Can you sell a house with subsidence?
Finding out your property has subsidence can feel like a nightmare. Cracks in the walls, surveyor reports, and questions from insurers all raise the same concern: will I ever be able to sell this house? The short answer is yes — you can sell a property with subsidence. But you should expect challenges, from a smaller pool of buyers to a reduced sale price. This guide explains how subsidence affects property sales, what you must disclose, the documents that make a difference, and the best selling routes if you need to move on quickly.
Subsidence doesn’t stop you selling a property, but it changes how you approach it.
- You must legally disclose any history of subsidence.
- Properties with ongoing subsidence are often unmortgageable and uninsurable.
- Expect a 10–30% reduction in value depending on severity and repair status.
- Buyers will usually want structural reports, certificates, and insurance records.
- Auctions and cash buyers are the quickest routes to a sale.
What is subsidence?
Subsidence happens when the ground beneath a property moves or sinks, causing the building’s foundations to shift. Over time, this can create structural cracks and instability.
Common causes of subsidence:
- Clay soil shrinkage in hot, dry weather.
- Tree roots drawing moisture from the soil.
- Leaking drains or pipes washing away supporting soil.
- Mining or ground instability in certain regions.
Subsidence can be minor and stabilised with repairs, or ongoing and costly to resolve. Either way, its presence affects how buyers, lenders, and insurers view your property.
Why subsidence makes selling harder
Selling a house with subsidence is possible, but you face obstacles:
- Disclosure duties: Under consumer protection laws, you must tell estate agents and buyers about subsidence — whether it’s ongoing or historic. Failing to disclose can lead to misrepresentation claims or even the sale being cancelled.
- Mortgage and insurance hurdles: If subsidence is ongoing, lenders won’t issue mortgages and insurers won’t provide cover. That leaves only cash buyers in the market.
- Devaluation: On average, subsidence reduces value by 10–25%. Severe cases can mean a 30% or higher drop.
- Buyer perceptions: Even if repairs have been signed off, the “S word” carries stigma. Many buyers simply won’t risk it.
Historic vs ongoing subsidence
The sale process depends on whether the problem has been fixed.
- Historic subsidence: If structural reports confirm the property is stable and insurers agree to cover it, a mortgage may be available. Value is still likely to be reduced by 10–15%.
- Ongoing subsidence: Buyers are restricted to cash only, value drops significantly, and the sale usually takes longer unless you use an auction or professional cash buyer.
Proving subsidence has been fixed
Buyers and lenders want reassurance. If remedial works have been carried out, gather every piece of evidence you can:
- Structural engineer’s reports confirming stability.
- Certificate of Structural Adequacy (CSA), often provided after underpinning.
- Completion certificates from building control.
- Insurance claim documents and warranties.
- Monitoring records showing no further movement.
- Before-and-after photos of repairs.
The stronger your paperwork, the better chance you have of achieving a higher sale price.
Selling options if your house has subsidence
1. Estate agent sale
- Wider exposure, but fewer buyers willing to proceed.
- Likely to take months and risk of fall-through is high.
- Offers will usually reflect a discount for risk.
2. Auction
- Attracts experienced investors who understand problem properties.
- Competitive bidding can sometimes secure a better price.
- Sales usually complete within 8 weeks.
- Expect around 85–90% of true market value.
3. Cash buyer companies
- Fastest and most certain route.
- Completion possible in 7–14 days.
- No risk of chains collapsing.
- Price will be lower, typically 70–80% of the property’s normal value.
Save time and hassle by selling your home with us
Get a guaranteed cash offer on any property in England and Wales. All you need to do to get started is enter your address below.
Example scenarios
- Rosie’s family home: Valued at £400,000 before subsidence. After cracks appeared, value dropped to £280,000. A house-buying company offered £230,000 for a fast sale, but auction achieved £255,000.
- Alan’s terraced house: Historic subsidence was repaired with underpinning and CSA paperwork. Alan disclosed everything and sold through an estate agent for 15% below neighbouring house values.
- Sian’s property abroad: Living overseas, she couldn’t manage remedial work. Auction gave her a clean sale at £62,000 more than a direct cash-buying offer.
Table: selling a house with subsidence
Recap: can you sell a house with subsidence?
- Yes, but expect challenges — from reduced value to fewer buyers.
- Historic subsidence is easier to sell than ongoing, especially with the right documents.
- Mortgage and insurance availability are key factors in attracting buyers.
- Auctions and cash buyers provide the quickest routes to a guaranteed sale.
- Absolute honesty and full disclosure are legal requirements.
Thinking of selling without the stress of subsidence issues?
At Habello, we help homeowners move on quickly, even when their property has subsidence problems:
- Fair market valuation.
- Final cash offer within 48–72 hours.
- Flexible timeline to suit your schedule.
- No legal fees when using our partner solicitor.
- Guaranteed sale without delays or fall-throughs.
Property owners are choosing Habello for a faster, easier and less stressful way to sell
Sell your home quickly for cash by accepting an offer just below market value. See how we compare to your other options by using the calculator below.
