Landmark Information [1], the environment, land and property data specialists, has announced a newly enhanced Homecheck Mining and Subsidence report, which provides details on any potential mining, subsidence or ground stability hazards at residential addresses across the UK. This uniquely includes details of insurance claims that are a result of damage caused by subsidence to nearby properties, providing ‘real life’ evidence of potential hazards in the locality.
If the Homecheck Mining and Subsidence report identifies the presence of a hazard, it could mean the property is at risk of structural damage from subsidence or heave. The desktop report covers a wide range of risks, including man-made and natural sources as well as providing subsidence insurance claim information, thereby highlighting both the risk and actual impact of local ground conditions.
Rob Phillipson, Sales & Product Director at Landmark Information [2] said: “Hazards relating to subsidence and other types of ground instability can cause extensive damage so should always be considered as part of the property conveyancing process. When you talk to people about such risks, they don’t often realise the prevalence and regional variances in ground hazards across the country. It is therefore always worth researching risks of this nature to provide peace of mind.”
The Homecheck Mining and Subsidence report covers man-made hazards as well as natural hazards, including former mining activities, former brine extraction and salt mining, landfill sites or other in-filled land, plus natural ground instability hazards. The report is able to identify areas of land that could be prone to ground instability and subsidence as a result of the natural underlying geology, which includes higher risk potential for landslides or sink holes.
Continues Rob: “The Homecheck report also searches and identifies insurance claims that are related to subsidence on properties within the locality. These claims could be evidence of hazards that have been identified elsewhere in the report. It further includes the details of successful Coal Mining Subsidence Damage Claims that have been handled by the Coal Authority, rather than going through an insurer. All of this provides consumers with a very clear picture on potential hazards of a given address, enabling further investigations to take place if they are concerned by the findings.”
Homecheck Mining and Subsidence is today available with an RRP of £20 + VAT. The report is available for same day delivery.
Homecheck Mining and Subsidence: summary
- Former Mining: a number of different sources of information are searched to identify areas of past mining. Old mine shafts and tunnels can collapse and damage properties above them. Disturbed ground and spoil tips can also be prone to settlement, which could cause structural damage to buildings.
- Former Brine Extraction and Salt Mining: Areas of historical salt and brine extractions are identified. This type of mining leaves large cavities in the ground which could collapse and cause problems for properties built in the area.
- Landfill Sites and Infilled Ground: Areas formerly used for landfill and areas of other infilling indicated from historical mapping such as ponds, drains and small pits, are identified. Infilled land can be susceptible to settling so any houses that have been built on these areas could experience ground stability problems and subsidence resulting in damage to the property.
- Natural Ground Stability Hazards: The report identifies areas of land that could be prone to ground instability and subsidence as a result of the natural underlying geology. Examples include areas of the UK at a higher risk of landslides or where sink holes could occur.
- Insurance Claims from Subsidence: The report assesses the ratio of valid insurance claims there are in the postcode compared with the rest of Great Britain. Based on this, it will indicate if there is a very high, high, moderate to high or moderate risk of subsidence in the area. Homecheck Mining and Subsidence also reports on Coal Mining Subsidence Damage Claims, which are claims that have been handled by the Coal Authority.
For more information visit www.landmark.co.uk/landmark-legal [1], telephone 0844 844 9966 or follow the team on Twitter [3].