Is this just backfill under the slab? And is this structurally sound?

[LorenClayton]

Hello

 

I'm not getting any clear cut answers so far (Australia) so I hope someone can help.

 

My rental house where I've been living since built is a 30 year old brick veneer house with a small negative slope from the street. There's no effective drainage here except for a rubble pit at the back which fills up quickly when it rains. During the 2022 flood (QLD) the backyard was like a swimming pool for about 2 days. There's spillage / aggregate all around the bottom of the house edge basically. (The dirt here has been replaced). Shouldn't the builders have put a beam or something along here to stop the spillage from coming out?

 

The concrete slab is in the ground at the front and elevated at the back with 2 steps at the back door (please see drawing which isn't to scale but otherwise correct I think). There's one course of brick with DPC on top at the front (and 5 courses right at the back). Does anyone know the correct term for this kind of slab - is it elevated? Would the footings go all the way around the slab into the ground?

 

Apart from that inside and outside the house looks surprisingly good apart from the mould which is taking me a while to clean off. There's only minor cracks in the cornices and one minor horizontal crack in the ceiling where the ceiling panels meet I think. I found only one small crack in one brick outside (floor level at the back) about 5 courses up near the back door.

I have an offer to buy this rental house (which I've been living in for 30 years and which I've been saving for) but would prefer to get some opinions here first before paying for a building inspection because I won't be able to afford many of these if the house fails inspection. Would appreciate any advice. Thanks.

 

 

Edited May 21 by LorenClayton
forum deleted photos?

[ProDave]

It would be normal practice here to get a surveyor to survey the property before buying.  to my untrained eye that looks like a very shallow slab that has had soil washed out from underneath it.

[MikeSharp01]

The structure above it needs assessing against then wash out. IE is the loading too great. Either way I would guess you, or the landlord depending on the contracts, need to put a stop to any more washout and look to back fill / underpin it.