{"id":49874,"date":"2018-12-05T12:07:43","date_gmt":"2018-12-05T12:07:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=49874"},"modified":"2018-12-05T12:07:43","modified_gmt":"2018-12-05T12:07:43","slug":"heatwave-sparks-subsidence-claims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/building-control-news\/heatwave-sparks-subsidence-claims\/49874\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer heatwave sparks \u00a364m subsidence claims"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than 10,000 households made claims worth a total of \u00a364m to deal with the impact of subsidence in just three months of this year, the Association of British Insurers (ABI)<\/a> has revealed<\/h2>\n

The figures for July, August and September are the highest levels of subsidence claims since the record-breaking heatwaves of 2006 and 2003.<\/p>\n

The extremely hot weather<\/a> of 2018 saw some UK regions experience the driest months on record, particularly in the South East which is also well-known for building on subsidence-prone clay soil.<\/p>\n

From the previous quarter, the number of claims jumped from 2,500 to 10,000 \u2013 rising in value from \u00a314m to \u00a364m. This 350% increase is the highest quarter-on-quarter jump since records began more than 25 years ago.<\/p>\n

The ABI\u2019s Senior Policy Adviser for Property, Laura Hughes, said: \u201cThousands of people across the UK are now suffering because we experienced such an unprecedented period of dryness this summer. Insurers understand that this is a stressful time for affected homeowners and are providing widespread support to help with repairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur advice is don\u2019t panic if you spot a crack in your home \u2013 there are many other reasons why these may have occurred.\u00a0Get in touch with your insurer if you believe your home is experiencing subsidence and they\u2019ll be on hand with the best expertise and the best technology. Insurers and their appointed loss adjusters are very well equipped to deal with these types of complex claim.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is subsidence?<\/h3>\n

Subsidence usually occurs when the ground beneath a building loses moisture and shrinks. This can be caused by a number of things including prolonged dry spells which cause soil to lose water and trees and shrubs which can absorb significant volumes of water from the soil.<\/p>\n

The ABI has provided the following advice on how to tell the difference between subsidence and general wear and tear:<\/p>\n