Resumen de Viewpoint: Subsidence or settlement?
The recent debate in Verulam about subsidence versus settlement has been running over three issues and seems set to continue [Ed. – see page 33 for the latest letters]. It is clearly still a very hot potato 25 years after the Institution fi rst published its guide to Subsidence of low-rise buildings (1994; 2nd ed. 2000).
Subsidence of domestic properties in the UK has caused extensive social problems, signifi cant fi nancial losses and very large costs to rectify over a period of nearly 50 years.
In 1992, before the Institution published its guide, there were 50 000 claims at an average of £10 000 per claim – £500M back then! Claims still occur in their thousands each year – more following hot summers – and the costs and social consequences are signifi cant
