The ground beneath your house is sinking.
Old mine shafts are collapsing underneath. Cracks appear in your walls. Doors won’t close properly anymore.
I’m Saif Derzi, founder of Property Buyers Today. I buy properties with ground problems that destroy normal sales.
Mining subsidence terrifies buyers. Surveys reveal the danger. Insurance companies refuse to cover. Mortgage lenders walk away immediately.
Your house becomes unsellable.
Subsidence claims take years to resolve. The Coal Authority investigates slowly. Repairs cost tens of thousands. Meanwhile, you’re trapped paying bills on an empty house.
Most sellers give up waiting.
I’ve handled subsidence properties before. I understand the mining reports. I know which areas are affected the worst.
This guide shows you how to sell now. You’ll learn what subsidence does to price. You’ll discover if waiting helps. You’ll see why cash sales work fast here.
Honest help for a sinking situation.
- Understanding Mining Subsidence and Its Impact on Property Sales
- Ways to Sell a Property Affected by Mining Subsidence
- Key Challenges When Selling Properties with Mining Subsidence
- Legal Disclosure and Coal Authority Searches
- Making a Coal Mining Subsidence Damage Claim
- Repair and Remediation of Mining Subsidence Damage
- Should You Repair Subsidence Before Selling?
- Insurance Considerations for Mining Subsidence Properties
- Why Choose Property Buyers Today for Selling Your Property with Mining Subsidence
Understanding Mining Subsidence and Its Impact on Property Sales
Mining subsidence happens when old underground mines collapse and the ground sinks.
Old coal mines cause most UK problems. Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, South Wales, and Scotland have the worst areas. I’ve seen whole streets suffer ground movement in old mining towns.
Mining subsidence can cut property values by 10-25%. Past damage worries buyers less than ongoing risk.
Types of mining problems:
- Shallow mines collapsing
- Deep mine settling
- Old pits failing
Signs include diagonal cracks in walls, sloping floors, and doors sticking. Properties can tilt or settle unevenly.
The Coal Authority keeps records of all mining areas. Their maps show high-risk zones. Future problems vary by mine depth and age.
Deep mines over 100 years old are usually stable now. Shallow mines under 30 metres cause ongoing issues.
Selling houses with subsidence needs proper paperwork. Want to know your house’s worth in mining areas? Check Coal Authority records first.
Ways to Sell a Property Affected by Mining Subsidence
Here are the 3 primary methods to sell your property when mining subsidence exists…
Estate Agents
The conventional route creates major obstacles for houses with mining subsidence:
- Average sale duration: 6-12 months (extended timeframe – mortgage lenders require Coal Authority searches and subsidence reports)
- Many sales fall through when mining reports reveal subsidence risks or damage
- You need agents experienced with mining subsidence properties and Coal Authority claims
- You’ll encounter these costs:
- Agent commissions (up to 3%)
- Solicitor fees (up to £4,000)
- Coal Authority searches and mining reports (£50-£150)
- Structural surveys for subsidence damage (£500-£1,500)
- Subsidence repairs if required (£5,000-£50,000+)
- Limited buyers interested in mining subsidence properties
Property Buyers Today
When mining subsidence makes your property difficult to market:
- We can complete within just 7 days
- No financing complications or repair requirements needed
- What you receive:
- No agent fees
- We handle legal costs
- No property viewings – we buy mining subsidence houses as they stand
- No repair expenses – we manage subsidence issues ourselves
- We understand mining subsidence and claim processes
- Completion date you can trust
- Consideration: Receive up to 85% of property value (often better after repair costs and prolonged delays)
Professional cash house buyers like Property Buyers Today understand mining subsidence complications and handle all procedures.
Property Auction
Auctioning attracts purchasers who work with mining subsidence properties:
- Duration: 3-4 months
- Sale finalises instantly when gavel drops
- Key factors:
- Property sold as-is – bidders review mining reports
- Attracts experienced developers and subsidence specialists
- Suitable for repair projects – draws appropriate buyers
- Mining history disclosed in auction legal pack
- Wait 4-8 weeks until auction date
- Wait 28 days to finalise transaction
- Registration fees (up to £1,000)
- Auction house charges (up to 6%)
- Full mining subsidence information must be disclosed to all bidders
Review our guide on selling a house at auction to understand how this process works for properties with mining subsidence.
Key Challenges When Selling Properties with Mining Subsidence
Selling a home with mining subsidence is really hard. Buyers fear damage, and banks won’t lend. These problems make your sale much slower.
Survey-Triggered Structural Alarm
Surveys always find subsidence signs.
Surveyors document cracks, uneven floors, and wonky doorframes as serious problems. Reports recommend specialist engineers costing £500-£2,000 or more.
Many buyers pull out rather than deal with properties needing monitoring. The survey frightens them about safety.
Selling a house with structural issues from mining makes buyers very nervous.
Mortgage Lender Refusals
Banks refuse loans on subsidence properties.
Lenders won’t lend or cut values by 20-40% until repairs are done with Coal Authority proof.
This cuts out most normal buyers. Only cash buyers remain, and they push prices down hard.
Properties become un-mortgageable, especially in old mining areas.
Repair Costs
Fixing subsidence costs huge amounts.
Repairs cost £10,000-£50,000 or more. Ongoing monitoring costs £500-£1,500 every year for ages.
Buyers take off full repair costs plus 30-40% extra for risk. Severe cases make properties almost impossible to sell.
Insurance Problems
Getting insurance is extremely hard.
Normal insurance won’t cover mining subsidence or charges 2-5 times more with £5,000-£10,000 excesses.
Even with Coal Authority claims, insurance is difficult. Without insurance, no mortgage is possible.
Coal Authority Claims Complexity
Making claims is complicated and slow.
Claims need lots of paperwork and take 6-18 months. While claims can cover 100% of costs, the complexity puts buyers off.
Buyers fear inheriting incomplete claims or finding that damage doesn’t qualify. Nobody wants this uncertainty.
Legal Disclosure and Coal Authority Searches
You must tell buyers about mining subsidence problems.
The TA6 form asks directly about ground movement and past damage. Hiding subsidence breaks the law. I’ve seen sellers face court for not disclosing mining issues.
Coal Authority searches are required in all mining areas. These reports show old workings, mine shafts, and past claims. Local authority searches include mining checks automatically in affected zones.
Historical claim records appear in searches. Buyers discover problems whether you mention them or not.
Mining searches reveal:
- Past mine workings
- Old shafts nearby
- Previous damage claims
- Future risk areas
The Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991 gives you rights to claim for damage. Time limits apply – you must report new damage within six years.
Hiding subsidence can kill your sale. Buyers can pull out after searches reveal issues. They can sue you after completion, too.
Your solicitor handles mining checks during the conveyancing process. Order searches from approved providers early.
Always disclose mining problems upfront. Honest sellers complete sales faster.
Making a Coal Mining Subsidence Damage Claim
The Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991 covers damage from old coal mines.
The Coal Authority pays for repairs if mining caused your damage. Cracks, tilting, and settlement all qualify. I’ve seen homeowners get full repairs done at no cost.
Submit a damage notice to start your claim. The Coal Authority investigates and visits your property. Engineers assess if mining caused the problems.
Claim process steps:
- Submit damage notice
- Site investigation
- Engineer assessment
- Repair or payment offer
You can choose repairs or a cash payment instead. Depreciation payments reflect your property’s lost value. Claims take 6-18 months, typically, sometimes longer for complex cases.
Ongoing claims complicate sales badly. Buyers wait for claim outcomes before completing. Banks often refuse mortgages during active claims.
Keep all documentation of damage with photos and dates. Emergency procedures exist for dangerous subsidence threatening your home.
Selling houses with cracked walls needs claim resolution first. Download damage notice forms from government sites.
Start claims immediately when damage appears. Faster claims mean faster sales.
Repair and Remediation of Mining Subsidence Damage
Fixing mining subsidence has several options. Understanding repair methods helps you choose the right approach. These solutions can restore your home’s value and make it sellable.
Coal Authority Repair Schemes
The Coal Authority pays for repairs if mining caused the damage.
Properties affected by proven mining subsidence get 100% Coal Authority-funded repairs, including underpinning, structural work, and cosmetic fixes. Claims take 6-18 months but cover all costs, potentially £20,000-£100,000 or more.
You must prove damage comes specifically from coal mining, not other causes like clay shrinkage or poor foundations.
This is free money for repairs. It transforms unmortgageable properties into sellable ones at no cost to you.
Underpinning vs Resin Injection Methods
Two main methods fix subsidence foundations.
Traditional concrete underpinning costs £1,000-£1,500 per linear metre and provides permanent support. Work takes 4-12 weeks with significant disruption.
Modern resin injection costs £5,000-£15,000 for typical properties and stabilises the ground faster in 1-2 weeks with less mess.
Choice depends on severity. Selling property with foundation problems from deep mining often requires traditional underpinning for lender acceptance.
Structural Monitoring Requirements
Properties need monitoring to prove stability.
Mining area properties typically need 12-24 months of monitoring using crack gauges and surveys costing £500-£1,500 annually before lenders confirm stability.
Even after repairs, ongoing monitoring may be required. This costs money and creates inconvenience.
Buyers want immediate certainty, not years of observation. Monitoring requirements deter many potential purchasers.
Insurance-Backed Repair Guarantees
Private repairs need proper guarantees.
Repairs must include transferable 10-year structural warranties from approved specialists, adding £1,000-£3,000 to costs, plus Building Control certification.
Without these guarantees and building control certificates, repaired properties remain unmortgageable.
Lenders need documented proof that work meets engineering standards. Without guarantees, properties can’t be financed.
Beyond Economic Repair Threshold
Sometimes repairs cost more than the property is worth.
When repair costs exceed 50-60% of post-repair property value, remediation becomes economically unviable.
Severely affected properties with £80,000+ repair estimates on £150,000 properties may only sell for land value to developers willing to demolish and rebuild.
The Coal Authority itself may compulsorily purchase at heavily discounted rates. Sometimes accepting this is better than trying to repair.
Should You Repair Subsidence Before Selling?
Completed subsidence repairs improve saleability hugely.
Fixed subsidence with guarantees recovers most of your property value. Private repairs cost £5,000-£30,000 depending on severity. Coal Authority repairs are free but take 12-18 months. I’ve seen buyers pay full price for properly repaired homes.
Structural engineer reports prove repairs worked properly. Ten-year guarantees reassure buyers and banks. Without these, mortgages get refused.
Repair benefits:
- Higher sale prices
- Faster completions
- Mortgage availability
- Buyer confidence
Urgent sales work better when selling as-is. Price reductions of £10,000-£20,000 reflect unrepaired damage. Market conditions in mining areas mean buyers expect discounts anyway.
Coal Authority repairs cost you nothing but take ages. Private contractors work faster, but you pay. Documentation matters hugely – keep all repair records and guarantees.
Buyers in mining areas understand subsidence better. They accept repaired properties more readily than other regions.
Some problems aren’t worth fixing before selling. Subsidence usually is worth repairing, though.
Get a house valuation comparing repair costs versus price drops.
Repair if time allows. Sell as-is only for urgent completions.
Insurance Considerations for Mining Subsidence Properties
Getting insurance for mining subsidence properties is really difficult. Premiums are high and coverage is complicated. Understanding insurance issues helps you prepare for sale challenges.
Standard Policy Exclusions & Coverage Gaps
Most insurance excludes mining subsidence damage.
Standard home insurance covers non-mining subsidence but explicitly excludes mining subsidence. This creates confusion about what caused damage.
Insurers often dispute whether damage comes from mining (Coal Authority’s responsibility) or other ground movement (insurer’s responsibility).
Homeowners end up fighting both parties while the damage gets worse. Neither wants to pay for repairs.
Coal Authority Statutory Protection
Properties above coal mines get free Coal Authority protection.
This covers 100% of proven mining damage repairs without premiums or excesses. It’s better than insurance but only applies to coal mining, not other minerals.
Claims processes are complex and require technical evidence. You must prove that the damage is definitely linked to historical mining activity.
This free protection is valuable. It saves massive repair costs if you can prove mining caused the damage.
Premium Penalties in Mining Areas
Insurance costs much more in old mining areas.
Properties in historically mined regions face 50-200% higher premiums even without previous claims. Annual costs reach £800-£2,000 or more versus £300-£500 for non-mining properties.
Buyers factor these ongoing costs into what they’ll pay. Higher insurance reduces how much they can afford.
These premium differences are permanent. Every future owner pays more for insurance forever.
Previous Claims Impact on Availability
Properties with claim history face insurance problems.
Even successful Coal Authority claims make mainstream insurers refuse cover entirely. Specialist high-risk insurers charge 3-5 times more with £5,000-£10,000 excesses.
This makes properties expensive to own and significantly harder to sell. Buyers struggle to get affordable insurance quotes.
Similar to indemnity insurance situations, specialist cover comes at premium prices that most buyers find unaffordable.
Mandatory Disclosure & Policy Transfer
You must disclose all mining subsidence history.
Sellers must tell insurers and buyers about all subsidence history, previous claims, and current monitoring. Failure to disclose voids and policies creates legal liability.
Proper disclosure often prevents policy transfer to new owners. They must seek new insurance at potentially prohibitive rates.
This can collapse sales at the last minute. Buyers pull out when they discover insurance costs or unavailability.
Why Choose Property Buyers Today for Selling Your Property with Mining Subsidence
Here’s what you need to know…
Mining subsidence creates massive uncertainty for anyone trying to sell through traditional channels. Buyers demand Coal Authority reports, insurers get twitchy, and solicitors slow everything down with endless enquiries. The whole process becomes exhausting. If you’d prefer to sidestep this complexity entirely, I completely understand where you’re coming from.
I won’t pretend otherwise—our offer won’t match what you might achieve on the open market under perfect conditions, because we factor in our own costs and need to move the property on quickly.
Still, here’s why so many people facing subsidence issues choose to sell their house fast through us…
Speed
Most house sales take months, but we can buy your property in as little as 7 days.
This quick process is perfect if you need to move soon or want to avoid being stuck in a long chain of buyers and sellers. We have the cash on hand so don’t need to wait for mortgages or a chain to collapse.
Guaranteed Sale
Did you know 1 in 3 sales fall through on the open market?
We know how frustrating it is to get 6 months into a process and have a buyer pull out.
When we give you the final price for your house, that’s the amount you’ll get. Guaranteed!
No Costs
You won’t face any costs with us.
We handle all the expenses involved in buying your property, including legal fees and surveys. You get cash in your bank when the sale is complete, and there are no surprise estate agent commissions to worry about.
No Stress Or Hassle
Our team supports you through the whole selling process.
We keep you updated about what’s happening and answer any questions quickly. You’ll always understand what’s going on with your sale and what happens next.
Free Property Valuation
Our property experts will value your house at no cost to you.
They look carefully at your property and check local market prices to give you an accurate figure. This professional service comes with no obligations.
No Viewings Required
Forget about cleaning and tidying for viewings.
We don’t need multiple visits or open houses to make our offer. This means no strangers walking through your home, and no disruption to your daily life.
All Properties Welcome
Whether your house needs work or is in perfect condition, we’ll buy it.
We have experience with all types of properties and conditions. This means you can sell your house to us no matter what state it’s in.
Professional Legal Service
Our expert team manages all the legal requirements for you.
We work with experienced property lawyers who make sure everything runs smoothly, and put your property at the top of their list. This gives you peace of mind that your sale is being handled properly from start to finish.
