Dulwich property structure issues

[vcfromhk]

We are looking to buy a property in Dulwich. We are from overseas and new to London. Our recent attempt failed as property has structure issues and cracks. The agent says it's common and 8/10 properties in Dulwich and Herne Hill have these problems? They suggest we get a structure survey to sort issues. Is this common? If yes then which areas South of London have lesser issues. According to agent Dulwich has clay soil and hence issues.

Most of London has clay soil and small amounts of seasonal movement is reasonably common.

Thanks. How do the insurance companies address this? How much does the premium increase incase of a past underpinning?

Huge areas of London are on clay soil, not just Dulwich and Herne Hill.

And those areas are brilliant to live in.

Had the very dry summer caused some cracks?

What caused the failure of the purchase? The survey saying cracks? Did the mortgage company refuse to lend on it?

It would be tricky to buy a property in the process of being diagnosed / treated with active movement and cracks, and a structural survey can often suggest whether there is anything to worry about or not.

One of my S London houses was underpinned (as were many houses in the road). It was fine. We took out our buildings insurance with the company that had insured the house when the work was done, and the only difference was that there was a higher excess for any future subsidence based claims than other claims (£1K excess for subsidence related claims). But the underpinning had stabilised the house and the work was under guarantee. We had no issues during the 15 years we lived there, and had no problems selling.