# House purchase worries cracks should i buy or not?



## phil67 (Mar 17, 2008)

Been looking for another house for a while now, we went to see one which we thought could be the one, but a few things caused me some headaches and im thinking I should just walk away or it could be nothing 

The semi detached house was prob built in the 70/80s

Firstly every ceiling is cracked straight across and on one wall the coving is also cracked through, this one is on the wall for next doors house

The wood chip paper is torn /creased in one corner in the upstairs, which is also the same corner that 4 bricks and mortar up from the damp course have hairline cracks and the concrete path around the house also appears to have dropped slightly, also there is a retaining wall in bricks approx. 2 metres away which has a foot path and a b road running on it and the estate agent said it s nothing to worry about.

I've been reading so much on the net which firstly do I have bubonic plague , subsidence or just some settling or vibrations from the road or nothing to worry about and should buy the house?

Thanks in advance


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## Njs71 (Aug 29, 2017)

Main advise if you really want the house is to get a full thorough survey done. It’ll cost you a few pennies but at least you’ll know the cause of the cracks. 

Introduce yourself to the neighbour and ask if they have any cracks or know of any history of subsidence or heave. 

Are there any trees nearby or have there been any taken out?

Is the guttering ok around the house? 

If at the end of your researching your unhappy in any way…… walk away.


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## phil67 (Mar 17, 2008)

Thanks Njs, I think its a walk away job, its about the 15th House/Bungalow we have looked at, it was in a reasonably quiet area, but its just ringing too many alarm bells for me, it was only just put on the market and we were the first to see it, so I thought we had a chance of getting this one as a few others we had looked at were sold quickly, but some had been on the market for a while.

Guttering looks ok, no trees close by the retaining wall which hold the footpath and the road could also be an issue in my opinion


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## danwel (Feb 18, 2007)

Definitely agree with getting a surveyor round but that said if you are not completely happy then walk away imo because even if it is all ok you may never truly settle and it could be on your mind forever or until you sell it.

just my opinion


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## 0-MAT-0 (Jan 12, 2017)

Phil

I notice that you are in Nottinghamshire. A few years ago I lived in Sutton-In-Ashfield, and all I can say is that throughout Nottinghamshire there are a load of old mines. 
You should you get a structural survey because of the cracks, in addition to getting a coal mining report. 
https://www.gov.uk/check-if-property-is-affected-by-coal-mining


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