Media Release:

Over 1/3 of UK homes at risk of subsidence

CA/MR 2007/04 - 18th May 2007

Over 8.5 million homes in Britain are at risk of subsidence damage and a massive £340 million is claimed each year on insurance policies as a result. A new ‘Ground Stability Report’ service is now available which can provide buyers with essential information to assist them in making the decision about a potential house purchase. For sellers the report highlights preventative or remedial action that can be taken to maintain the stability of their property and minimise damage should they be in an area affected by subsidence. The report is authorised and fully compliant for inclusion in Home Information Packs, which will be compulsory in England and Wales from 1 June 2007.

The new service is the result of collaboration between the Coal Authority, the British Geological Service (BGS) and the Cheshire Brine Subsidence Compensation Board.  As well as providing information on the ground conditions, it also offers sound practical advice to homeowners. Included within the price of the residential Ground Stability Report is insurance cover of up to £50,000 should any updates or changes to the information in future reports have a detrimental effect on the property’s value.

With prices from just £29 when ordered online, each tailored report represents a huge saving over the circa £100 cost of obtaining the information from each body separately. In addition to mining subsidence the main causes of ground movement are entirely natural and include clays swelling and shrinking, running sand, compressible and collapsible deposits, landslide activity and soluble rocks such as limestone.  Each report includes a map of the property, with its boundary clearly marked and a useful summary table listing the key potential hazards. The report gives details on any past, current or proposed underground and surface coal mining activity and information is included about mine shafts within and up to 20 metres outside the boundary of a property, together with details of any mining related ground fractures. It also includes information about any mine gas emissions and how the effects have been dealt with.

Commenting on the new service, Joe Dearden, Head of Customer and Commercial Services at The Coal Authority said, “Subsidence is a huge issue for British homeowners and costs the insurance industry more each year than flood damage. Claims can take up to 3 years to resolve, causing uncertainty and misery for homeowners. The Ground Stability Report can offer homebuyers peace of mind when they’re making the biggest financial investment of their lives.”

Reports are available online from www.groundstability.com or from National Land Information Service (NLIS). Customers can also order searches by telephone on 0845 762 6848. Most reports will be returned the next working day.

• View sample: residential ground stabillity report

Notes to Editors:

1. Prices start at £29 for a residential search ordered and returned online or £39 if ordered by post. Non-residential, commercial and development site searches of up to 25 hectares in extent are £59 online or £69 by post. All these prices are inclusive of VAT.

2. Ground stability hazards include:

Swelling and shrinking clays.
Clay rich soils will shrink or swell with seasonal weather changes, causing ground movement. Movement can also occur in these soils from both the planting and removal of trees or leaks from water pipes or drains. Almost 4 million homes lie within significant potential hazard zones – mainly in the east and south-east of England.

Soluble rocks.
Subsidence caused by the dissolving of soluble rocks giving rise to cavities and subsidence is most commonly associated with salt and gypsum deposits, but a significant number of claims relate to houses built over chalk and limestone bedrock. Over a million homes lie within significant potential hazard zones.

Landslides.
These occur in certain conditions and depend on the geology, angle of slope, drainage, rainfall and a change in the drainage pattern. Some 370,000 homes lie within significant potential hazard zones.

Compressible and collapsible ground.
This is ground that is prone to compression or collapse when a load is applied, such as a building of a new house or structure. Almost 3 million homes lie within significant potential hazard zones.

Running sand.
These are sands that flow into a void due to water pressure and cause collapse. Some 270,000 homes lie within significant potential hazard  zones.

John Delaney
Corporate Affairs Manager
The Coal Authority
200 Lichfield Lane
Mansfield
Nottinghamshire
NG18 4RG

Tel. 01623 637250
Fax. 01623 427316

Email: johndelaney@coal.gov.uk