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Original poster

house built in a coal mining area! reassurance desperately needed.

39 replies

concernedhousebuyer · 04/04/2006 21:31

ive changed my name as im in the middle of buying a house and until i at least exchange, i dont want to tempt fate. im relocating to be near my family and ive had the survey done on the house im buying, essentially its come back ok, i had a full structural survey done and have a very detailed report, its come back with the usual stuff, might need a new boiler, plaster blown a bit in the extension, get the electrics checked etc, plus it says that the house may need a new roof in the not to distant future(its 36 years old).
the overview is that the house is woprth the money though and is in generally sound condition and is in a desirable location..
however in the deficiencies section, apart from the roof etc, it says;
"Te house is in an area of past mining activity and therefore a coal mining search report should be obtained before proceeding"
eek! does this mean my house will dissappear down a mine shaft at some point?

OP posts:
Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 04/04/2006 22:06

Hoenstly - don't panic. Where I live (North Staffs)the majority of the houses have to have a mining report and I mean the majority. It's a formality.

Pruni · 04/04/2006 22:06

S'ok. Smile
Is a big glass of wine out of the question?
This is all routine, honest.

Ellbell · 04/04/2006 22:06

CHB - It's a formality. Our house is also in a mining area (... a former mining area, that is). But as a precautionary measure your mortgage company will probably insist on the search. My step-fil scoffed when we had to have ours done (he was a surveyor down t'pit...) and said 'they last took coal out under that town in 1961' (or something), but it was still a necessity. Please don't worry. This is the 4th house I've bought, but the others were 'down south' and I'd never heard of this mining survey, so it did panic me a bit, but it is honestly just a formality. Let's face it... they haven't taken coal out from anywhere much since the 80s, so if your (prospective) house was going to slide down a hole it would have done so by now. What age is the house, btw? Ours is a Victorian house, but if yours is more modern I suspect that a mining survey will have been done when it was built anyway. Oh, and ours didn't take long to come through, either. It will be fine - afaik it's totally normal round here.

Original poster
concernedhousebuyer · 04/04/2006 22:13

i guess its all a big shock as where i live at the mo, theyve nev er even heard of coalmines.!
pruni-could do with a bottle i think!
ellbell, thank you, i feel slightly more reassured, the house was built around 1970

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jellyjelly · 05/04/2006 08:51

IO used to live in the road that disappeared down because of chalk mines. They have been supported or filled in underneath and they seem to be the safest houses in reading because they have previously fallen in but i wouldnt like to live there.

Original poster
concernedhousebuyer · 05/04/2006 08:56

the problem is that the whole area is ex coal mining, for miles, so even if i didnt go for that house, any other i chose would be exactly the same sc enario

OP posts:
Bozza · 05/04/2006 09:01

It will just be standard practice in the area. Both of the two houses we have bought in this village have had them done. Not an issue at all - shouldn't delay proceedings either because the solicitor can do them at the same time as doing the local authority searches (checking building plans etc). Would be significantly more concerned about the prospect of it needing a new roof, myself. Grin

Ellbell · 05/04/2006 10:05

Ooh, jellyjelly... used to drive past there every day on my way to work. Ironically, did not have to have a mining search done on either of the houses I bought in Reading... only when I moved to W.Yorks, yet have never heard of houses collapsing round here.

CHB... You have answered your own question really - the whole area is ex-mining... yet houses are not falling down holes on a daily basis, are they? I'm certain there won't be a problem. Even if (which is unlikely) there were mine-workings under your house, it will have been dealt with before they built it. Met a woman the other day who did this for her job... she was a 'mining surveyor' or something and basically ensured that new building sites in mining areas were safe to build on.

Chill! It'll be fine....

allyco · 05/04/2006 12:17

don't panic. I do coal mining searches every day oop north. It's rare for anything to come back as anything other than what we call "normal mining risk" and the search is insurance-backed.

We charge £23.50 BTW.

allyco · 05/04/2006 12:19

AND id you have the serach done don't worry when it says (as it probably will) that reserves of coal exist which could be worked if feasible etc. That ain't going to happen either!

God, I'm on maternity leave and I'm still in work mode. Sad or what.

Original poster
concernedhousebuyer · 05/04/2006 13:10

bozza, yes the roofs a bit of a worry too!
ellbell, ok will try and calm down!
allyco, my solicitor has just requested the search fees and apparently shes already asked for the mining search, but the total search fees are£267.00!!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
concernedhousebuyer · 05/04/2006 13:11

allyco, lol at you still in work mode!!!

OP posts:
edam · 05/04/2006 13:14

Mining search doesn't mean your house is at risk of disappearing, just that there used to be mines in the area.

My uncle has a house that is affected by subsidence (slightly) and gets money from whoever runs coal mines these days to redecorate every three years...

Original poster
concernedhousebuyer · 05/04/2006 13:16

i guess thats the coal authourity then edam?
isnt that a worry for your uncle? is his house still on the move?

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