The Mock Turtle

I've done a search on the house with the coal authority and it recommendations a coal mine report. This is ok, but should I hold off on paying for the survey until this comes back? There was a big crack in the front path which I queried, and I thought there was a bit of a slope in the dining room. the sellers said the crack had been there when they moved in 12 ys ago, and never changed. That would have been the time to tell me there
may have been underpinning/subsidence at some point right?

I don't really know, but truly, half of East Bristol is on mining stuff. I'm not sure the mining report will be indicative of subsidence, its generally to show where mining works were. As far as i can recall anyway (we'd have had one for here, I've also had to get a couple for planning applications but my memory is a bit vague)

Thanks, Smal. I understood that was the case with East Bristol. Do sellers declare subsidence/undermining I wonder? I've just filled in my own property form and can't remember if it asked the question.

I'd have thought you'd have to, wouldn't you? Its been 12 years since I went through it though so its hard to recall.

I've just looked. It only asks about radon gas and flooding under environmental matters. It does list underpinning when it asked about guarantees and warrantees

Basically everywhere in East Bristol has mines under it. We had to spunk £135 to be told there is a mine tunnel within 20 metres of our property and then the lender would lend to us. Its (the crack) unlikely to be anything to worry about, nearly all the terraces around have cracks. Just make sure it's not letting water in.

Everything Cos said. I remember being so worried about it when we bought our first house but it's come up on every house purchase (and the surveyors and solicitors have always said it's to be expected round here).

I would definitely want to know about underpinning, though. I'm sure it has to be declared. Maybe ask Chicky as she sold an underpinned house.

Underpinning/subsidence definitely has to be declared, there is a bit on the property information form about it. You are relying on the vendors to be truthful though, I’m not sure there is any way to check although I think the council have to sign it off. We were so naive about underpinning when we bought our old house, and even though we sold ours in the end I wouldn’t touch an underpinned house with a bargepole again. So I’d definitely get the crack seen to by the surveyor if you are worried. I seem to recall you can do a search somewhere to see whether there are any other properties in the area that have suffered with subsidence. Maybe through your solicitor?

We are also in mining territory and have had a mining survey done on all the property we’ve bought up here. The general rule seems to be that unless you are directly above a shaft there is not too much to be concerned about. This is why having a local solicitor helps too, as they have come across these things many times before and are generally good at interpreting risk.

Thank you both. I've been reading back about yours, Chicky. That must have been stressful. I don't understand why there is still such a thing about it, especially if underpinning really does stabilize a property making it potentially more stable than other properties. However as you say, it's harder to sell and get a mortgage so I wouldn't want to take one on.

I've asked the surveyor to pay particular attention to the crack in the path, and will have the searches done. I will also get the solicitor to formally ask the question.

It’s madness. We’ve sold the house now but mostly because it was underpinned more than 25 years ago so insurance companies don’t care any more. We also paid for a subsidence specialist to do a report stating that the house hadn’t moved since the underpinning was done. (That sounds like we paid him to do the report, he actually checked the house out and came to the conclusion himself that it hadn’t moved )

Sounds like you are doing all the right things though. Good idea to get the solicitor to formally ask the question.

I missed loads! Congratulations Marth! Hope it all goes smoothly!

Our purchase is still ongoing. J refused to put up with my hissy fit over the sellers being dicks and nothing better has come on the market in the meanwhile. There seems to be a £150k hole in the middle of local property market, which we're sitting right in the middle of.

Picked up the papers at the end of last week to read through. We should have the keys by the end of the month. And then, I guess, cross everything that the world doesn't implode.

Beena wrote: ↑Sun Oct 04, 2020 8:53 am I missed loads! Congratulations Marth! Hope it all goes smoothly!

Our purchase is still ongoing. J refused to put up with my hissy fit over the sellers being dicks and nothing better has come on the market in the meanwhile. There seems to be a £150k hole in the middle of local property market, which we're sitting right in the middle of.

Picked up the papers at the end of last week to read through. We should have the keys by the end of the month. And then, I guess, cross everything that the world doesn't implode.

Oh I really hope there are no more problems now, and when you move in. It's been such a trial!

Fingers crossed Marth & Beena.
Our last lot of paperwork went missing including our original marriage certificate so had to order another certificate and get all the paperwork sent off again. Replacement paperwork was received by the solicitors last Monday and we received the remaining searches back Wednesday.

How annoying, Speedy! Especially your marriage certificate.

About fifty years ago, a building society date-stamped my parents’ marriage certificate and my dad is still furious about it.

Didn't know who to be annoyed with most. Mr Speedy who sent if off signed for rather than special delivery, the solicitors who sent us an envelope with their old address on or Royal Mail!
The solicitors new address is just next door to their old address but old address is now a massive block of student flats. Royal Mail have refunded us the cost of an express replacement marriage certificate. So it's all sorted but I still keep hoping the original will turn up.

That’s awful that they’ve lost your marriage certificate.

The original paperwork that went astray has now been returned to us by Royal Mail so that's good. The couple we're buying from who are moving into a new build are just waiting for a garage door to be put on. However, the builders are just going to remove a garage door from one of the new builds that isn't ready yet and put it on theirs.
Also apparently our solicitors have been telling their solicitors that they haven't had our mortgage details through yet but we're buying this house with the sale of ours plus some of Mr Speedy's inheritance. They have all those details as we had to send it off to them early on.

speedy gonzalez wrote: ↑Thu Oct 08, 2020 6:18 am The original paperwork that went astray has now been returned to us by Royal Mail so that's good. The couple we're buying from who are moving into a new build are just waiting for a garage door to be put on. However, the builders are just going to remove a garage door from one of the new builds that isn't ready yet and put it on theirs.
Also apparently our solicitors have been telling their solicitors that they haven't had our mortgage details through yet but we're buying this house with the sale of ours plus some of Mr Speedy's inheritance. They have all those details as we had to send it off to them early on.

Sounds like it could be soon. Hope they get that garage door put on pronto!

Yes - fingers crossed. Mr Speedy e-mailed the solicitors last night so we should hopefully hear back today about the inheritance/ house sale thing.

Beena & Marth - how's it all going?