Mine Shafts and Buying A House

I've just got the Mining Report on a little bungalow which I'd put in an offer on.

Now .. I already know it's old mining country. The whole area is riddled with shafts. I've lived here all my life. North Staffs. There was a colliery pit on every street corner.

The report lists any known shafts within a 20 metre radius of the property boundary.

The map showed ...
1) A mine shaft underneath the house of the next door but one neighbour. Last worked in 1943 and capped in 1972.
2) An 'adit' directly just across the road in the front garden of another house. No record that it has been treated.
3) The worst one ... an 'adit' underneath the property itself which I've put an offer in on. Also no record of treatment.

As I said, it is old mining country but this seems unusually blighted.
I'd already knocked off 10k on the asking price on my original offer before the estate agent themselves offered me the report. Which was thoughtful as it saves time before I hit solicitors expenses. It would be a cash purchase. There seems some doubt if it would be mortgageable or insurable. It has been up for sale for a while.

There also some guff included about a Coal Authority indemnity package giving 50k of insurance cover. No idea what that is all about.

What would you do?
Walk away from the place?
Anyone else here come across old mines? Or live in a house with an old mining risk?

Anyone know exactly what an 'adit' is compared to a mine shaft?

I suspect I'll walk away but it is a shame.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

I forgot to add ...
The report says there is no record of any neighbouring property within a 50 metre radius having made any mining related insurance claims since 1994.
Nor has that property made any.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

No Morti I did live in Dover though.
It was hit badly during WW2, so many properties near to ours had to be underpinned, that is very costly!
Does the property show any signs of subsidence? Look at the window frames.
I suppose a full survey will reveal any concerns. I would think on it. Good luck.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

Walk away as quick as possible. You will always have the worry otherwise of the house collapsing, walk away. May pay also to find out how long the house has been on the market, others may have done the same thing and walked away.
There is also what about if you want/need to sale at a later date??

Personally I would not touch it with a barge pole, let alone a front door key.

Can you get house insurance for it? I very much doubt it or the cost would be astronomical.

MOVE TO A SAFE AREA WELL AWAY FROM ALL THAT MINE TROUBLE

I lived in South Staffs and paid for a full and detailed mining report before I purchased the kennels. Don't rely on and agents version they are there on the vendors side not yours.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

Living as I do in the Rhondda Valley we are riddled with old mine workings but we never get any troubles when purchasing a house nor do we get any trouble with insuring a property.

An adit is a horizontal passage leading into a mine for the purposes of access or drainage.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

With changing weather patterns recently there have been more cases of large holes appearing in unexpected places. I don't know if a property with mining history would be more vulnerable or not but it's worth finding out before you take the plunge.
Insurance companies are not going to pay out if you've bought a property with a known risk.
They are well known for taking your money but not happy to return the compliment when asked to pay out.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

In our part of N. Wales there have been instances of sink holes appearing due to the mining, which used to take place up here. I sincerely hope our home doesn't disappear down one in the future.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

There is an area about 20 miles away from me where you could buy the most beautiful 4 to 5 bedroomed houses for a very low price.
I wondered why they were so cheap. Then someone told me, they were built over old mine shafts.

This was over 40 years ago and l have never heard of any problems being reported in the paper or otherwise.

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

Just think - 'SINK HOLES' darlin' and run, don't walk away ASAP!!!

Re: Mine Shafts and Buying A House

Morti, I've sent you a PM.