Jeez Ma hoose is subsiding....

[shirley53]

Next door to my house has a row of very mature Beech trees up to 16m high, and only 4-8 metres away from our house. Cracks appeared inside and out of the house. After having structural survey, Arboricultural survey, bore holes, trial pits, tree root analysis and being relieved of over £6000 for said investigations, the result is that next door's trees are the culprit. Its a similar house to ours, but owned by Leeds City council. Our own insurance will not cover subsidence, but hopefully we will get legal cover. We have been asking the council to since 2006 to sort these trees out...I think I am going to have a great time kicking their asse*....

Shirl

[KERRSURF]

Good luck, hope they are willing to remedy this for you.

[shirley53]

They won't like it as Oakwood is a conservation area, but they have no tree preservation orders on them.

Oh and by the way my truck has its MOT tomorrow....hope no suprises...

[TonyN]

Good luck, with both things!

[Wolfracer]

What about next door's insurance?
My sister had a similar issue with a big oak tree. As I recall, it was reduced in size, to slow the subtraction of water from the ground. Thing is the soil was clay, so if the tree wasnt there, they could get cracking/movement "the other way" ie expansion of the ground in the local area.
Good luck anyway.

[shirley53]

What about next door's insurance?
My sister had a similar issue with a big oak tree. As I recall, it was reduced in size, to slow the subtraction of water from the ground. Thing is the soil was clay, so if the tree wasnt there, they could get cracking/movement "the other way" ie expansion of the ground in the local area.
Good luck anyway.

Next door is owned by Leeds City council and is rented. Our soil is clay, but the engineer said that the trees (6 of them) should be removed as soon as possible. The roots are under our house. He reckons that there will be minimal structural movement after the trees come down, and when the ground settles, then the repairs can be done.We also think that our house will be devalued because of this.

[noobysurfer]

I have seen something similar before where the trees surrounding a property caused subsidence by removing water from the soil. Eventually after the trees were removed the water table Rose and the house basically Rose up from the ground and the cracks reduced significantly! Good luck!

[Sancho]

Next door is owned by Leeds City council and is rented. Our soil is clay, but the engineer said that the trees (6 of them) should be removed as soon as possible. The roots are under our house. He reckons that there will be minimal structural movement after the trees come down, and when the ground settles, then the repairs can be done.We also think that our house will be devalued because of this.

When did you buy the house and did you have a survey done?

[shirley53]

Have been in the house since 1995. Had an extensive survey...This is new subsidence...Mature trees + clay soil = subsidence. The house is about 110 years old....

Truck failed its MOT....cv boot , ball joint and exhaust gases escaping.....

Lucky white heather!

Have to go back up to Edinburgh, as mum very ill...don't think she will make it this time...

Shirl

[Sancho]

Have been in the house since 1995. Had an extensive survey...This is new subsidence...Mature trees + clay soil = subsidence. The house is about 110 years old....

Truck failed its MOT....cv boot , ball joint and exhaust gases escaping.....

Lucky white heather!

Have to go back up to Edinburgh, as mum very ill...don't think she will make it this time...

Shirl

Sue your surveyor. Any tree that is closer to a house than its own height should be considered a risk. If they didn't tell you that and your house is damaged, they're negligent.

Sorry to hear about your mum, BTW. Fingers crossed for you.