House Built on a Disused Mineshaft

ActionCat

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could offer me any advice. I am in the process of buying a mid-terrace Victorian house. We had a coal authority search and a follow-up Mine Interpretive Report which revealed that the house is sitting on a disused mine shaft. The Interpretive Report emphasises that the risk of anything happening is very small but also says that if anything did happen, we would qualify for help from the Coal Authority.

We decided that our decision about whether to go ahead with the purchase or not would be based on whether we could get insurance and whether our mortgage lender was still happy to lend as they probably have a better understanding of the risks involved than we do. So far, we have been turned down for insurance by Zurich but Norwhich Union said they would insure so long as there was no history of subsidence.

Our homebuyers report said that there was no evidence of subsidence...however, cynic that I am, I'm wondering if evidence of subsidence has been hidden. This is because the small section of wall underneath the bay window at the front has been pebble dashed, which I assume is to hide defects...and there appears to be a crack there anyway. Also, the house apparantly had some damp treatment in March which may have included replastering so this could also be hiding cracks/evidence of movement. I have been trying to get in touch with the surveyor but no luck so far.

Does anyone have any thoughts any of this? I'm loathe to pull out of the purchase now as we are so far along now and it's a nice house, in one of the few areas left that we can afford to buy a house. The area is a coal mining area so even if we did find another house, we may come across this problem again...though perhaps the mine shaft won't be quite so close! However, I do feel really uneasy about all of this....

ActionCat

PasturesNew

There are mine shafts like this in Cornwall. What would worry me is not whether the coal board would help me, but whether I'd survive the fall when it suddenly opens up beneath me when I am having a doze one afternoon.

There are numerous stories of people who have large random holes that open up in their gardens....

It will also mean the house is very difficult to sell on if you ever want to sell/move

And - if the mine isn't being maintained any more, it can only deteriorate.

If it were me I'd walk to be honest.

PasturesNew

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/4599407.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1800642.stm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=420263&in_page_id=1770
http://www.shropshirestar.com/2007/03/huge-hole-opens-in-road/

Jonbvn

RICS offer some guidance on subsidence.

I am a strucutural engineer. In my experience, with the house being 100+ years old, if anything was going to happen, it would have done so by now. Furthermore, the Victorian builders were generally the "belt and braces" type (assuming they knew of the existence of of the mine shaft).

I would suggest that you get a full structural survey done by an engineer, to fully confirm whether subsidence has occurred or not.

Finally, I would never personally consider buying a property in such a situation.


Please note that the above is my personal opinion only, and I accept no legal responsibility for the same.

taxi97w

Jeepers creepers! I can't believe what I'm reading.

Head for the hills!!!!!!

Kez100

Not mole hills

ActionCat

Thanks for all the replies so far. I have to admit that, after re-reading what I've written, I can see it does sound bizarre that we're considering this purchase! However, I just assumed that it is fairly common to build over disused mine shafts in mining areas. Anyway, I think we have now decided to pull out of the purchase. I feel really sad about it as the house was great and in a great location for what we can afford. I just hope our buyer is willing to wait while we find another house...

dmg24

ActionCat,

The only person that has given a professional opinion here is Jonbvn, and he has said that you have nothing to worry about.

I am incredibly surprised that Zurich has refused to insure you, as I am insured by them, and my house is on a disused mineshaft!

If you really love this house, I would take professional advice from a structural engineer, and not rely on non qualified opinions.

ActionCat

Hi dmg24,

At the end of Jonbvn's message he said, "Finally, I would never personally consider buying a property in such a situation." That worries me! What also worries me is the impact this mine shaft will have when it comes to selling.
Things all going well, we only intend to be in the property for 5 years max. And with HIPs, the information about the mineshaft will be available immediately for buyers to see.

I think if we knew the house was sitting on a mine shaft early on, we probably just wouldn't have even considered it. The house itself isn't unique enough for it to have the kind of pull for people to ignore the mine shaft issue. It is only because we are so far down the process now, spent so much money and that there are hardly any new properties coming on the market in this area that is really holding us back. The house does have some nice features that perhaps we wouldn't get in another house, but I'm not sure they outweigh that we would be sitting on a mine shaft.

Zurich were the first insurers I phoned to ask if they would insure the house and after a quick discussion with someone else they just said no.
That worries me too.

ashcarrot

I wouldn't touch it , but then im buying a house near a flood plain and landfill...

Wouldn't all the houses in the town be subject to the disused mine shaft though? or would it just be a street (I dont know but I would have assumed it would be a wide area)

Rikki

I live in Nottinghamshire and the place is riddled with working and non-working mine tunnels.

I'm sure if everybody here would never buy a house if they found it was built over mine workings, no houses would ever be sold, but they do and houses have been standing unscathed for hundreds of years.

Personally I have a full survey to satisfy your own fears and eleviate any worries.

If you are really unsure you will have to look for another property, but if you are looking in a mining area you may well come across this problem again.