Subsidence, settlement and heave
Does a comment that a drain may be leaking mean the Level 2 already tested the pipe?
No. A Level 2 is a visual inspection. The surveyor may have seen a sunken gulley, a wet patch or a crack in a bay and mentioned a drain as a possible cause. That is not a camera survey, a water test or a proof that the pipe is broken.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Leaking drains can wash fines out of the ground and mimic subsidence, particularly under a bay. The surveyor flags the possibility because the pattern fits. Confirming it means a drainage contractor with a camera or a test, which you agree and pay for separately unless the quotation said otherwise. RICS does not include that test in the ordinary description of a home survey.
Do not underpin the bay, and do not buy a new drain, on the possibility alone. Ask the surveyor what they actually saw, and ask a drainage firm what length they would camera. Costs vary with access and length. Approved Document H is about how drainage should be built, not a test result for this old pipe.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- What did you see that made you mention the drain?
- Did you lift any chambers, and what did you not inspect?
- Would a camera survey be the next step you mean by further investigation?
What are the typical next steps?
- Commission a camera survey only if the cause matters before exchange, and ask for the recording.
- Do not dig up the path on a hunch.
- Give the drainage findings, if you obtain them, back to the surveyor or the engineer so the crack and the pipe are read together.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Is a blocked gulley the same as a collapsed drain?
No. A gulley full of leaves is maintenance. A collapsed pipe is a defect under the ground. The survey may not have told them apart.
Can you claim on insurance before you own the house?
The ABI’s subsidence claims advice is for the person who holds the policy. You usually cannot claim on a house you do not yet insure. Ask your solicitor and the insurer. Do not assume the seller’s policy is yours.