Buying a flat in London with subsidence risk...normal?

HD31

Hi all,
I have just had my searches back on a leasehold new build flat I was looking to buy in South West London. The searches show high risk of ground/surface water flooding and moderate-high risk of subsidence. Is this fairly normal for London due to clay? Does anybody have any experience of this impacting insurance / service charges / future resale? My solicitor has said this is fairly common due to London clay and the developer’s ten year warranty should provide comfort but as the solicitor was recommended by the developer I am doing my own research too. I want to buy a property in London so if I pull out of this transaction, am I likely to get the same result with most London flats?!

Thankyou!

davidmcn

The susbsidence risk is normal. Your bigger risk is using a solicitor recommended by the developer, as I suspect you won't recognise everything else you actually ought to be worried about...

jimbog

using a solicitor recommended by the seller is never a good idea

bouicca21

Anything built on London clay will return the same result.  The flood risk is a different matter.  I’d be worried - even if it’s a once in 10 years chance, dealing with a flooded house when it does happen is a nasty experience.

Where I grew up in north west London there was a lovely nearby stream.  Usually never more than 4-6 inches of water - but  when there was exceptionally heavy rain it broke its banks and flooded houses that were a couple of hundred feet away.  

Falafels

There are some risks worth taking; as you say, London clay is responsible for a lot of subsidence. Where I used to live in SE London, there were entire terraces which had issues due to underground streams. Many buildings also went for the peripatetic life after the drought of 1976 caused the clay subsoil to shrink. Added a new dimension to the expression 'moving house'.

However, I wouldn't be buying somewhere in an area with a significant flood risk. Not only because of the actual physical impact of a flood, but the problems with getting insurance and prohibitively high premiums. There have been many issues with new estates being constructed in flood plains; here's an article picked at random: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/19/one-in-ten-new-homes-in-england-built-on-land-with-high-flood-risk