Positive Subsidence Stories Please 🙏

[Cece87]

As the title suggests, I’d love to hear positive stories from people who have purchased a home where subsidence was found.

A little background, we are edging closer to exchanging on a ground floor flat and have just had subsidence found in our survey, we are awaiting results from further investigations.

We will be making big renovations to the flat once it’s ours, we have found nothing else in the our area for months that fits what we want/can afford so we really don’t want to let it go, but we’re panicking it’s a mistake to go ahead now.

TIA 🙏

Exactly what @Whyherewego has said.
But it's true that those of us who suffer from clay induced subsidence have higher buildings insurance premiums.

Thank you 🙏

OP , yes you'll be able to find horror stories on line .
People don't tend to tell their story if it's " yes , everything worked out. Nothing to see here..."

I'd walk away particularly as it's a flat.

where I live the majority of properties have subsidence issues and they change hands all the time.

Where is that?

We had subsidence in a previous home. A row of 3 houses, we were the end house.

It's more common with end houses. Family member had it about 20 years ago, the whole thing was underpinned & is fine now. A colleague has suspected subsidence but it's taken a year just to sort things out with insurance, no one wants to take responsibility. That puts me off.

Ultimately I decided it was better to have a property where the work was already done and where I live London clay means most properties are at risk of subsidence anyway

It's still uncommon though and a major headache. You did the right thing getting the vendors to sort.

The main impact is that I have to get specialist building insurance and can't use online comparison sites as they won't accept properties with subsidence. I have the report which I have to send showing what was done etc. There's not much shopping around and I have a large excess for any future subsidence claim.

And this is the issue as it puts off future buyers.

What do your solicitors say? Mortgage and insurance issues may turn into a nightmare, especially as it's a flat. I'd be very cautious and probably would walk away.

Was your surveyor doing a full structural survey and also qualified as a structural engineer?

If not, I'd question that a one off survey had identified subsidence, rather than some warning signs with a recommendation to get a structural engineer report. Its not that easy to confirm, certainly not on a one off visit. Subsidence shares symptoms with a number of other building issues such as drainage.

We bought an underpinned house. Pretty much every house in the road is underpinned - London clay in a leafy area. The location is very popular, houses sell like hotcakes, there is no problem with insurance on the properties. My excess on subsidence claims is no higher than standard for the area and I've had no trouble getting quotes from other insurers.
It is sensible to stick with the same building insurer if work is recent, mainly because they have all the history of any work. When we bought the underpinning was recent, we had a full structural engineer report to check into the works and the plans and stuck with the insurer already covering the house.

Every case is different so look at the survey and talk to the surveyor and consider a structural engineer's report. Also investigate if the existing insurers will transfer cover to you for continuity if there is a current claim which they are processing.

Its uncommon across the country but in areas of clay, especially parts of the London basin its the default and you are better off buying a house which is done or which was built after building standards changed for foundations.

Around my way its the non underpinned houses which are the exception. There is no problem selling, no problem getting insurance.

And this is the issue as it puts off future buyers.
But if it's the norm in the area , as it is where I live, and you want to live in that area and don't want to live elsewhere , then you have no choice.
Different if you're choosing between areas.
All I can say is that properties sell easily and frequently here .
south east London for reference.

Thank you, this is the helpful kind of answers I was looking for, appreciate!

I'm in London and know London clay - many people are still very wary of subsistence & the stock answer is that it's always better to buy the underpinned one vs the not. Now this is logical but it definitely deters some. My experience is different to @C8H10N4O2 but again logically someone with subsidence will generally be positive about it & say it doesn't impact resale or insurance.

@whatwouldyoudoifisangoutofkey it wouldn't necessarily put me off a house but a flat? yes.

Both examples I mentioned upthread were SE London, I am aware of the clay.

All I can say is that properties sell easily and frequently here .

Tbf this is bucking the current London property market trends particularly if we are talking flats!

I would walk away
At the moment it’s their problem ,why make it your problem

Find a house without subsidence for

We’re not worried about the works, we are having the whole flat renovated, changing the whole layout and so we won’t be living in it anyway.

The OP wants the house so just wants to hear good things - fair enough.

OP I’m sorry I didn’t give you more of the positives of living in a house with subsidence. Here goes - moved in in ‘88, subsidence mildly evident (tricky to eat soup in the dining room due to slope of room). Moved out in 1998 & back in in 2000. Sold house in 2003 and still think of it fondly. It’s still standing. It was a great house.

We had underpinning. We moved out for 18m. House is now fine. Insurance costs not so much.

Our house had historical heave, the opposite of subsidence, and was underpinned. It’s 25 years plus since it happened and is now not considered relevant by insurers.

My logic (living in clay area) is it’s a case of “when” not “if” and the work was done right.

Purely because with a detached property you have control and are the only one with the ability to make decisions. Otherwise you're at the mercy of other owners and their agenda.
If you're in a position to throw money at the problem, are confident the original cause can be properly resolved and get a price that reflects the reduced desirability of a property with historical subsidence you could get a bargain but it's a big risk.
It's different if you own the property already but why buy something where you know there will be headaches.

Probably Yorkshire, every house we have bought (4) had subsidence due to mining, never had any problems.

But, there is no way I would buy a flat if subsidence had been reported.

If it’s absolutely the right house for you, the subsidence can be resolved and the other flat owners are in agreement then it’ll be worth the pain.

Make sure you know fully legally where you stand with the other owners though. You need solid legal advice here.