Mortgage & Homebuyers Reports

It is becoming increasingly common for homebuyers to be required to provide tree reports by insurance companies or mortgage lenders. Wharton provide Homebuyers Mortgage and Insurance Reports in accordance with the Arboricultural Mortgage and Insurers Users Group (AMIUG) for which we are member of. This is widely recognised as best practice and accepted by all mortgage lenders and insurers.

This approach ensures that the purchaser is providing their lender with the correct information, therefore avoiding excessive spending where it is unnecessary. Similarly, an assessment can be instrumental in identifying where future risk may be beyond reasonable limits and therefore allowing the purchaser an opportunity to withdraw or negotiate.

All of our reports for mortgage purpose are prepared and delivered electronically within 24 – 48 hours of formal instruction.

Tree Related Subsidence

Trees can be implicated in building related subsidence claims, often with only partial or inconclusive evidence. Building subsidence is caused when underlying soil is subject to volumetric change i.e. shrinkable clay soils. Trees can play a part in this process with the extraction of moisture, however it is important that the extent of involvement is explored.

Trees can cause damage to structures in one of two ways:

• Directly – where actual contact between the tree and the structure leads to damage occurring.

• Indirectly – such as tree subsidence. Tree-related subsidence can occur when tree roots remove moisture from clay-based soils, which can subsequently shrink, through volumetric change. This can cause downward movement of structures leading to expensive repairs and possible underpinning.