£20m compensation paid out for London basement damages

It’s official! London’s basement craze is driving neighbours crazy. (Read our feature: London’s basement mania: luxury living or living hell?)

Figures revealed today show that more than £20m has been paid out for damages to 890 homes since 2005. The biggest claim reported so far is £500,000 and the average is £24,000.

The Standard reports that the annual figures of claims will increase by 50% to £5m this year.

Christian Candy, best known for developing One Hyde Park, plans to build a basement under a Chelsea home which comes with an 18-metre two-lane bowling alley, a 20-metre swimming pool, a cold plunge pool and jacuzzi, sauna and steam room, a dance studio, three treatment rooms and a cinema room.

Mark Jones, head of house building standards at the National House Building Council, said: “In recent times we have seen basements once again become a relevant and attractive addition to many houses.

“But as our claims figures and experience show, basement claims by their very nature are difficult to investigate and costly to repair, which can result in significant disruption.”

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