Soil Subsidence in London and South East Could Increase Demand for Skilled Contractors
Research conducted on the impact of soil subsidence in England has discovered that areas around London and the South East in particular are more prone to suffering subsidence.
Property managers and property owners alike could face costly repair bills to their rented units from soil subsidence, which could run into thousands of pounds.The report by Direct Line Home Insurance concluded that London and the South East of England contain more clay in their oil base, making it more susceptible to changes in soil moisture levels.
While Arthur always advises property managers/landlords to work with their tenants to take positive steps to decrease the potential for damage, it is also important that property managers have easy access to contractors that can help to prevent or repair damage cause by subsidence. Something that the Arthur Property Management application offers at the click of a button.
In addition to monitoring the appearance of their properties for distress cracks and shifts in the foundations, property managers, owners, landlords and tenants should all be diligent about monitoring the vegetation around their property.
Trees and other vegetation absorb a lot of water, which means that soil tends to dry out quickly. Hiring a contractor to expertly choose your vegetation and best placement of trees around your properties could prevent soil subsidence problems.
If you have large trees in your garden areas, do not overreact and take them down, especially if they are protected by local conservation efforts. Just stay diligent in monitoring the situation, especially if the summer has more dry weather than usual.
One last thing that should be taken into consideration is if you hire a contractor to build an extension. Make sure that the property’s foundations are thick enough to sustain the additional load and ensure that any vegetation that is placed around the new building will not have a negative impact on the soil.
Research from Direct Line Home Insurance has produced the top ten subsidence postcodes in the UK. They are N4, NW5, W10, N19, NW6, SE24, SE23, SE22, SE15 and NW11.
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