Mining Shaft Next Door

Interest

Hi all,

I'd like to advice on how to proceed, if anyone can offer any.

I've found a property I'd like to purchase, during the viewing the EA told me that the seller had a previous sale fall through (2014), as the lender pulled out due to a mine shaft being in next doors garden. The house is semi detached but not with the property in question, although the gardens are joined.

The house has been put back on the market since July this year and hasn't had any offers.

The property is in Wales and mine shafts seem to be everywhere from what I'm told so I am not sure what my options are.

I'd like to buy the property but if I have an offer accepted and pay for the legal work (selling my current property and buying this one) and the lender doesn't like the mining search I lose the money I've paid I would imagine.

Can anyone offer advice on possible steps to minimise my risk here? The solicitor mentioned a mining interpretive report that I could pay for and send to the lender, however, I'd be concerned they would want their own surveyor to go and investigate, at my cost

Thank you.

gibs83

The same thing happened to us when we bought ours. The shaft is under next doors house.

Not sure if the buying process is different in wales (sounds like it is from what you've said) but we just paid for the mining report which was about £20. This told us the shaft closed in the 1952, was within 20 metres and risk of subsidence rare but could not be ruled out. Any issues would be covered by the coal board insurance scheme. Our solicitor gave us no advice and said its up to us.

We then got the interpretive report which was £75 i think which was a waste of money imo. It was one sheet of paper which said it was an unknown mine entry, unknown depth and unknown if capped or not.

We asked the neighbour who said they got a letter years ago about it but never thought of it much after that. It did put us off but when we looked on the wider area map there were loads of entries/shaft etc in the streets around ours. A few houses obviously have the same issue here (Durham).

Anyway we were put off but decided to lower our offer or walk away. We knocked 10% off and the vendor accepted. The money was going toward care home fees so not sure the family were that bothered.

We've owned the house 2 years. We got a mortgage without any issues and remortgaged in May, again with no issues. Neither lender queried it. We were a bit worried about selling in future and people being put off. When we remortgaged Halifax accepted a valuation 35% higher than we paid 2 years earlier. we've done quite a bit of work to the house. Its meant our ltv is ok and we could just move it to a decent BTL with the extra monthly rent going towards capital repayment rather than ever having to sell. But I don't see it being a problem as houses seem to sell around here and there are a lot of mine entries.

Interest

Thank you for the reply, that gives me some confidence.

The property I want to buy has had mortgages on in the 80's and as recently as 2002, the property next door with the mine shaft was bought after 2002, I presume with a mortgage - so I'm confident.

It doesn't look like insuring the property will be a problem either as it's showing no signs of subsidence, heave or landslip.

If anyone else can share any experience I would appreciate it.

unknownl25

Hi everyone. I'm just wondering if anyone can help or provide reassurance?

im in the process of selling my house & the coal search has come back advising a mine entry is within 20 metres of the property & the buyers lender would like a mine entry interpretative report. My house (& full street) is highlighted as a moderate risk as recorded to be within 20 metres of a coal seam outcrop. I had no issues at all when buying the house & I don't really know what any of this means so if anyone could explain it'd be much appreciated.

thanks