Our managing director, Liam Hanlon, attended the I Love Claims (ILC) Subsidence Surge Conference held last Thursday (March 23). Liam was there representing The Forshaw Group and as the Vice Chair of the Subsidence Forum.
2022 saw a significant surge in subsidence claims, and this was the focus of the conference. The ILC will be collaborating with the Subsidence Forum to engage with all stakeholders in the subsidence claims world to improve communication, solutions, and services for the future. The event focussed on:
- The size of the surge
- The progress to date
- How they are handling the capacity challenges at all levels
- The third-party aspects
- What new data sources and technology will help
What is subsidence?
House subsidence is dreaded by all homeowners. It is caused by the ground underneath your home sinking, leading to the foundations of your home becoming unbalanced. This leads to the walls and the floor moving from where it is supposed to be, cracks and ultimately the destabilisation of your home. Subsidence can be caused by many things, including the house being built on clay, which can change depending on the weather and lead to shrinkage, cracking or shifting. Roots from large trees can also cause it to happen, if roots grow under the house, damaging the original foundations. Flooding and leaking drains can also cause subsidence, if they moisten the land, causing the ground and the foundations to destabilise.
How to prevent or fix subsidence
If subsidence is identified, you should consult your home insurance provider first. Like most things, the quicker it is identified the more likely it can be rectified. In severe cases underpinning will be required to fix the problem. In a lot of cases this isn’t necessary and it’s about removing the problem causing the subsidence, for example taking out the tree with the roots disturbing the foundations and fixing the drains or pipes that are leaking. The property will then be observed to see if that fixed the problem and if it didn’t the more serious underpinning will take place.
For more information about subsidence.https://www.subsidenceforum.org.uk/
