Subsidence Advice

Waluigithepurpleguy

Subsidence Advice

Hi, have interest in a property that I’m looking to buy(first time buyer), but recently took a builder who pointed out the house has subsidence and leaned one way. He thought it was out by at least 100mm. 

The area is old mining community so the subsidence is thought to be down to that.

Asked seller if they had any documents on it and he had something from 2006 from Coal Authority saying that “Ground movement from the above mentioned past coal workings should by now have ceased.”

I guess I have a few questions: 

Should this subsidence put me off buying the house at any cost? 

If considering the property should I try and obtain “proof” that the movement has stopped? 

Is the Coal Authority’s suggestion that it should have stopped a suggestion of any actual worth? 

Any advice or help appreciated!

ChirpyChicken

Any mining subsidence has long since stopped . It was in general long wall mining that caused this. Movement happened pretty soon after a face was worked as the land dropped when faces moved back or forwards 
We had a house in Mansfield Woodhouse  with a real slope in the bedroom . You could role a marble back to front . Never bothered us. Common accross all the old coal fields
On a side note why you get a lot of shallow lakes in the coalfields called flashes due to subsidence caused by long wall mining.

incus432

'Should have ceased' is an expression of hope. Any cracks visible? At the very least you'd want a structural engineer's report I think. Would the Coal Authority fund remedial work if it is needed?  Very disruptive though.

ChirpyChicken

incus432 said:

'Should have ceased' is an expression of hope. Any cracks visible? At the very least you'd want a structural engineer's report I think. Would the Coal Authority fund remedial work if it is needed?  Very disruptive though.

You will find most houses which had  subsidence caused by mining either had work done to rectify or the home owner took case
The coal authority have records (depending on the damage date) of what work or cash was paid.
I got a copy of the work carried out.

ChirpyChicken

Interesting reading

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/1989-06-16/debates/52d3bdbc-0c55-4a30-aca1-14159148a522/CoalMiningSubsidence

user1977

incus432 said:

'Should have ceased' is an expression of hope.

That is standard wording on Coal Authority reports (based presumably on the time since mining ceased and possibly depth) - it doesn't relate to any actual reports of subsidence or claims for compensation (there is a separate section in the report about the latter).