Defects on new build properties

Developers are building around 160,000 new homes per year in the UK, with the Government setting a target to build an additional 200,000 new homes by 2016.

This substantial increase in new build housing, together with the lack of qualified apprentices, has meant that standards have slipped throughout the industry, with hundreds of defects in new build housing now being virtually guaranteed.

The vast majority of new homes come with a building warranty. This is essentially an insurance policy and does not offer you any consumer protection. The most common of these are issued by NHBC, and Zurich.

The first 2 years of the warranty are covered by the developer, and any defects that occur in this period are the responsibility of them wholly. After this period the warranty provider will cover for structural defects only. It is therefore vital that all defects are identified and resolved within the first 2 years of ownership!

There are generally low levels of satisfaction amongst new home buyers. The NNHCSS 2006 identified:

An incredible one in five purchasers regarded the standard of finish in
their home as being 'poor'

One in five were dissatisfied with the condition of their new home on the day of moving in

39% said the number of snagging issues reported were more than expected

93% of new home owners reported defects in their new property

Some defects are very easy to identify, others require technical expertise that can only come with high qualifications and years working in the building industry.

Some typical defects in new builds:

Leaky central heating
Rain penetration
Cracks
Tiling
Unsatisfactory finishes

More serious defects:

Structural