Extension with no planning and now subsiding?

[Chaosdragon]

I brought my house off my parents when they divorced. They purchased it back in 1975. An extension was built on the original cottage sometime around the mid 1960s by the person that owned it before my parents.The council queried the extension with my parents shortly after they brought it but due to the length of time it had been standing it became legal (although it wouldn't pass building regs I am sure). Neither of my parents can remember much more that it was queried but that nothing happened with it.

Basically the extension changed the house from a rectangle to a T shape. The extension didn't come directly off the end of the original house but instead comes about 10 foot down widening part of the original cottage. When they have built the extension they did not tie the bricks in, just built up the original wall. This part of the building has slipped and come away from the original wall leaving me with a crack in an upstairs bedroom wall.

As part of getting a surveyor to come out and look it has flagged - to me anyway - that it appears the extension was originally built without planning (I was asked to get the plans), and has flagged a couple of other issues which I knew about (internal waste pipe for example).

My massive worry now is whether the insurance will still cover any repairs? I have got to have more reports done but the surveyor is indicating the whole wall might need to come down and be rebuilt or tied into the original cottage. Do I need to ring them and tell them now before I proceed any further? Obviously the extension was technically legal when I brought the house, but it quite clearly has not been built to building regulations.

If it invalidates my insurance can I even get insurance for it from elsewhere? Is anyone going to insure it when there is already a problem with it?

Any advice massively appreciated ...

Anything built that long ago wouldnt have required building regs as they didnt exist then And its now 60 years later! Did you have any survey done when you bought from your parents? If they are asking for plans and there are none then they will find out At some point.

Back in the 60s and 70s people didnt worry about planning so much and building regs didnt exist - i think thats why more rules and regulations were brought in. Also solicitors didnt ask so many questions then as they do now so potential problems like this didnt come up.

I hope you can get things fixed.

I bought a cottage which was 85 years old at that point and had an extension beguile in the 60s. No planning and built in land not belonging to the then landlord. Was dealt with easily...the land was registered to me as the extension had been built for so long and planning wasn't seen as an issue by the buyers as so long ago

I would ask the insurance company to send a surveyor , if if you aren't covered they will at least tell you what needs doing.

bilbodog I only had a valuation survey done as far as I can remember. Tbh I haven't involved the insurance company yet as I just hired a surveyor to come and have a look. He is the one that asked for any plans because he wanted to see if they mentioned the giant well that sits under the corner of the house ......

Pickpick Thats my worry though not being covered and I am just trying to work out what alternate options there are if I am not ... I need the house insured for the mortgage but things are very tight for me financially atm and hefty increases to any premiums because my house is about to fall down is not doable.

I wish I hadn't looked into it at all tbh - ignorance was bliss!

Normalmumandwife Thats good at least. Obviously the 60s was a time when everyone just was building what, where and how they wanted :)

You have to tell the insurance, if you don't tell them it will invalidate any future policies when it comes to renewal. Not informing them that your house is collapsing would be a material fact and would make the insurance invalid. Ring them now, it's your only option.

For insurance you cant insure a known issue and they certainly won’t pay out.

An existing insurer if you are covered for subsidence May pay out but will need to come and look. There’s no harm in logging a claim.

Usually they do a survey and see how bad the problem is and what the likely cause might be. It may be expensive foundations or like you say a quick tie in to the existing building

I’d ring them and ask for a surveyor or claims officer to come and have a look

Do you want to post some photos of the crack? Piglet john might come along with some good advice? Also, if it is an old property, cracks and movement do occur and it might not be as bad as you think.

regulus I know. I am just trying to work out what is going to happen next before I do. I have anxiety and planning / preparing for any and every eventuality helps me deal. I have no idea what happens in this situation so I am slightly panicking.

bluebells I am covered for subsidence on my current policy, I have already checked. I suppose I am just trying to work out if the fact that it was built with no planning permission and in a frankly mad way was a reason for it not to be covered but I guess the only person who can tell me that is the insurance company!

Sorry you are going through this. Was there any mention of the extension on the house deeds when either you or your parents bought the house? I would have thought this is something that would come up in the checks the solicitors do when you purchase a house? Yes, you definitely need to inform your insurance company.

Surely if your insurance company took on your house, they took on its existing status?

Basically my insurance says ...

Subsidence or heave of the site on which the Home stands or landslip but not
d) loss, destruction or damage caused by or resulting from faulty workmanship or design or the use of faulty materials

and I am worried that means I aren't covered and what the heck I am going to do if I am not. Carry on as I am I suppose and hope it doesn't move anymore!

What do you use the extension for? Utility/lounge/kitchen? If its unsafe, could it be demolished and just not have the extra space till you can afford it? Or replace with a conservatory?

Elouera I don't know about the deeds. I've just ordered a set off the land registry. Tbh my parents dealt with it all and I just signed where they told me! Its got the pantry, utility room, lounge downstairs and 3 bedrooms upstairs. Although whether it all affected or just the utility and 1 bedroom I'm not sure... ill post a pic now

Cant get the pictures to upload!

As some others said, just call the insurance and lodge a claim.
Don't mention plans/deeds or anything. Just see what they say.
Also, tieing an extension into a house won't 'hold it all together'. If the foundations are weak/moving then nothing with stop that apart from underpinning.