Hairline cracks around window/ceiling seams

[Pinklemon]

I start seeing quite a few hairline cracks around the window and ceiling seams. Both the ceilings and walls are wallpapered so not sure whether the plaster underneath is cracked or just the wallpaper. Is it common for 1950s houses to have cracks?

A new house can have cracks. Age has little to do with it. If you can see cracks outside, in the brickwork, then you need to call in a structural engineer. If the cracks are tiny hairline ones, inside only, then it is probably just the walls drying out a bit and nothing to worry about.

Our house was built in the early 1950's. The ceiling in our bedroom has terrible cracks in it. We had our daughter's replastered about six years ago, and you can see very fine hairline cracks on one edge - I guess due to expansion and contraction. There has always been an internal crack by our back door, previous owners obviously filled it in and it needs doing again. There has been no extra movement. We have a couple of fine cracks over windows. Try not to worry about them too much, unless they get much worse (you could always take a photo or trace over them as a record). I think you need to worry more if outside cracks appear on the same wall.

By the way, not all outside cracks are bad either. We have one which is apparently in typical in houses of this age, as gaps weren't left to allow for expansion and contraction. Doesn't let in any water and hasn't changed. Our surveyor and building society surveyor both agreed on this and said it was old.