Some insurance don’t like to insure a property that has had a history of subsidence is an understatement -most main insurers will not and sadly you end up with limited choice of insurance and higher premiums it’s a disgrace the way they treat you happy to take your money while everything is okay but the minute you claim don’t want to know you.The government ought to do more to stop the shameful behaviour of insurance companies
That’s great advice, thank you. I just put the phone down after talking to my surveyor that looked at a property for me this morning. Seems there is a problem with subsidence caused by bad drains. Hopefully we can get this resolved, & continue to move forward.
Thanks for this one Phil. I have just been looking at a house to potentially buy for a home, but it has a crack beneath the upstairs bedroom window inside and outside so decided I might pass on the potential headache as a first time buyer.
@@cathy__wilson4930 Hey Cathy 👋 No, I decided it was far too much risk to take on and I rather buy something which I have don't have an immediate structural concern as a first time buyer. The search goes on for me I am afraid as I am just not willing to pay the crazy prices in my area at the moment and now the housing stock on the market is just not what I am looking for. Call me a fool but I am still hopeful that there will be a minor correction by Winter/Spring 2022. I get the demand/supply issue but people still have a ceiling of borrowing power based on income...
We have just noticed uneven flooring in the room above the basement, also a few extra cracks around the house. Tge house was built in the late 1800s and is near a railwayline line. We don't know where to start checking!
subsidence has nothing to with the weight of the building but rather the soil beneath the foundations which becomes unstable due to shrinkage in clay soils for example. Also diagonal cracking through the brickwork is very rare. More often the cracking is tapered along the mortar and appears larger at the top than the bottom. Read your insurance policy very carefully for exclusions that are likely to apply too.
Anyone has experience from insurance company that refused to pay out? Underpinning is considered "betterment" and has refused to cover for that. Only cosmetic repair offered. I would be grateful if anyone could share their experience on this matter. Thank you.
Only 10% underpinning now because the insurance companies have found ways not to pay for it. The unethical loss adjusters. They call it "betterment". I call it fixing the cause of the subsidence.
@@cathy__wilson4930 There are a few method to secure the foundation. It's the structural engineers preferred option. If it works or not for the long term, it's anyone guess.
@@tilley6351 What do you think of underpinning with Mass Concrete method on clay soil for secure the foundation? I think secure the foundation for longer term would be underpinning....
@@cathy__wilson4930 this is the preferred method. I was told Geobear method is not effective for London clay soil. Best to consult your structural engineer.
Some insurance don’t like to insure a property that has had a history of subsidence is an understatement -most main insurers will not and sadly you end up with limited choice of insurance and higher premiums it’s a disgrace the way they treat you happy to take your money while everything is okay but the minute you claim don’t want to know you.The government ought to do more to stop the shameful behaviour of insurance companies
Thanks for sharing your opinion on this.
Agree. I am going through this nightmare.
This is not only for home insurance. It's insurance company on the whole.
That’s great advice, thank you. I just put the phone down after talking to my surveyor that looked at a property for me this morning. Seems there is a problem with subsidence caused by bad drains. Hopefully we can get this resolved, & continue to move forward.
Did you manage to sort is as I have just had the same issue. Was it due to the drains
Thanks for this one Phil. I have just been looking at a house to potentially buy for a home, but it has a crack beneath the upstairs bedroom window inside and outside so decided I might pass on the potential headache as a first time buyer.
did you buy the house???
@@cathy__wilson4930 Hey Cathy 👋
No, I decided it was far too much risk to take on and I rather buy something which I have don't have an immediate structural concern as a first time buyer.
The search goes on for me I am afraid as I am just not willing to pay the crazy prices in my area at the moment and now the housing stock on the market is just not what I am looking for. Call me a fool but I am still hopeful that there will be a minor correction by Winter/Spring 2022. I get the demand/supply issue but people still have a ceiling of borrowing power based on income...
We have just noticed uneven flooring in the room above the basement, also a few extra cracks around the house. Tge house was built in the late 1800s and is near a railwayline line. We don't know where to start checking!
subsidence has nothing to with the weight of the building but rather the soil beneath the foundations which becomes unstable due to shrinkage in clay soils for example. Also diagonal cracking through the brickwork is very rare. More often the cracking is tapered along the mortar and appears larger at the top than the bottom. Read your insurance policy very carefully for exclusions that are likely to apply too.
Interesting topic! Thanks Phil!
You're welcome!
Anyone has experience from insurance company that refused to pay out?
Underpinning is considered "betterment" and has refused to cover for that. Only cosmetic repair offered.
I would be grateful if anyone could share their experience on this matter. Thank you.
I am facing the same problem with the insurer
@@alibaba-de1ub Who is your loss adjuster?
@@tilley6351 can I PM you?
Not useful as the title is misleading. It does not state what can be done
I work in the subsidence industry and a lot of the content of this post is misleading.
You can't just say that with out a little counter-info!
@@djonesx exactly 😅
lies, only 10 percent need underpinning
Only 10% underpinning now because the insurance companies have found ways not to pay for it. The unethical loss adjusters.
They call it "betterment". I call it fixing the cause of the subsidence.
@@tilley6351 Do you think underpinned is fixing the cause of the subsidence then?????
@@cathy__wilson4930 There are a few method to secure the foundation. It's the structural engineers preferred option.
If it works or not for the long term, it's anyone guess.
@@tilley6351 What do you think of underpinning with Mass Concrete method on clay soil for secure the foundation?
I think secure the foundation for longer term would be underpinning....
@@cathy__wilson4930 this is the preferred method. I was told Geobear method is not effective for London clay soil.
Best to consult your structural engineer.