Lintel failure or Subsidence?

[class1c]

I've inherited this 1930s bungalow and found this issue. There used to be a hedgerow right next to this wall 20 years ago, it's removal may have impacted the soil composition.

There are no signs of cracking on the inside (unless someone has plastered over it). Might have been in this state for decades for all I know. Can't see any problems on the room inside, no slanted floors or anything.

 

[23vc]

Bit of movement below ground, but last pic could also be due to old windows being replaced with upvc and no outer skin lintel, which is fairly common. Probably a bit of both, I’d monitor then repoint if stable

 

[^woody^]

There does not appear to be any lintel to fail.

Not subsidence either.

 

[jj4091]

Looks to me like it's had a Catnic lintel installed on the inner skin then bricked up on the outside but they haven't used one long enough so the end is not supported and it's dropped a little.

 

[Dereekoo]

Bit of movement below ground, but last pic could also be due to old windows being replaced with upvc and no outer skin lintel, which is fairly common. Probably a bit of both, I’d monitor then repoint if stable

Repoint and check in 10 years time

 

[Notch7]

half the reason its cracked is because the bonding is bad in that area

and whats going on above the window -looks like the window might be 2 course lower than original

my guess as others have said: no lintel on outside skin above window

 

[Dereekoo]

half the reason its cracked is because the bonding is bad in that area

and whats going on above the window -looks like the window might be 2 course lower than original

my guess as others have said: no lintel on outside skin above window

But how does that cause a crack underneath window?

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Impossible to tell from the photos but my best guess...

There's no lintel, the wood original frame was replaced with plastic without adding a lintel. So it dropped at the top, cracking the brickwork. Then the wall naturally shrank, probably during a hot summer followed by cold weather, it was already weakened at the top so the stretch of wall below the window snapped as it was the weakest point of the wall.

It needs a lintel, possibly in addition to other windows. Then re-point and hope for the best.

But probably start with a full survey of the whole house.