New Build Properties

Snagging Nightmare!

Many investors who buy newbuild property do so because they wish to be free from routine maintenance issues associated with buying ‘second hand property’. However the zero maintenance dream of buying a new property can be shattered by a never-ending list of faults or snags and with the aggravation of having them put right.



The boom over the last few years in building newbuild properties has led to a shortage of skilled construction workers. This shortage puts pressure on developers to move skilled workers quickly on to new developments which means that homes are not being properly completed.

This can cause considerable difficulty for the buy to let investor who may not be able to get a tenant because it is taking weeks, and sometimes months, of anguish as they fight to get the houses they were originally promised.

Buyers of older properties usually engage surveyors and solicitors to act on their behalf to identify structural and legal problems. However, buyers of new homes deal directly with the builder and are often purchasing property which has not been built yet and therefore cannot be inspected!

All new homes come with a 10 year warranty; however these are only designed to cover major defects such as structural issues and not minor defects such as a leaking shower. Local authority building inspectors must pass all new homes as conforming to current buildings regulations and must issue a completion certificate before it can be sold. However the scope of this inspection does not cover minor defects or snags.

There are very limited consumer protection safeguards which cover new property and as a result, developers are encouraged to move onto the next development rather than deal with customer complaints.

Recently a number of companies have setup to provide new home inspection services. These companies are experienced at spotting snags immediately which you may otherwise have only spotted a few months down the line when it may be very difficult to get anything done about it. When many home owners walk into a new home they are overwhelmed by the overall effect and don’t tend to notice the small finishing touches which don’t become apparent until someone moves in. For the buy-to-let investor these snags will only come up once a tenant has moved in by which time the builders may have moved on.

Spotting defects early on prevents the builder from saying, ‘Well, you didn’t mention it when we handed it over. That must have happened since you moved in.’"

Researchers from the School of the Built and Natural Environment at Glasgow Caledonian University have conducted a study to identify whether trends in design, materials or workmanship have led to increasing snagging problems.

They found snags to range from dangerously fitted showers to huge cracks in the walls to stairs that creak every time you step on them to damaged bathroom tiles.

Two-bedroom properties, mostly flats, seem to suffer from the most snags which can include faults such as draughty windows, leaky showers and shoddy electrics.

Customer satisfaction surveys by the Housing Forum have found that buyers believe the number of snagging faults have increased with more than one third of new build properties now having between 100 and 200 faults.

ensure your newbuild property is snag free.

1.) Check how well the site is managed. Is it tidy and do things appear to be well organised? How are finishing materials being stored? For example, are internal doors kept on a pallet outside, without protection and exposed to the elements! This is a good indicator of their attention to detail

2.) Ask to see a property which is currently under construction paying particular attention to whether finished surfaces such as floor areas are being protected from damage from the building work going on around. If the builder takes the tome to protect finished work from damage, then this is a good sign that they care about the finishing details.

3.) Find out whether the developer has won any industry awards and check them out on the internet to find out exactly what the award was given for.

4.) Talk to the people who have already moved in to get a feel for the quality of the workmanship and customer care.

5.) Ensure that the house has a warranty from Zurich, the NHBC or Premier. Remember that these do not necessarily guarantee that your home will be free from defects or snags.

6.) Instruct a conveyancing solicitor who is experienced at negotiating retentions and delaying completion due to defects and snags. Be wary of a developer who promotes or recommends you use a particular solicitor as they may not be fully on your side!

7.)Get your new property professionally inspected by one of the many newbuild snagging companies. Do this BEFORE legal completion, so that the developer has time to address the defects and snags prior to completion.