Warranty advice

Most new homes in the UK are sold with a ten year structural warranty: NHBC Buildmark, LABC New Home Warranty, Premier Guarantee or one of the smaller providers. Few homeowners read the policy. Fewer still understand the difference between the first two years and the remaining eight.

This guide cuts through the jargon.

For the first two years, the builder, not the warranty provider, is responsible for almost everything. Snags, cosmetic defects, finishes, sticking doors, decorating, plumbing, drainage, heating, ventilation. If something is wrong, you go to the developer and they fix it.

After 24 months, that obligation ends. Most homeowners discover this the hard way.

The remaining eight years cover structural defects only, and the threshold is high. Foundations, load-bearing walls, roof structure, chimney structure, staircases, and weather-tightness of the external envelope. Cosmetic items, fixtures, fittings, internal finishes and most plumbing are out of scope.

If a claim is upheld, the warranty provider pays for the repair, but excesses, exclusions and minimum claim thresholds apply.

Notify the warranty provider in writing, with photographs and a clear description. They'll appoint a surveyor. Surveys can take weeks. If the claim is rejected, ask for the rejection in writing with the policy clause cited.

You have the right to appeal. You also have the right to engage an independent surveyor whose report carries weight at appeal.

Most issues new build owners face are never covered by the warranty in the first place: failed sealants, snagging, finishes, sticking joinery, render hairlines, drainage gripes and garden settlement.

That's the gap we exist to fill. We work to the standards your developer's customer care team would have applied, without the warranty paperwork and without the wait.