Leaking gutter, subsidence, insurance, help!

queenplum

We bought a 4 year old house at the beginning of August and moved in.

We didn't get a survey because the house was only 4 years old and being totally clueless, we asked opinions and most said it wasnt worth the paper it was written on and evidently we were silly not to have done so.

Anyway, we moved in and noticed a patch of damp on the outside wall about 1m high which has been caused by a broken gutter leaking onto the same patch and it has caused damp. We had it repaired the same week and nothing more had come of it unti this week.

Cracks have been appearing in the house, I mean everywhere, along where the ceilings and walls meet, above windows, across ceilings, around doorframes, all the way around the stairs, some cracks are not wide but on the stairs the plaster is falling off, they seem to be rapidly increasing in number and size. I am sure there is something serious going on.

I have been googling and I am sure the two must be linked?! Obviously the previous owners have just left this leaking gutter for goodness knows how long and we didnt notice.
If it happens to be subsidence or something serious, will our insurance even cover us?!
I am stressed beyond belief and don't even know what my next steps should be or how urgently to address it.
I am totally out of my depth. I am guessing our buildmark insurance wont cover us as its caused by poor maintenance of the property, but then in the same breath, its poor maintenance of the property, will our buildings insurance cover us either?

If anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you. :undecided

System

It’s hard to tell without seeing it. Is it a mid terrace/ detached....?

Sounds like the leak and cracks are not related. Also sounds like cracks are not result of poor maintenance.

Have your neighbours suffered the same? What did they do?

Call your insurer ASAP. My insurer requires an excess for subsidence (if indeed it is subsidence). Ask them what they require you to do. Also, ask a reputable builder to have a look.

Many houses have cracks, most are not serious. If yours have suddenly appeared however, have an expert look as soon as.

Also check how long new builds are guaranteed for.

queenplum

Thank you! It's a detached, the plots and houses are all slightly different to one another too.

I was very confused but it turns out the majority of subsidence claims are caused by poor drainage/leaking gutters etc so I am thinking they might be linked hence my worry.

As far as I am aware there are no other issues with the houses on the street, two of my friends have lived there since the houses were new and have had no problems.

The houses are insured with buildmark insurance with NHBC but if it isn't specifically a problem with how the house has been built then they won't cover it and according to trustpilot, nothing is their fault.

I will call direct line when I get home and they can either confirm my worst fear or put me out of my misery hopefully!

eddddy

ritfor wrote: »

Call your insurer ASAP. My insurer requires an excess for subsidence (if indeed it is subsidence). Ask them what they require you to do.

I wouldn't call your insurer at this stage, unless you're sure that you want to claim.

If you call, it's likely to be recorded as an "incident" - maybe even a "suspected subsidence incident". It might increase future premiums, even if you don't claim.

And if the insurers send out a surveyor to take a look, they will have to pay the surveyor, and therefore probably treat it as a claim (even if the insurers do nothing more). Then your premiums would definitely rise.

The best option might be to pay a structural engineer to take a look. If the structural engineer agrees it's subsidence, then contact your insurers and/or your warranty providers.

hazyjo

Agree with eddddy - I'd definitely not be involving insurers at this stage.


You also probably have a time period with your insurance before you can make a claim. May be a day, a week, month - check your policy. No idea if there's a standard length of time. I would wait until after that for sure.


Good luck - and please keep us informed.

AdrianC

How does the location of the damp patch related to the location of the plaster damage?

It's possible, but unlikely, that a leaking gutter would cause damage to the foundations within a few years. But it'd be fairly localised.

Even then, a gutter failing so badly within four years is remarkably early - it'd either be some kind of external physical damage, or very poor installation.

Some photos, maybe a floorplan of where the damage is?

Doozergirl

I'd post photos. I really wouldn't phone your insurer until you have an idea of whether it's worth phoning them as they may just up your premiums next year just for asking.

The things are unlikely to be related and subsidence from bad drains is rare on a new house as they should have decent foundations. Most problems occur on older houses with little to no foundations.

It could be that you're using the house a little harder than the previous residents. Do you have kids?

G_M

To my mind, a leaking gutter is highly unlikely to cause subsidence. I suppose a long-term build up of water at the foot of the walls could cause a problem (other than the obvious one of damp) but it seems unlikely.


And with the cracks being so widespread (" I mean everywhere") that again suggests something other than the localised gutter leak.


As others have said, I'd hold off contacting your insurers till you have a better understanding of the problem and are sure you want to make a claim. Insurers log every enquiry, whether a claim follows or not, and adjust future premiums.....


I'd start by getting a couple of reputable builders round, ask for quotes, and pick their brains over the cause.


Then maybe pay a structural engineer. As a guide, most will provide a detailed written report for £350 - £500, but many will start with an inspection visit and verbal report for £50 - £100. Depending what they say you can then decide whether you want/need the written report.


I assume you are covered by the NHBC warranty? Depending what the engineer says/writes, that may be the way to go.

sal_III

queenplum wrote: »

Cracks have been appearing in the house, I mean everywhere, along where the ceilings and walls meet, above windows, across ceilings, around doorframes, all the way around the stairs, some cracks are not wide but on the stairs the plaster is falling off, they seem to be rapidly increasing in number and size. I am sure there is something serious going on.

How wide are the cracks? Hairline, under 1mm or wider? It's normal to see cracks in the paint in the corners and where the walls.ceiling meet and between sheets of plaster board within the first 5 years on a new build. While the building settles and dries. These are cosmetic and specifically mentioned in the "home owner guide" we got with our new build.