Subsidence, settlement and heave
What should you ask if a large tree has been cut down and a stump remains near a crack?
Ask when it was felled, and do not assume the crack is subsidence or that the risk has gone. On a shrinkable clay, a tree can dry the soil, and the soil can swell after the tree is removed. The Association of British Insurers describes subsidence as downward movement, and the same clay mechanism can work the other way as heave. A home survey cannot date the felling and cannot test the soil.
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?
A stump proves a tree was there. It does not prove the species, the foundation depth, or that this crack belongs to that tree. The surveyor may not have been told about the felling. Removing a further tree before exchange, to be helpful, can start the swelling the next owner inherits. ABI does not publish a test a buyer can finish in an afternoon.
If the timing matters, ask the seller and ask whether any monitoring exists. An arboriculturist, a drain inspection or an engineer are different next steps. The survey should say which clue it actually has. There is no RICS price for soil testing. Do not fell anything else because a stump is unsightly.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Were you told when the tree came down?
- Is the soil described as clay, or is that a guess?
- Are you considering heave as well as subsidence?
What are the typical next steps?
- Ask the seller for the date and any tree or insurance papers.
- Do not remove more trees before you own the house and have advice.
- Keep the drain question open. A tree and a leaking drain can affect the same corner.
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 stump a tree-preservation question?
The protection, if any, was about the tree. The survey does not grant consent and does not cancel a crack.
Does ivy on a stump cause subsidence?
The stump is the clue that a tree was removed. Ivy is not a soil test.