Impact on sale to to subsidence damage

cts_casemod

Hi all,

I've recently put my property on the market and was surprised to find a section on the side had sanked a little bit. This was likelly caused by previous street digging works (the sunked area matches with the new asphalt). A buyers survey has came up with possible subsidence, so the buyer has pulled out.

I have contacted the offending company on this matter, who refuse to comment further and tell me to involve my home insurance.
I am concerned about involving my insurance company at this point and though I would pop here to ask for some advice.

Should I try to repoint the area?
Should I contact my home insurance and let them deal with it?
Should I note the issue and ask for cash buyers only?

Many thanks for any advice!

stuart45

Have you got a photo of it? 

canaldumidi

How serious?

The moment you even mention the possibility of subsidence to your insurer, your premiums will go up even if ultimately no claim is made or paid out. So only contact them as a last resort. It will also go on the insurers' shared databases and drastically reduce the number of insurers willing to provide cover....

A private structural engineer's report might give you a better idea of what you are facing, and also might help if pursuing the 'offending company'.

If the problem is not too sever, you might just re-point and get away with selling after that........

Picture?

cts_casemod

From pictures it is hard to see, but here it is. The cause was a sewage leak that I disputed with united unitilies for over a year. They have opened and closed the marked asphalt area multiple times and by the time the issue was finally rectified, it seems the soil settled a bit.

The last time the area was opened was in July last year, for comparison. If anything it is less noticeable now?

stuart45

The good news is that those cracks would be easy to repoint and cover up.

woodpeckerx

stuart45 said:

The good news is that those cracks would be easy to repoint and cover up.

Its not really good news because its been flagged as possible subsidence so if not declared it would be deemed misrepresentation. Best option now is to get it surveyed and fixed on insurance if necessary.

jonnydeppiwish!

woodpeckerx said:

stuart45 said:

The good news is that those cracks would be easy to repoint and cover up.

Its not really good news because its been flagged as possible subsidence so if not declared it would be deemed misrepresentation. Best option now is to get it surveyed and fixed on insurance if necessary.

Not sure that would count as the owner has no copy of the report, and if it’s like any other survey, it’s quite possibly just the surveyor covering his backside.

Op, the most logical step forward is to instruct a structural engineer to investigate. That way, you should know exactly what’s going. 

If, and only then, chat to your insurance if needed.  You could always make the structural report public knowledge when selling if the engineer believes it ti be a minor issue.

Annemos

Just a thought.

Excuse me for not knowing the correct technical name for the big black pipe that is coming down and enters a clay pipe at the ground asphalt level. 

Has that pipe been inspected to see if there is a leak underground? Maybe there is a crack or break? 

A leak underground can cause cracking issues, I think.

A drain/downpipe survey could perhaps be useful. 

stuart45

Annemos said:

Just a thought.

Excuse me for not knowing the correct technical name for the big black pipe that is coming down and enters a clay pipe at the ground asphalt level. 

Has that pipe been inspected to see if there is a leak underground? Maybe there is a crack or break? 

A leak underground can cause cracking issues, I think.

A drain/downpipe survey could perhaps be useful. 

It's called either the soil pipe, or soil vent pipe if vented at the top. The OP stated there was a leak and has been repaired. They probably dug down well below what is known as the angle of repose which can cause movement in the wall. Now the earth has been replaced the wall will probably stabilise. 

Annemos

Oh I see. Thanks stuart45.

I misunderstood. I hadn't realised that the street repairs were relating to this individual soil pipe. (Had read it just as street repairs.) 

Sorry for that. Yes, as that was the issue, it should stabilise once the leak stopped.

My mother had a person in to replace the guttering and the person did not connect the downpipe properly under the ground. The rainwater was just flowing into the ground! She is on sandy soil. The brickwork under the bay window showed signs of cracking. 

Once the drainage was sorted out, the repointing was done and there has never been any further cracking. 

woodpeckerx

jonnydeppiwish! said:

woodpeckerx said:

stuart45 said:

The good news is that those cracks would be easy to repoint and cover up.

Its not really good news because its been flagged as possible subsidence so if not declared it would be deemed misrepresentation. Best option now is to get it surveyed and fixed on insurance if necessary.

Not sure that would count as the owner has no copy of the report, and if it’s like any other survey, it’s quite possibly just the surveyor covering his backside.

Of course it counts, if you have been made aware of an issue you fix it and declare it as required. This is a quote from another site on guidance about declaring:

"Finally remember that misrepresentation isn’t confined to the Property Information Form. You can misrepresent your home by deliberating concealing major, progressive cracks that you know (or suspect) to be caused by subsidence, for example, or by lying to a viewer of your property, directly or through your estate agent.

No one wants to have to take a hit on the value of their property, but equally nobody wants to buy a home with a massive problem that was deliberately concealed from them."