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Original poster

Property Search shows moderate to high potential for natural ground subsidence and radon! Would you buy?

27 replies

ErlingHaalandsManBun · 03/02/2026 17:44

The searches have come back on a property we are buying. There have been 2 areas identified as being at risk. One is that the property shows moderate to high potential for natural ground subsidence and the other is that the property is an area where elevated radon levels in 30-100% of properties within the area.

What would you do? Do we investigate the subsidence issue further? Do we need to worry about the radon? We have messaged our solicitor with no reply so far so just seeing if anyone else on here has experienced similar.

Are either of these likely to put you off buying?

OP posts:
bickering · 04/02/2026 20:19

ErlingHaalandsManBun · 04/02/2026 15:17

More issues 🙄

So, our buyers knocked down the previous building as it was a chalet type construction to build a brick bungalow in its place. All planning submitted and approved by the council. This was done and built in 2004 and it now transpires that no completion certificate is available so it was never checked. I am not sure building regulations were a thing back in 2004 but we are nervous to buy a house when we have no idea who built it and if it was built safely and to standard. It seems too much of a risk, especially knowing that the ground is of a moderate to high risk for natural subsidence!

So we are now also making enquiries on this also. It never rains but it pours.

I am beginning to think the universe is telling us to walk away from this house but there really isn't anything else we want in that area 😕

Building Regs were first a thing after the 1666 Fire of London! So defo high standards in 2004.

There are different providers So ask more questions about the certificate. Was the council ever appointed to do Building Regs? If not they won’t have any record (it’s different dept to Planning) as well as no certificate. If they didn’t use the council ask the sellers which Approved Inspector they used? If they aren’t sure use the Planning Record to identify the architect and then phone them up to ask if they’ve got copies of the certificates etc? They shouldn’t send them to you as it’s private info but if you know they exist you can get the solicitor to prompt the sellers to obtain them and pass them over.

So far so good - paperwork maybe making you nervous but no “real life” problems so far. Keep going!

Original poster
ErlingHaalandsManBun · 04/02/2026 22:06

bickering · 04/02/2026 20:19

Building Regs were first a thing after the 1666 Fire of London! So defo high standards in 2004.

There are different providers So ask more questions about the certificate. Was the council ever appointed to do Building Regs? If not they won’t have any record (it’s different dept to Planning) as well as no certificate. If they didn’t use the council ask the sellers which Approved Inspector they used? If they aren’t sure use the Planning Record to identify the architect and then phone them up to ask if they’ve got copies of the certificates etc? They shouldn’t send them to you as it’s private info but if you know they exist you can get the solicitor to prompt the sellers to obtain them and pass them over.

So far so good - paperwork maybe making you nervous but no “real life” problems so far. Keep going!

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Thanks for this, I will definitely get onto this first thing tomorrow. Really useful info and great to feel that all might not be lost.

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