RICS Level 2 Survey in CF38

One of the most important and distinctive considerations when buying a property in CF38 is the area's coal mining history. Rhondda Cynon Taf sits within the South Wales Coalfield, and historic extraction activity can leave legacy ground conditions that affect properties decades or even centuries after mining has ceased.

Ground instability from old mine workings can manifest as subsidence, void migration, and differential settlement. These issues do not always show up immediately - they can develop slowly over time and may only become visible through cracking, door or window distortion, or sloping floors. Our inspectors are trained to recognise the visual indicators of ground movement and flag any signs of concern in the survey report.

We strongly recommend that any CF38 buyer whose property sits within the former coalfield area also commissions a mining report (also known as a Con29M). This specialist report, obtained separately from the Coal Authority, reveals whether the property sits above recorded mine workings. The written report will include guidance on this and any related concerns we observe during the inspection.

• Visual checks for cracking patterns consistent with ground movement
• Assessment of floors, walls and ceilings for differential settlement
• Advice on whether a Coal Authority mining report is recommended
• Comment on any known or suspected ground stability concerns in the locality

CF38 has a mix of older and more modern housing across its villages. Church Village, Llantwit Fardre and Tonteg contain a significant proportion of established homes, many of which date back decades. Older properties across South Wales share a set of recurring defects that our surveyors encounter regularly in this postcode and the surrounding area.

• Damp - rising damp through failed damp-proof courses, penetrating damp through cracked render or pointing, and condensation in poorly ventilated spaces
• Roof condition - slipped or broken slate and concrete tiles, deteriorated leadwork at flashings and valleys, failed felt underlay
• Timber defects - woodworm (common furniture beetle), wet rot and dry rot in structural timbers, floor joists and floorboards particularly where damp is present
• Outdated electrics - wiring systems that predate current safety standards, fuse boxes lacking RCD protection
• Outdated plumbing - corroded pipework, lead supply pipes in older homes, inefficient or end-of-life boilers
• Structural cracks - diagonal cracking at window and door heads, stepped cracking through mortar joints, and visible movement at lintels
• Drainage issues - blocked or cracked drains, inadequate surface water management, failed gullies and hoppers

Our Level 2 Survey covers all these elements. We inspect every accessible area of the property and rate each element using the RICS traffic light system. Condition Rating 1 means no repair is currently needed; Condition Rating 2 means defects that need attention but are not serious; Condition Rating 3 means urgent defects that could affect the purchase decision or require significant expenditure to rectify.

Properties across CF38 reflect the building traditions of South Wales. Many established homes use red brick and various shades of local brick as the primary walling material, often with rendered exteriors that have been painted or textured. Stone construction is found in some of the older properties, particularly in the more rural fringes of the postcode area. Roofs are predominantly pitched and covered with slate or concrete interlocking tiles.

Older pre-1920 properties typically feature solid masonry wall construction, suspended timber ground floors, and traditional cut rafter roofs with or without purlins. Post-war properties built between 1945 and 1980 generally use cavity wall construction, which may incorporate early and sometimes poorly performing wall tie systems. Our inspectors check for evidence of wall tie failure - a known issue in properties of this era - which can cause outer leaf masonry to bow or crack.

More modern properties, including those built from the 1980s onwards, use standard cavity construction with PVC-U windows and doors, concrete ground floors, and trussed rafter roofs. These properties have fewer of the traditional defects but can still present issues such as deteriorating flat roof elements, cracked render, or drainage deficiencies that our inspectors will identify and rate.