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Original poster

Property underpinned in the 80's no documents

12 replies

RachAirra · 14/03/2022 23:55

Hi everyone,

We have found a victorian property in the UK. The vendors have informed us that the property was underpinned in the 80's but they do not have documentation for these works. I have contacted the council to see if they had any information with no luck.
Has anyone experienced buying a house with these issues before.
I have asked so many surveyors what their thoughts are and none of them seem to give me a diffinitive answer on if it's a good or bad idea buying this house without the documents.

OP posts:
lostoldname · 15/03/2022 06:57

Hi, the guarantee will only be for 20 years. Do they have insurance for an underpinned home and can you inherit their policy?

Original poster
RachAirra · 15/03/2022 08:52

Hello,
I have asked the estate agent to get in touch with them to see who they are currently using for their building insurance. So as long as the property is able to have building insurance it is safe to buy this property. I don't know wether I'm being stupid buying a house with no documentation of underpinning, tbh with you everyone else has seemed to have made it into an issue where for me as long as its the right price I would be happy to buy it but I don't know what the right thing to do is. Very frustrating

OP posts:
lostoldname · 15/03/2022 09:52

Hi the insurance will be more expensive.

Original poster
RachAirra · 15/03/2022 11:06

Yes I understand that, my question really is am I taking too much of a risk buying this house with no documentation or will a building survey suffice.

OP posts:
drpet49 · 15/03/2022 11:07

I wouldn’t be buying the house without any documentation or insurance

hedgehogger1 · 15/03/2022 16:53

I wouldn't touch it. Nor will a lot of people do its resale value will be reduced

SpacePotato · 15/03/2022 17:18

Our house had been underpinned well over 20 years before we bought it.

Our insurance company did not charge more and it was no issue to them as the house was old but structurally sound.

Ours is Edwardian and the front bay is underpinned.

FurierTransform · 15/03/2022 18:50

It was underpinned 40 years ago... Presumably no defects came up in the survey? Loads of work of a similar age will come with no paperwork. I wouldn't worry if the house checks out under survey.

Original poster
RachAirra · 16/03/2022 10:00

Thank you all for your comments. It's the common consensus that work that was done so long ago wouldn't have any paperwork I've even spoken to he local council who say the same. We are waiting for the morgage valuation to come back and then we will have a building survey, which our solicitor has adviced us we definitely have to have. We love the house and its in the heart of Cardiff and see ourselves being there for a long time, also if if we ever have an issue with release we always have the option of renting it out as there's the obvious market for it here. Everything about this house is exactly what we won't, it's our first purchase it's so hard to know what the right thing to do is.

OP posts:
Original poster
RachAirra · 16/03/2022 10:01

Want*

OP posts:
ukborn · 16/03/2022 12:43

If it was done that long ago not sure what the value of having paperwork would be anyway, other than telling you exactly what was done (the sellers may know though). Any guarantee would be expired.
Get a structural survey and if there's been no movement then no issue.

lostoldname · 20/03/2022 18:28

Space potato who is your insurance company

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