Huge cracks in walls

[LucyPowell77]

I'm looking for some advice on how to proceed with the situation I find myself in. There are cracks appearing all the wall and ceiling in my house. A few months ago I reported the cracks to my insurance company as possible subsidence. Based on the photos have sent to my insurance company they have ruled out subsidence. They have said the cracks are just cosmetic and to hire someone to repair the cracks myself. I really wish I could believe them, but the existing cracks keep getting bigger and new crack keep appearing. Today I put a tape measure in the biggest crack to see deep in went and it was 24 cm deep.
I can understand why the insurance say its not subsidence. There are no external cracks and most of the cracks are upstairs along the wall that joins to next doors. While it probably isn’t subsidence, I still think it is structural. Worst crack is now so wide that I can see that the bricks behind the plaster are also cracked.

I suspect the cracks are something to do with the renovation work my neighbours did a couple of years ago. My old neighbour died. He had not done any modernising to his home for a long time, so it probably needed a lot of work to bring it up to a modern standard. The new owners did a back to brick renovation along with putting a whole new roof on. The roofing work caused me a lot of issues at the time and I did raise my concerns with the roofer. The roofer did not like being questioned and became quite threatening towards me. Unfortunately, the roofer was a relation of the women who owns the house and that relationship turned sour too. I remember thinking at the time it was the strangest renovation I have ever seen. Other than the roofer no proper trades people worked on the house. The owner’s ‘contractor’ moved into house for about a year and did the rest of the work himself. I received no notice any work was going to done and no party wall agreement was issued. I am not a 100% sure if I should have received one or not. I don’t know if they should have issued one for the roof replacement. I suspect they may have removed an internal wall upstairs. The house used to be 3 bedrooms, but when it was rented out it was listed as 2 bedrooms. The cracks on walls are inline with what you would expect from a house suffering from roof spread. My house is a Victorian terrace and from what I understand they were only built to hold the weight of a traditional slate roof. I know my neighbours changed their roof from slate to something else, but I don’t know enough about roofing to identify what tiles they are. If the new tiles are heavier, they could have caused roof spread. I know they did not get any form of approval from the council for any of the work they had done. Also, I’ve noticed I seem to be able to hear a lot of what the tenants living next door are doing. I never heard the guy make a sound when he lived there.

So now I found myself in a situation where I have some very big very concerning cracks on my walls and ceiling, but my home insurance company are not interested at all. I suspect that it has something to do with work my neighbours have had done, but I’m not an expect so I could be wrong. I haven’t done any renovation or building work myself that could have caused structural issues. The situation is very stressful. The cracks on the ceiling in the smaller bedroom are now so bad that I am really concerned about how safe it is for my family to sleep in there. I feel out of my depth with this. My house feels unsafe, but it might be overreacting. The relationship with my neighbour is broken to the point we can’t have a friendly chat about this. If the issue is coming from her side than I would probably have to go down the legal route to recover costs. While I can’t ignore the damage I am scared of taking legal action against my neighbour. I fear there would be a backlash against me and things could get nasty. I need to establish for certain what’s causing the cracks. I thought my insurance company would at least send an accessor out to look at my house and tell me what the cause is, but they have refused to do that. A local surveyor has quoted me £1300 to assess my house and write a report for me. I can’t afford to spend that much, but I desperately need answers. Maybe I’m being suborn but I don’t think I should have to pay for a surveyor.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? How did you get it resolved?

Can you post a photo of. Crack.. might be helpful in seeing issue to offer advice

Yes - need pics. Have seen subsidence cracks and settlement cracks so a look see might help. You may need to get an independent second opinion (can start with a reputable builder asking for a quote)

These pictures are of the worse crack. The close up was taken today. The others were taken a few months ago when I first reported it to my insurance.

Getting a builder in to have a look would be a good idea. I don't know any builders though. I don't know how I would go about making sure i've found a reputable one.

Your home insurance company will have a complaints process outlined on their website. Follow that process and raise a complaint.

It doesn't look safe to live in. I'd be sending the largest crack pic to the insurance company urgently.

Personally, I wouldn’t get a builder in. I’d get a structural engineer to inspect and report. Those cracks look too big to be anything other than structural - if you can stick a pound coin in it, you should get an expert to check it, is my understanding.

I have sent so many pictures to my insurance company. I sent the close-up picture to them today. I also called and had yet another argument with them. They are still saying the cracks are just cosmetic and a result of normal wear and tear. Now the big crack has got bigger I can see the brickwork is cracked. My insurance company are trying to tell me its normal for plaster to crack as it ages. There could be some truth to that, but if that was what was happening, I would expect the cracks to be evenly distributed throughout the house. It makes me angry. I feel like they are trying to say I have not maintained my house properly and that is not true. I could have gone round and filled all the cracks with Polyfilla and repainted, but it would just be masking the problem.

Jesus Christ. Those aren’t “cracks”. You need to get a structural engineer in asap and in the meantime arrange alternative accommodation. That wall is in danger of coming down. If it’s a party wall you need to show the neighbour also.

You really need to get a surveyor in . Yes it will cost you money , but surely your house degrading further will cost more . Showed my dh and he says it structural , but definitely get advice asap.

I feel the house is not safe. Yes, that crack is in the party wall. I put a tape measure in it today and it went to 24cm. I wouldn't be surprised if that crack went right to the other side of neigbours wall but they just popped a bit of Pollyfilla in it. I should be alarmed by your comment, but actually it's just relief that someone believes me. I am so used to being told i'm making a big deal out of nothing with these cracks.

You really need a structural survey. As pp said put in a complaint to your insurance company, mark it urgent. Advise in the complaint you are concerned for your safety.

Put a ruler or tape measure next to and across the crack and confirm what room it is, send the ins co copies along with your complaint. Monitor the crack over the next couple of weeks and keep the ins co informed of any change. Don't discuss it over the phone - you need everything in writing, so email or attach a letter.

There is little doubt from the photos and size that this is either subsidence or damage from inadequate building work.

Perhaps you could ask someone from building control at the local council to come out and have a look? I don't know if they normally would do such a thing, but if you point out that your neighbour's house has had a lot of structural building work done and you believe that they have caused structural damage to your home, they might decide to come and see what's happened.

Someone needs to go up in the loft asap to see if there's anything going on up there too, and I don't want to worry you, but where is your chimney stack?

Your insurance company, by the way, is fobbing you off in the hope that they will not have to pay a claim.

That's insane. I wouldn't stay if they're that big and getting worse. There's no way that can be safe as the actual wall is breaking apart.

I rejoined MN just to post this…you definitely need an expert opinion on those. I’d say to get a structural engineer to assess the damage. I am a structural engineer - I work in the maritime sector and I’m no expert on houses - but personally I’d be concerned about those. Normal plaster cracking is fine cracks, hairline marks, often around stress zones like door frames. Those are not fine cracks. My concern is that they are indicative of some significant change in support conditions. Cracks like that are not normal wear and tear.

Who is your insurance company? I’m never going with them! Those are some serious looking cracks.

Who is your insurance company? Surely you have grounds for complaint about their lack of help.

Agree with this - a structural engineer is a must at this point, I’d think, per @8TinyToeBeans advice. Fight this one all the way!

You don't need to be a structural engineer to see they're not cosmetic cracks in the plaster! I think the advice to get it assessed asap is correct, if the engineer thinks it needs urgent action you have something solid to get your insurance company acting asap and you could potentially try to claim the cost back through a complaint assuming they do think it's as severe as it looks.

Crikey, I cannot believe your insurance company are trying to fob you off. Absolutely get a structural engineer out and also file a complaint to your insurance company. It looks very much like your neighbour has done something to remove structural support. Or there is subsidence but it's under the party wall. Do you live in an area with mine shafts?

I agree that these cracks are quite alarming! I say that as someone with a house with loads of cracks that I often worry about, but you can't see inside any of mine or fit anything in them.
I think I would get a structural survey done.

I live in a terraced house and when next door had their renovation they had RSJs (steel beams) inserted, as did we when we had some work done.

Surely their house must be cracking as well.

What are these walls made of? Are they brick or are they partition walls?

I'm in the building trade OP, those are certainly structural cracks, the pattern screams subsidence, one section shearing down and away from the other. (note that means the section of wall subsiding, not necessarily the house foundation, for example due to a failed joist or lintel)

First port of call should be a good structural surveyor, they will be able to ascertain what is causing the movement, then a builder to act on their report and put in place temporary supports - your insurance should be sorting this. A good, competent builder would be able to diagnose and repair, but as you need to go through insurance you need to follow the protocol.

My concern would be it reaching tipping point and collapsing, when these things go, they just go.

As to cause, could be a vast number of things, some collapsing structure under the house (mining / tunnelling), some other work done incorrectly (for example replacing metal framed windows with uPVC, commonly no lintel was used with steel frames as they supported the bricks above), a load bearing timber failing due to rot or worm. It could be very simple, or very complex.

Another one wanting to know who your insurer is so I can avoid them like the plague. I believe there is an ombudsman you can can complain to, but it's a slow process:

www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/insurance

Sorry this is happening, it must be extremely stressful. I know it's a lot of money, but get a structural engineer out now (a bog standard surveyor may not be the right person - you need someone more specialist), find out what's going on, with a view to claiming the costs back from either the neighbour or your insurer in the future.

I'd also make a friendly call to building control at the council tomorrow and take their advice too. Catch them on a good day, they may even come round.

You said there are tenants next door? So not the people you've actually fallen out with? I'd go round and look from their side. At the very least chat with them and see if they are experiencing issues.

Final thing to think about is calling the legal cover helpline (if your home insurance has it) for advice.