Guides › Insurance Claims and Complaints › Subsidence Insurance Claim Problems
Subsidence Insurance Claim Problems
Common subsidence complaints are claims rejected, slow progress, poor communication and repairs that do not fix the problem. The Financial Ombudsman expects repairs to be effective and lasting, and monitoring of cracks can take a year to cover all seasons. Complain to the insurer, then the Ombudsman.
At a Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Subsidence Claims
What the Ombudsman Expects
Complaints include claims rejected (a type of ground movement not covered), not enough done to repair, repairs causing more damage, delays and poor communication. Repairs must fully put right the damage and last. The insurer should monitor cracks; monitoring over a year to cover all seasons can be part of a thorough investigation. If a neighbour's trees are involved, the insurer should talk to you first, consider the neighbour relationship and pay for any legal action. source
Complaining
Complain to the Insurer First
You should first complain formally to the insurer. A business has 8 weeks to consider most complaints. If you have no final response within 8 weeks, or you are unhappy with it, you can refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 8 weeksInsurer's time to give a final response to a complaint8 weeks for most complaints
- 6 monthsRefer a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman ServiceWithin 6 months of the date on the insurer's final response
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Keep a log of cracks with dated photos.
Step 2 of 5
Ask the insurer for its reports and monitoring plan.
Step 3 of 5
If repairs fail, report it straight away.
Step 4 of 5
Complain in writing about delays or poor repairs. We do not take insurance or banking complaints as cases, but our free letter templates can help you write to the firm.
Step 5 of 5
After 8 weeks, or a final response, go to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
The Insurer's Complaints Team
Always start here, in writing.
Financial Ombudsman Service
After 8 weeks with no final response, or if you are unhappy with it. Refer within 6 months of the final response.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Tell your insurer quickly when you notice new cracks.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 13 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/insurance/home-insurance/subsidence-types-ground-movement Checked 13 October 2026
- financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/expect/time-limits Checked 12 October 2026