Seller's Pack

Scaredy_Cat_3

Please can someone advise me about the seller's pack. We are hoping to sell within the next couple of years and need to know what info is required about heave/subsidence issues?

We (stupidly) bought this place a year ago, finding out at the last minute that the garage floor (not the house) had been built using poor quality shale. It has been inspected prior to our purchase and the reports all say 'due to sulphate attack' or 'poor workmanship' and 'unlikely to be subsidence related'.

These reports made us think it was ok to go ahead with the purchase but I now find I can't get insurance with anyone else (other than Halifax, who were our insurers at the previous house).

We were going to get the garage floor re-done but on insurance forms when it asks about subsidence it doesn't ask is there a current problem, it says has there EVER been a problem, and once you say yes they don't want to know. So we don't know if it's worth doing.

Also, wonder if we have ANY come-back on anyone for this? We wouldn't have bought it if we realised how big a problem it would be. The estate agent who sold us the property said it was nothing to worry about and was a common feature on this estate due to poor quality shale being used.

We did ask the previous owners to get their insurance company to deal with it and they inspected it and produced a letter stating it was 'old heave movement which does not appear to be progressive' and was 'likely to have been caused by contaminated fill material'. As such, they didn't take any action, and like idiots, we thought that meant no action required, not a problem.

We are not happy here and desperate to sell within a couple of years. Can anyone advise how to get through this please?

Doozergirl

The Home Information Pack contains nothing to do with structure or surveys.

I don't think there is even a question relating to subsidence in the Sellers Property Information Form (which is the form every vendor has to fill out - it isn't new with the HIP). It may come up in a buyer's solicitors additional enquiries.

You should replace the garage floor. Call in a surveyor or a structural engineer to specify what needs doing and ask if they can provide a guarantee for the work.

Don't run around telling everyone about it when they view. It's something that needs to be addressed once you have a buyer. If any possible problem has been rectified and the work is guaranteed then they have very little to be concerend about. It's the sort of thing I'd rather mention to their surveyor; buyers might have no idea what you are talking about and may over-react.

Alternatively, knock the garage down

Scaredy_Cat_3

Thanks Doozergirl. I suspect I am one of those buyers who is over-reacting actually! I know it raised alarm bells with me when I first read the word subsidence - it really put me off the idea of buying, but the estate agent re-assured us.

Knocking the garage down isn't really an option - we do need it and it's attached to the house. I suspect the cost of knocking it down and re-building it would be prohibitive!

I've just spoken to our insurance company and they say even if we do get the floor re-done we will still have to declare that the property has a history (this is for insurance purposes rather than selling - but indicates to me that we cannot just make the problem go away).

If it doesn't come up on the seller's pack then that's a relief to know - thank you.

I am still concerned that the previous owners' insurance company didn't do anything about it. I don't suppose we have any come-back on them after a year?

Doozergirl

I don't really understand. The garage has moved has it?

But nobody has done anything about fixing it? The insurance company didn't see it warranted fixing?

I'm not sure that the property has suffered from subsidence at all All houses move over time.

Scaredy_Cat_3

No, I don't think it has moved. The previous owners had reports done which all said it was 'old heave' and 'sulphate attack'. The reports specifically state that it is 'unlikely to be subsidence', but the thing is insurance companies etc all lump heave and subsidence in together on their forms, and once you say there was a problem once it seems you're stuck with that label forever.

All the reports - one by a local geochemical company and once by the previous owners' insurance co state there is no current subsidence - which I presume is why they haven't done anything about it.

Doozergirl

Sulphate Attack isn't subsidence.

The answer to the question 'has the property suffered from subsidence' is NO.

What is the visible problem with the garage? Is it just the floor affected or do any of these reports mention signs of structural movement?

I would just get the slab replaced and say no more about it, if indeed it needs doing. Big job for someone but once the bad shale has gone, there will be no chance of it causing any further problems to the garage.

Scaredy_Cat_3

Thanks for that - you certainly make me feel a bit better. The only thing is that on our survey it mentioned signs of heave. At that point we asked for more info and were told about the reports which state the damage to the garage floor is most likely old heave due to sulphate attack. But insurers lump heave and subsidence together. They don't ask just about subsidence, they ask if there has ever been any heave or subsidence. So I can't just click the 'no' button.

I don't know now - you are making me wonder if we should even call it heave, as the report states 'damage' is likely to be due to old heave, not definitely saying it is/was heave. But then I suppose it's best to be open about it. Plus of course, our insurance company have seen all the reports and I know insurers share information.

I'm not sure about visible signs of damage - there must be some as it was noticed by the surveyor when we had our mortgage valuation done. But whatever damage there is, it is limited to the garage floor.

Looking at the reports of bore holes done, the house has brown clay, then sandy gravelly clay with brick rubble, then concrete, then screed. The garage has the same, but a lesser amount of concrete, and no screed.

I am just worried that this will stop us selling the house. If we hadn't been so stressed and panicked we would have backed out. I wish we had.