IF you’re buying a home, a simple trick using a 10p coin could prevent you from getting ripped off.
Location, Location, Location presenter Phil Spencer has urged people to use the test to look out for a concerning problem called subsidence.
Subsidence is when the ground beneath a property sinks, pulling the building’s foundations down with it – and it can end up costing you thousands of pounds.
If you are lumped with a subsidence issue, you could end up paying out an average of £12,500 according to Checkatrade.
Mr Spencer told Metro that you should look for cracks in the walls as a potential sign of subsidence.
“If the crack is less than 3mm wide – which means you can’t fit a 10 pence piece into it – it may not be serious,” he said.
However it may be cause for concern if your 10p coin fits into the crack.
Diagonal cracks and those which are wider at the top than at the bottom may also be a sign of subsidence.
You should also watch out for cracks that are noticeable from the outside of the home.
“Cracks caused by subsidence tend to appear at ‘weak points’ in the home – typically around windows and doorframes, or where an extension has been added,” he said.
If you’re not sure if there is subsidence, you can find a surveyor and arrange an inspection of the property.
Phil said you shouldn’t “jump to conclusions” but the 10p test is a “useful rule of thumb”.
