits refer to mine entrances and/or exits.

Does the 20m mean 20 miles or 20 meters - if it's 20 meters I would walk away

davidmcn

D_M_E wrote: »

Shafts, Adits
None within 20m

Shafts and adits refer to mine entrances and/or exits.

Does the 20m mean 20 miles or 20 meters - if it's 20 meters I would walk away

You'd be walking away from everything because 20 metres is the standard radius they search against! There's hardly likely to be (recorded) nearby shafts or adits if they don't have a record of any workings beneath the property.

SmlSave

zzzt wrote: »

They said that they can only do the searches for me, not advise me, and I have to make up my own mind and tell them if I don't want to go ahead with the purchase, otherwise they'll continue on.

This is 100% correct zzzt. Even if a solicitor has training on search reports (unlikely) has great knowledge of the area (likely with local, well established solicitors) they can't advise upon the same as their insurances don't cover them.

This is why any search other than a Local Land Search isn't a legal requirement although lenders often insist on mining searches in relevant areas

eamon

If the property is in the area covered by the Yorkshire, Derbyshire & Notttinghamshire coalfields then then the likelyhood of being near/on historical mine workings is high. It is unlikely that there will ever be mined coal from those locations ever again. Equally it is possible that your solicitor is not from the area, is young and hence never seen a coal mine in real life. Given that there are many thousands of house located on the surface of the coal fields I would be inclined not to worry.