new house on existing tree

[amandas]

hello. a house was built 6 years ago close to existing trees, which were there over ;0 years. the house has started cracking due to the roots ( we do not have proof of this yet) who is responsible and what action should be taken? is it the developers for building house on existing roots (still covered by 10 years new house guarantee) or theexosting tree owners? 

[Steven P]

Without a bit of investigation as to the cause it is a bit soo to blame the tree. It might be settling of the house, poor construction... but also the builders not taking account of the prevailing ground conditions... such as local trees.

 

Gut feeling would be the house builder for not noticing trees next door.

 

Imagine if you are the neighbour, happily planted some trees for amenity, 15 years later a house is built, at 20 years the new owners say "your trees are destroying my house"... counter argument... your new house is destroying my existing trees.

 

You're going to get asked for more details - a rough site plan (or a screen shot from a satellite imaging site), distances, size and type of trees and so on, also where are you roughly and what type of soil is under the house

[dan blocker]

You don’t say how close, or what trees and size. If it’s a new house it could have NHBC protection, or one of the several insurance schemes. NHBC have guidelines when building near trees and so do I presume the other schemes which are often overseen by architects? However generally the builder/ developer pays the NHBC or insurance? Who pays the piper calls the tunes? When you purchased the house if a survey was required any trees that could have presented a problem should have been noted - not a lot changes in 6 years?