Moderate-high risk of coal mining subsidence

[AnxietyForever]

So we found out today that the house we want to buy has a moderate- high risk of coal mining subsidence
It's knocked us for 6, any thoughts?
We had the surveyor going out tomorrow.

Run away quickly. You might be fortunate and nothing ever happens, similarly a moderate to high risk means there's a chance the ground could cave in. The implications of insuring it, and in the future selling it on make it an absolutely not personally.

I agree, If I'm questioning it then I'm sure potential buyers would have wobbles too, in the future

Agreed - run! How will that ever sell? At least you know now rather than later. Sorry - must be quite a blow!

Who did your report OP? Was it one of the newer search companies? The report usually suggests a next step. What does it say?

Don’t touch it with a barge pole. Very expensive to deal with, if it’s possible at all.

I forgot to ask, how old is the house?

www.theguardian.com/money/2017/jan/05/should-we-buy-a-property-in-an-area-of-coalmining-subsidence

I used to work with a lady whose house was unsellable as it had been built on top of a mineshaft (Black Country) - run!!

@greenzeppelin

I used to work with a lady whose house was unsellable as it had been built on top of a mineshaft (Black Country) - run!!

We don't know full details yet!

Where does it say moderate-high risk and what does page 5 say?

Too complicated. Definitely find a different house

@PoshWatchShitShoes

Too complicated. Definitely find a different house

The OP is looking in an area with coal mines all over the place. We still need more details before telling her to walk away.

Don’t panic, in some areas all the houses are like this. Wait for the structural engineer to come & u can have a chat with them.

We live in what was originally a pit village. If there is any danger of subsidence from old mine shafts pull out of the purchase.

I would get a local surveyor to comment and also check what your lender is saying.
I've looked at the interactive Coal authority map for the address (which is visible btw) and the seams were worked in 1850 to 1900. If the house was built more than 80 years ago and the surveyor is happy and there are no mine entries within the boundary I wouldn't be too concerned. What is the lender saying about it?

@Ozanj

Don’t panic, in some areas all the houses are like this. Wait for the structural engineer to come & u can have a chat with them.

This.

Just to say the property address is visible in second pic. You might like to remove

Did you get this resolved OP?

@flashbac I have a surveyor going out tomorrow

I read today that 25% of homes are above abandoned coal mines. Thought it relevant for this thread.

Cheers @flashbac
Awaiting surveyor report!

Never thought I would see a thread like this on Mumsnet! We pulled out of buying a house over ten years ago now because of a mineshaft being underneath the property. Just at the corner of where the kitchen was. We felt it was too much of a risk so found another property instead.

OP, I’m a geotechnical engineer, I deal with this stuff all the time. It needn’t be the end of the world, wait for the engineers report. If mining ceased more than 25 years ago, I would expect that all/most ground movements will have happened by now. There’s other stuff the think about - the method of coal extraction, how the mine was abandoned, the locations of shafts and other structures. Your surveyor will (should!) account for this!