25 June 2025
Technical Lead – Property, Rehan Haque shares a practical guide on how to protect your property and take action early.
In the summer, with high temperatures and long periods of dry weather, it’s important to be aware of an issue that often emerges at this time of year: subsidence.
What’s the Issue?
Hot, dry weather can cause the ground—especially clay-based soils—to shrink. This can lead to ground movement beneath buildings, most commonly presenting as subsidence.
While more prevalent in the South of the UK, subsidence can occur anywhere where the soil and surrounding vegetation create the right conditions.
Historical patterns from 2003, 2011, and 2018 show that long periods of dry, hot weather have led to significant spikes in subsidence-related insurance claims. Based on recent dry conditions (especially if these return), we could see a similar trend as we move through late 2025 into early 2026.
What to look out for?
- Diagonal cracks in walls, especially around doors and windows
- Doors or windows sticking or not closing properly
- Visible movement or issues in extensions and conservatories
Not all cracks are subsidence-related. However, if the damage is new, progressive, or severe, it should be assessed.
We recommend:
- Take clear photos regularly
- Monitor the changes over time
- Contact us early so we can consider the issue and engage with insurers and loss adjusters early
Trees, Policy Conditions & Coverage
Be aware of tree pruning conditions. These might state that trees must be pruned annually or kept below a specific height. Non-compliance can affect cover.
Responsibilities
Consider your responsibility for managing trees and regular tree or vegetation maintenance on your property.
Notify us of any concerns that you have.
How we’re handling it
We’re monitoring the situation and will share further updates if we see an increase in subsidence-related claims.
Otherwise, please feel free to get in touch to discuss any concerns.
