Mining Report Certificate: When You Need One

If you are selling a property in England or Wales, there is a good chance you will encounter the term "mining report" during the conveyancing process. A mining report certificate is a document that reveals the mining history beneath and around your property, helping buyers, solicitors, and mortgage lenders understand whether past mining activity poses any risk to the building or the land it sits on.

For many sellers, this is an unfamiliar piece of paperwork. This guide explains what a mining report covers, which parts of the UK require one, how to obtain it, what the results mean, and how to handle any issues that come to light. If you are preparing your property for sale, understanding the mining report early can save you time and prevent unwelcome surprises further down the line.

What is a mining report certificate?

A mining report certificate is a formal document that sets out the mining history of the land beneath and surrounding a property. In England and Wales, the most common type is the CON29M, which is produced by the Coal Authority — the government body responsible for managing the legacy of coal mining across Great Britain.

The CON29M draws on the Coal Authority's records of over 170,000 mine entries and decades of geological data. It answers a series of standard questions about whether coal has been mined beneath the property, whether any subsidence claims have been recorded, whether mine shafts or adits (horizontal tunnels) are nearby, and whether any future mining activity is planned.

In areas where minerals other than coal were historically extracted — for example, tin in Cornwall, lead in the Yorkshire Dales, or salt in Cheshire — a separate non-coal mining report may be required. These are produced by commercial search providers such as Groundsure, Terrafirma, or Landmark rather than by the Coal Authority. For a broader look at how mining searches fit alongside other property checks, see our guide to property searches explained.

When is a mining report needed?

A mining report is needed whenever a property falls within a Coal Authority mining reporting area. These areas are defined boundaries based on the UK's historic coalfields and cover a surprisingly large proportion of the country. According to the Coal Authority, approximately 42% of properties in England fall within a mining reporting area, with significant coverage across South Wales and parts of North East Wales as well.

The buyer's solicitor will check whether the property is in a reporting area as a standard part of the conveyancing process. If it is, a CON29M search will be ordered. Most mortgage lenders will refuse to complete without one. For a detailed region-by-region breakdown of which counties and towns are affected, see our guide on coal mining search areas in the UK.

Beyond coal, your conveyancer may recommend a non-coal mining report if the property is in an area with a history of other types of mineral extraction. Common examples include:

• Tin and copper mining — Cornwall and parts of Devon
• Lead and zinc mining — The Yorkshire Dales, parts of Derbyshire (the Peak District), and areas of North Wales
• Brine and salt extraction — Cheshire and parts of Worcestershire
• Limestone and gypsum mining — Parts of Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, and the Peak District
• Iron ore mining — Parts of Cleveland, Cumbria, and Lincolnshire

What does the mining report cover?

The CON29M coal mining report answers a set of standard questions about the mining history of the property. The key areas covered are:

Non-coal mining reports cover similar ground but are tailored to the specific minerals extracted in the region. A tin mining report for a Cornwall property, for instance, will focus on the location and depth of former tin workings, any recorded ground instability, and whether radon gas (common in areas with granite geology) is a concern.

How to check if your property needs a mining report

You do not need to wait for your conveyancer to tell you. The Coal Authority provides a free interactive map on its website where you can check any address or postcode in England and Wales. Here is how:

1. Visit coalauthority.gov.uk and navigate to the interactive map viewer (or search for "Coal Authority interactive map" on any search engine).
2. Enter your postcode or address in the search bar. The map will zoom to your location.
3. Check the shading. If your property falls within the shaded zone, it is inside the coal mining reporting boundary and a CON29M report will be needed when you sell.
4. Review additional layers. The map also shows recorded mine entries (shafts and adits), surface mining areas, and other relevant features so you can see what is near your property.

If the Coal Authority map shows your property is outside the reporting area, no coal mining report is needed. However, if you are in a region with a history of non-coal mining, your conveyancer may still recommend an additional search. When in doubt, ask your solicitor early in the process.

How to obtain a mining report

There are two main routes to obtaining a mining report:

Through your conveyancer

In the majority of sales, the buyer's solicitor orders the CON29M as part of the standard search pack alongside the local authority search, drainage search, environmental search, and any other searches relevant to the property. The mining report is included automatically if the property is in a reporting area. This is the most common approach and requires no action from the seller.

Upfront as part of a seller search pack

Sellers who want to speed up the process can order the mining report themselves before listing. You can do this through a property search provider or ask your own solicitor to arrange it. The advantage is that the result is ready and waiting when the buyer's solicitor begins their due diligence. If any issues are flagged, you have time to investigate and resolve them before they become a sticking point in negotiations.

For more on what a seller search pack includes and whether it is worth the investment, see our guide to property certificate packs.

Cost and turnaround time

Mining reports are among the most affordable and fastest property searches available:

The CON29M is processed electronically, which is why it returns so quickly compared with a local authority search (which can take 2 to 6 weeks depending on the council). Your solicitor may add a small handling fee on top of the search fee itself.

Understanding the results

Receiving a mining report that confirms past mining activity beneath your property can feel alarming, but it is important to put the results in context. The vast majority of properties in mining reporting areas show some record of historical mining. This is entirely normal and, in most cases, does not prevent the sale from proceeding.

Here is what the main findings typically mean for sellers:

• Deep mining, no subsidence claims, no nearby mine entries — This is the most common outcome. The sale proceeds normally with no further action needed. Deep mining at significant depth with no recorded problems is standard across former coalfield regions.
• Shallow mining (less than 30 metres) — The buyer's solicitor may raise additional enquiries and recommend a more detailed ground stability assessment from the Coal Authority or a geotechnical consultant. This may add a few days to the timeline but rarely stops a sale.
• Mine entry within influencing distance — If a mine shaft or adit is recorded near the property, the buyer's solicitor will want to confirm whether it has been capped and made safe. The Coal Authority holds records of shaft treatment works and can provide further information.
• Past subsidence claim (resolved) — A resolved subsidence claim is actually a positive indicator in some respects, as it shows the damage was formally addressed under the Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991. For more on how subsidence affects a sale, see our guide on selling a house with mining subsidence.
• Outstanding Coal Authority notice — This is the finding most likely to cause complications. If the Coal Authority has issued a notice requiring remedial work that has not been completed, the buyer's solicitor will need to investigate further before the sale can proceed.

What to do if the report reveals issues

If your mining report raises concerns, do not panic. Most issues have well-established solutions:

1. Request further information from the Coal Authority. The Coal Authority offers a consultancy service where you can request detailed information about specific mine entries, subsidence history, or ground conditions. This can clarify whether the finding is genuinely problematic or simply a routine historical record.
2. Commission a ground stability report. For properties with shallow mining or nearby mine entries, a geotechnical assessment from a specialist firm can determine whether the ground beneath the property is stable. This gives the buyer and their lender the reassurance they need to proceed.
3. Arrange indemnity insurance. In cases where the risk is low but the buyer's solicitor or lender wants additional protection, an indemnity insurance policy can cover the financial risk of future subsidence or ground movement. These policies are typically a one-off payment.
4. Disclose everything on the TA6 form. Section 7 of the TA6 Property Information Form covers environmental matters, including any knowledge of mining activity, subsidence, or ground instability. Being upfront about what you know prevents problems later and demonstrates good faith to the buyer.
5. Negotiate openly with the buyer. If the mining report reveals something significant, it is better to address it directly than to hope it goes unnoticed. Most buyers understand that mining history is a feature of the region, not a defect of the individual property, and will proceed as long as the risks are properly assessed and managed.

Mining reports and the TA6 form

Your TA6 Property Information Form requires you to disclose what you know about environmental matters affecting the property, including mining activity. Section 7.5 specifically asks whether you are aware of any ground instability, subsidence, or landslip.

If you know your property is in a mining area, have received correspondence from the Coal Authority, or have experienced any ground movement or cracking, you must disclose this on the form. Withholding information that you know about can expose you to a misrepresentation claim after the sale completes.

Having your mining report in hand before you complete the TA6 means you can reference the results directly. This shows the buyer's solicitor that you have been thorough and transparent, which can reduce the number of follow-up enquiries and speed up the transaction.

How the mining report fits into the wider conveyancing process

The mining report is one of several property searches that form part of the standard conveyancing process. It sits alongside the local authority search, drainage and water search, environmental search, and chancel repair liability search. In coal mining areas, the CON29M is considered an essential part of this package.

Because the CON29M returns within 1 to 3 working days, it is almost never the search that holds up the transaction. The bottleneck is usually the local authority search, which can take several weeks. The mining report runs in parallel with the slower searches and is typically available long before the full search pack is complete.

Sellers who order searches upfront — including the mining report — can cut significant time off the post-offer process. When the buyer's solicitor receives a complete set of search results on day one, there is less waiting, fewer enquiries, and a shorter path to exchange. For a full overview of how all the searches work together, see our guide to property searches explained.

Practical tips for sellers in mining areas

1. Check the Coal Authority map before you list. Knowing whether your property is in a mining reporting area before you go to market means no surprises later.
2. Consider ordering the CON29M upfront. At £40 to £55, it is a small investment that can save weeks of delay. If the result is clear, you have one less thing for the buyer's solicitor to wait for.
3. Complete your TA6 honestly and thoroughly. Disclose any knowledge of mining activity, subsidence, or ground movement. The mining report will reveal the history anyway, so transparency builds trust.
4. Keep any Coal Authority correspondence. If you have received letters from the Coal Authority about shaft treatment, subsidence claims, or safety notices, keep them accessible. Your solicitor can provide them to the buyer's side quickly if asked.
5. Do not assume new-build properties are exempt. If the property is in a reporting area, a mining report is needed regardless of when the building was constructed. Mining activity took place underground, sometimes centuries ago, and affects the land rather than the building.

Sources and further reading

• Coal Authority — Interactive map of coal mining reporting areas and CON29M search service: coalauthority.gov.uk
• Coal Authority — Property search guidance for home buyers and sellers: gov.uk/government/organisations/the-coal-authority
• Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991 — Legislation governing responsibility for coal mining subsidence damage: legislation.gov.uk
• Law Society — Conveyancing Protocol and guidance on property searches: lawsociety.org.uk
• British Geological Survey — Geological hazard data and ground stability information: bgs.ac.uk
• Groundsure — Non-coal mining and environmental search reports: groundsure.com
• Terrafirma — Ground stability and mining risk assessments: terrafirmaidc.co.uk
• GOV.UK — Guidance on coal mining risks and property transactions: gov.uk/guidance/coal-mining-risk-assessments

Frequently asked questions