Possible subsidence

Locornwall

I am planning on buying a house next door which was underpinned 30 years ago and the house next to that is being underpinned at present. The house I wish to buy had a full survey done 2 months ago. The surveyor said there were some small cracks, however this wasn’t due to subsidence, but just because it’s an old house.

I will have a homebuyers report done with the mortgage. I was just wondering how things could turn out? If the report comes back without any mention of subsidence, I take it I’ll have no issues, however, if in years, despite the house being there for over 100 years I’m worried a little some subsidence issues may develop. Would an insurance company cover this?

Will I have problems getting insurance from a mainstream insurer? I understand they ask about possible subsidence, however if the report comes back all clear, then as far as I’m concerned I need not report anything to them?

If the report comes back and mentions subsidence will I have any issues getting a mortgage, as I’ll need insurance for that?

Any thoughts most welcome.

Slithery

You are far less likely to get subsidence issues in a house that has already been underpinned than one in the same area that hasn't.

Surely this is a bonus rather than an issue...

Locornwall

I’m sure the house I wish to buy hasn’t been underpinned.

Norman_Castle

I am planning on buying a house [next door to a house] which was underpinned 30 years ago and the house next to that is being underpinned at present.

Do you mean you are planning to buy a house next to a house which has been underpinned?

Slinky

It's a hundred year old house with properties either side which have/are being underpinned and you only plan to have. homebuyer's survey? Have you had full sight of the previous survey? Even if you have, it's unlikely that if there are later problems that surveyor missed, he wouldn't be liable to you if somebody else paid for the survey.

Davesnave

Surely, if someone was concerned about the potential need for underpinning, they'd employ a structural engineer to focus and report on that aspect of the building's physical intregrity?


It's a specialist area.

Tom99

I don't think anyone can give you a cast iron guarantee there will not be future subsidence. As long as you can get subsidence insurance with the usual excess and after making sure you answer all questions correctly about the current state of the property that's the best you are going to get.

Locornwall

Slinky wrote: »

It's a hundred year old house with properties either side which have/are being underpinned and you only plan to have. homebuyer's survey? Have you had full sight of the previous survey? Even if you have, it's unlikely that if there are later problems that surveyor missed, he wouldn't be liable to you if somebody else paid for the survey.

Yes I have viewed the previous survey. Can you just confirm you are saying that if this survey didn’t show up subsidence issues and later it turned out there was an issue they would be liable for that, as it would have been their mistake? Even if I didn’t pay for it?

Locornwall

Tom99 wrote: »

I don't think anyone can give you a cast iron guarantee there will not be future subsidence. As long as you can get subsidence insurance with the usual excess and after making sure you answer all questions correctly about the current state of the property that's the best you are going to get.

I’m not sure about the insurance. I did a quote with Halifax yesterday. The quote didn’t ask about subsidence so I contacted them. They said if the house had damage relating to that then they wouldn’t offer insurance. As far as I’m aware the house doesn’t have any issues, even though neighbours do. Therefore I don’t see any reason I wouldn’t get insurance with them. Aviva however ask is their is subsidence issues. If so then I need to contact them, however they won’t give a quote until I have an exchange date. Bit annoyed with hat if I’m honest.

da_rule

Locornwall wrote: »

I’m not sure about the insurance. I did a quote with Halifax yesterday. The quote didn’t ask about subsidence so I contacted them. They said if the house had damage relating to that then they wouldn’t offer insurance. As far as I’m aware the house doesn’t have any issues, even though neighbours do. Therefore I don’t see any reason I wouldn’t get insurance with them. Aviva however ask is their is subsidence issues. If so then I need to contact them, however they won’t give a quote until I have an exchange date. Bit annoyed with hat if I’m honest.

Just make up an exchange date for the purposes of the quote.

Davesnave

Locornwall wrote: »

Yes I have viewed the previous survey. Can you just confirm you are saying that if this survey didn’t show up subsidence issues and later it turned out there was an issue they would be liable for that, as it would have been their mistake? Even if I didn’t pay for it?

You have no contract with the person who did that survey, so although you might consider their findings sound, you'd have no come back if they were wrong about something.


But as others have said, a survey will not predict the future or remove further risks over time. It's like a vehicle MoT and states what's found on a particular date.