house on mine shaft

[ashleymewes]

We have just recieved the last of our searches back and have been told that our new house is joined to a house that is built on a mine shaft. Our mortgage lender is now deciding whether to lend us the money or not which is obviously concerning us a great deal after all of the time and expense we have put into this sale. Has anyone had experience, good or bad of this? we've been told thats it's common here in the north east but we'd still like some advice if anyone has any.

[Golden Shred]

I have much experience of properties adversely affected by mining. My advice is do not under any circumstances touch it. You will only be buying a life of uncertainty and doubt, and, possibly, catastrophe.

[parkesquay]

I totally agree with GS. If you go ahead you are making a rod for your own back. Even supposing you got the mortgage but later on wanted to sell the property your 'future buyers/solicitors' may not be so generous and you could be stuck with a property that you could never sell because it is unmortgageable. Better to lose a few hundred quid now than tens of thousands later.

[nickmo]

Do not buy that property.

Even if you have a lender, the possibility is that when you come to sell at some poiint, conditions may change and another buyer may not be offered any mortgage.

You may have problems insuring the place as well

Plus the value of your home will not be as high in the future as the potential of a property not affected by the situation. Just find another house - easy to say but worth a bit of searching now rather than seeing all your investment collapse....

[ashleymewes]

We have been up to see the people that live next to our new house and they have said that they had no problem getting their mortgage although the house is in a mining area. the houses were built in 1930 so surely if something was going to happen it would have done by now? We already have the insurance on the house and all we are waiting for now is to see what the bank say, i can't see how it should affect us as the whole of pelton is built on mines and nearly all the houses are privately owned.

[parkesquay]

The fact that your own mortgage lender is dithering should be warning enough. I think the point that we are all making is that whilst you may very well get a mortgage etc when you come to sell your purchasers are going to faced with exactly the same problem as you. You may be stuck with a property that is difficult to shift. You aked for advice and so far we are all anti. That should tell you something.

[Golden Shred]

I knew from the outset that you are seeking comfort in the matter and I do sincerely regret that I can give you none. Newcastle is in fact a seismic area and minor tremors unnoticed by the general public occur frequently. An old mine shaft of whatever age is a very real danger. These things are just unsupported unstable holes in the ground that can partially or totally collapse at any time without warning causing the surface ground to sink, heave or ripple for a long way around. A movement of 3" could cause your house to be pulled apart from the foundations upward. It is an odd thing, but most start in the night with a strange noise followed by doors and windows not opening or closing properly and then cracks in walls which get wider and wider. It is not economic to repair domestic property and most are demolished in the end. It is wisest not to run the risk of being caught up in any of this, but, of course, it is your decision.