Good experience of insuring old houses please!

[Goodwordguide]

Need buildings insurance before we exchange. House is early 19th century, brick, tile. There was movement 150 years ago but structural engineer report says it's historic as does the SE report by the previous owners in 2006. No underpinning and it's not listed

I thought NFU specialised in this but they won't touch houses with movement, no matter how old. Any other ideas?

Thanks

Try an insurance broker - they can very often sort out something at the best possible price.

Ours is 112 year old house with historic movement. We went the easiest option and insured with our vendors insurance (Halifax), cost as £40+/month, so the cost is pretty normal. I very vaguely remember reading somewhere on mumsnet that Adrian Flux is good in insuring such properties.

If you have any movement I would always instruct my own structural engineer. Never rely on a previous owners report. It may cost you a few hundred pounds now but it will be worth it in the long term.

We had a very lucky escape from a house last year. Surveyor thought movement was 'historical' and the owners seemed to have a 'reassuring' structural report which supported this. However something was still worrying us (sticky doors, cracks etc) so we paid out for the survey ourselves with a different structural engineer. He was horrified at the previous report. Whether the previous SE was rubbish or whether he had deliberately down played the extent of the subsidence as 'historical movement' to allow the owners to get a mortgage ok or prevent problems with insurance, we will never know.

I know this isn't what you were asking for in terms of a response. It just set alarm bells ringing! Don't underestimate what buyers will hide from you. Buyer beware

Yes, we had a report done as well as the previous owners.

Homeportect have offered us a very reasonable quote, I just hadn't heard of them so am a little sceptical!

Gosh, I hope you don't have too many difficulties insuring. The dreaded word movement! What about asking the currents owners? It is possible they don't know about the movement though?

My mum has a very old house. I will ask her later about insurers. Please don't let it put you off. Once you are insured u can enjoy you new old home! I'm sure it will be well worth the hassle in he end

Yes, previous pwners also had a structural engineer round because of the movement but it's just where the Victorian xtension was added to the Georgian house and is more a case of it settling on its foundations and not subsidence - neither of the SE were worried.

Thanks internees for any help you (or your mum!) can give.

I think that the current insurance company are obliged to continue cover. I'm sure the owners will be happy to pass on the details so that you can proceed.

Best of luck and happy moving good word guide

Thank you! It's been a right old palaver so I'll be very pleased when it actually happens! Due to exchane tomorrow...

Fingers crossed

We found Hiscox to be very good. Part of our old house in the UK was 18c.

Woodstock specialise on offer properties with movement, under pinning and flooding. Try them

I hope you got on ok. Would be interested in any information you can offer. We are currently buying an old farmhouse with movement.