We bought a semi detached house about 4 years ago in the full knowledge that it and its neighbour had been underpinned. Proper job with a structural engineer supervising. Up until now we’ve been happy to not have subsidence insured. However, there,s a prospect of selling up at some point in the medium term – any buyer is going to want cover for subsidence – a conversation with our insurers indicates that they will offer cover subject to a Structural Survey. Knowing that these things are subjective, has anyone out there had a survey/report done for this purpose – how did you brief the engineer, what questions did he address, was it successful? TIA

Can’t you just get the original engineer to provide one using the already known works.

Indemnity policy.

I don’t think our practice could say there would be no further settlement. Risk too high.

I’ve never had to deal with the engineers but do own an insurance brokers and have helped arrange the survey for clients in your situation.

Has been money well spent for some and money wasted for others and you’ll not know until you receive the report.

Often however, we have got an insurer to give an indication if they would be willing to include subs provided we had the original engineers report, monitoring results following remedial works.

What was the underpinning for and how long ago?

If you were willing to buy the house in the knowledge you wouldn’t have subsidence cover, it’s reasonable to assume someone else will. The price will reflect this.

We had a BTL flat with settlement rather than subsidence, was very hard to sell as even though we had reports saying it was minor movement several mortgages fell through over it. Right PITA. Eventually shifted it to a cash buyer (BTL).

Sandwicheater. Thanks, that’s helpful. I’m in touch with the original engineer who’s ferreting out the original documents – it was 1999 when the work was done! We were in the position of being real cash buyers, I’m anticipating the next buyer needing a mortgage!