Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

Such a shame Morti if it was a place you liked so much, but I can honestly say it would put me off.

As for them saying there hadn't been any mining related incidents since 1994, I would think that is not long enough ago for my liking.

If there was an incident of any sort, I would worry I'd not get any more insurance.

I always felt I wanted to end my days down in Cornwall, but I was told the land there is like Nom's string vest!

Sorry to put a damper on it, but if I were you, I'd keep looking Morti.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

Hi

Mining Reports are a disaster when it comes to selling again.

The North Staffs Coalfield is very well documented, so I would not worry too much.

An adit is merely a side unnel off a deep shaft, JBR is the expert on these, not me.

Just be grateful you do not live in Telford, the home of thousands of Bell Pits.

The big problem is this, Drainage, not Mines.

There was a change in the Law, designed to hit the Foreign Owned Water Companies, in relation to drains.

It was messed up big time.

If you have a drain running underneath your house, or alongside your foundations, the Water Companies will now have to unblock it free of charge.

Sounds good, but you will have to pay all the costs of demolition and or shoring up for them to do so.

It is the big thing in conveyancing now.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

Tbh I myself wouldn’t be worried as long as I could get insurance

Ask the venders who they insure with

The house I’m in is on top of s huge lignite field, so big and deep that there is permission granted for mining. I bought the house knowing that

Fortunately it has to be open mined and I live in an area of outstanding natural beauty and of natural interest or whatever ( too many endangered plants and animals etc ) and the mining won’t be happening in my lifetime

I’m a Londoner. After the summer of 76 whole roads of houses subsided and had to be underpinned. Those same house go for over a million now. Your report says no movement for near on 30 years? I’d go for it ( as long as you can get insurance)

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

Thanks to everyone for their replies. .. I was keen to hear what your thoughts were.
As in, would a sane person touch it.

I admit I've ranged from don't touch it with a barge pole to thinking ..hmm, this is mining country I live in anyway.
It's not uncommon for estate agents around here to state in the house details that a mining report is available .. early this year a little terraced went for 40k for that reason.

One mine shaft and two of these adits sound a bit too much for me.
I think I might walk away (sensible head on) ... but had wondered whether to just ask an insurance company if they would insure something like this and if so, how high the premiums would be and I'd have to get it substantially below what the sellers are asking.

Meanwhile ... it's not pressing anymore that I decide about it as the couple having my house withdrew today so it's back to the drawing board.

Perhaps Fate has intervened and made the decision for me.
My own house is on an old colliery site too. Probably the same old colliery.
Only today, after googling , did I discover I can buy the type of Mining Report used by conveyancing solicitors from the Coal Authority so I'd best get myself one incase my house is blighted though no shafts were mentioned when I bought it back in 1986.
But things seem to have changed since then. Got stricter with more damning documentation available.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

Sounds like you are right Morti, and fate has made it grind to a halt for a rethink.

Is it possible your buyers who back out, got hold of a mining report on your house do you think?

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

It did cross my mind Mups though they said it was for personal reasons.
I had no trouble getting a mortgage or anything back in 1986 but from what I can gather it used to be they took into account any mining work 10 metres extending from a property boundary ... which they increased to 20 metres.

When I came here I thought I lived on the slag heap .. but afterwards found out it was the actual colliery.
There must be a load of ghosts around me. A pit explosion in 1875 killed 41 miners. Another disaster in 1866 killed 91 men and boys and 12 horses and pit ponies. Loads of miners were found sitting in the tunnels waiting to be rescued.
No one goes out on Halloween night around here.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

Blimey Mort, I think I'd be out of there like a bat out of hell.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

They're still building houses on the top of old mine workings round my way, the latest building plot had a vertical mine shaft in the middle of it. It's been shored up by driving steel piles into the ground around it and then filling it in. Wouldn't like to living there any time soon.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

Hi

Selling any house is a nightmare now.

I am in the middle of selling mine. and if it can go wrong it will.

My buyers are away, a cruise they booked a year ago.

Everything is signed, just waiting fot a date to Exchance.

Their Solicitor is playing silly buggas, a complete prat.

In the middle of all this my heating has packed up.

I live within 200 Metres of a stream, the fact that my house is 27 metres above the stream and has naff all chance of being flooded is lost on them.

Vast swathes of the UK would have to be under water before it got anywhere near to me.

There are no mines within 15 miles, I live on sand.

There is no chance of Fracking anywhere near me, the geology is just not there.

My buyers want my house, they have been after it for 4 years and have now sold theirs to a Cash Buyer.

They have had the Survey, happy with that and the price, signed the contracts, told him to get on with it.

He simply wll not Exchange.

It is a nightmare.

The cost of a new heating system is £8495, plus 5%Vat.

The new system arracts a Government Grant and a pay in of over £10k in the next seven years.

He wants that for free, I pay, they get that income for free.

He can Naff off it is not going to happen.

He wants the price reduced by £9k, I have told hom no, if I pay for it, the price goes up by £9k.

Eeverything was set for a move on the 4th July.

It may well not happen.

One of my neighbores is having their Air Soufce Heat Pump replaced on the 26th of June to take advantage of the new system of Grants.

I have bought it from them for £100, fitting will be £800 and their Solicitor can get lost.

Interseting times.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

I think I would have walked away from the sale Mort, as you say circumstances have now changed so it's probably not a decision you have to make but as someone else said it would always have been a worry living there.