Do I need my own loss adjustor - subsidence?

herebeme

Just had an initial survey done today. Semi-detached, 100 yr old, grade 2 listed, London clay soil.

Both neighbour and we have cracks in last few months. Turns out it is bad subsidence. I went upstairs for the first time in 3 months and nearly had a heart attack.

Will probably need underpinning. And then extensive redecoration indoors, mostly upstairs.

Do I need my own loss adjustor? I haven't contacted buildings insurer yet as don't have survey report back. But reading it sounds like it could help - or just get it if insurnace company is being difficult?

It's complicated as it's my parents house (I don't live there). They both are v elderly with high care needs (dementia/physical).

I don't know yet whether they'll have to go into a care home (we don't want), or whether they can stay despite the building works (they both have hospital beds on the ground floor due to mobility issues).

I think if the insurance agrees to pay out we could sell with transfer of claim (it's a very in demand neighbourhood, and with a steep discount for the subsidence and other cosmetic work needed, it would still be a v good investment for a developer).

I'm just so overwhelmed thinking about it all.

Any advice or must dos?

Annemos

Quick random notes. Very sorry to hear this. 2026 is a Subsidence surge year and your parents are not alone, unfortunately.

Your situation has complications which I did not have to deal with, when I had my own 2018 claim. (It is not your own home, elderly ill parents, potential unoccupied property etc.) But I will try my best.

1 When the policy comes up for renewal, it is highly likely you will have to declare if there are any cracking/signs of subsidence. They may try and decline to offer a new policy, given that information. Also, if they have not reported the cracks promptly, then the Ins Company may try to decline a claim.

So my own opinion is ….. be sure to call them to report the cracking and open up a Subs claim in plenty of time before the policy comes up for renewal.

(If at a later stage it turns out not to be subsidence, there are ways the Insurer has to recharacterise that claim, to call it something else on the Claims and Underwriting Exchange (CUE).)

At some stage if you are going to sell it, the Insurer would have to be asked, if they will pass the Claim onto a new buyer.

2 After a subsidence claim, usually homeowners must do all they can to stay with the same Insurer who handled the claim. (This could turn out to be more complicated in your case, due to your parents' circumstances and will they even be staying in the home?)

3 You say you are having a Survey done, but is it being done by a Structural Engineer?

It needs to be ascertained what might be causing the Subsidence.

It can be roots from nearby trees on clay. It could be that the foundations are simply shallower and suffering generally due to the clay movement, as the property is older. (Other cases might be drains and water main issues.)

According to Royal Inst Chartered Surveyors, it has been the case up to now, that less than 10% of properties need to be underpinned. This is because, if the cause is able to be removed, then the problem may be cured. (Eg trees taken down, or sometimes Root Barriers installed. Sometimes Tree Maintenance Schedules.). The ground can then rehydrate.

So there are a lot of investigations and soil analysis etc that need to be done in cases of Subsidence, to work out what the cause is and what the best remedy is. And an Insurer will use a Structural Engineer to analyse the full situation when a Subs Claim has been opened.

It is when the Homeowner senses that things are going wrong, that they may need to get a 2nd opinion from their own Structural Engineer to argue the issue.

4 Taking own Loss Adjuster or Assessor. Some are not expert in Subsidence and won't even take such claims on.

One would hope the Insurance Company's own Loss Adjuster and Structural Engineer will do the right thing. And if they seem not to be, then is the time to call in one's own Structural Engineer for advice. The Financial Ombudsman needs to see Professional Advice… they won't just accept what a Homeowner thinks!

I wish you the best with everything. It can seem overwhelming, but ideally, the Insurance Company should be there to help.