New build snags - builder/developer inaction

Dis86 · 1 Dec 2022 at 10:48

Moved in to our new place about 3 years ago. Significant list of snags which was accepted by the builder. Many have been resolved however we have about 20 outstanding.
Clear trail of correspondence on it. Multiple replies from themselves but despite asking repeatedly for a schedule to resolve they've not provided one and are now just giving us the 'it'll be done soon' treatment.
The builder and developer are two separate companies.

Does anyone know what the process is to start getting some actual enforcement against them?

Viirus · 1 Dec 2022 at 11:08

Is your property covered by NHBC? After post two year completion I believe you can make a claim through them if you have exhaustive the process with the developer.

Their claims guidance sets out what is covered by them - NHBC Link

Dis86 · 1 Dec 2022 at 11:12

Viirus said:
Is your property covered by NHBC? After post two year completion I believe you can make a claim through them if you have exhaustive the process with the developer.

Their claims guidance sets out what is covered by them - NHBC Link

It is. My understanding with the NHBC though is that they strictly cover deviations from standards and not necessarily aesthetic issues? A lot of our problems are things such as scratches shower enclosures and screens, bowed worktops etc

glenimp617 · 1 Dec 2022 at 12:26

Good luck getting the NHBC to do anything.

If the builder has sorted most of the snags, I'd think yourself lucky.

Not swamp garden is it?

Dis86 · 1 Dec 2022 at 12:55

TheOracle said:
Good luck getting the NHBC to do anything.

If the builder has sorted most of the snags, I'd think yourself lucky.

Not swamp garden is it?

Lol there was indeed a swamp garden. I sorted that myself by installing additional drainage.

glenimp617 · 1 Dec 2022 at 13:27

Dis86 said:
Lol there was indeed a swamp garden. I sorted that myself by installing additional drainage.

Sometimes you just have to do it yourself, at least you know it's done right.

Could be worse, fella at work just moved into a newbuild....they fitted the kitchen door frame wonky, so the joiner trimmed the door down to fit :cry:

Those facebook groups are funny (well not for the owners), some of them are horrendous with burst water pipes :eek:

Dis86 · 1 Dec 2022 at 13:29

TheOracle said:
Sometimes you just have to do it yourself, at least you know it's done right.

Could be worse, fella at work just moved into a newbuild....they fitted the kitchen door frame wonky, so the joiner trimmed the door down to fit

That's pretty bad. We have 5 bedrooms on the first floor, 2 cupboards and a bathroom. Every single door frame on that floor was at a different height when we first moved in. Sorted now but that's just an example of the level of crap they think is acceptable.

thezappa · 1 Dec 2022 at 14:13

NHBC will never come out and sort out snags. They are a warranty provider who are only interested in structural issues (can only speak from personal experience, so you might get lucky). Personally I would go to go to the customer service department and keep calling them every couple of days.

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 1 Dec 2022 at 15:25

Might be worth a letter before action, stating you want a schedule of intent to correct with reasonable dates per item.

Give them 3 weeks from date (to allow time to get there etc) and say without correspondence by date (+3 weeks) you intend to file for damages equal to the cost to instruct a trade to complete the list of your behalf.

Is the site still open?
What tends to happen is once a site is closed and all the invoices etc logged they "close down the site in the books" so to speak and as such there isn't a specific budget someone has to fix the snags.

I wouldn't though if your not willing to actually do it. The moment the three weeks expires (probably 75% likely) and you fail to claim against them they won't take you even remotely seriously any more. (assuming the do now of course!)

jpaul · 6 Dec 2022 at 23:13

news to me - Interesting article on newsnight about fires in timber frame buildings without correct cavity protection membranes or sprinkler systems

Timber-frame buildings and cavity fires: the burning question

Timber-frame buildings are seen in some quarters as the future, due to their speed and environmental credentials. But is enough being done to make sure they are fire safe? Peter Apps reports

www.insidehousing.co.uk

Derek W · 7 Dec 2022 at 08:27

jpaul said:
news to me - Interesting article on newsnight about fires in timber frame buildings without correct cavity protection membranes or sprinkler systems

Timber-frame buildings and cavity fires: the burning question

Timber-frame buildings are seen in some quarters as the future, due to their speed and environmental credentials. But is enough being done to make sure they are fire safe? Peter Apps reports

www.insidehousing.co.uk

That's just crap builders not following drawings / folk just building what they want cos they don't think it's needed / cutting corners

R.O.S.S.I · 7 Dec 2022 at 08:36

Theres a couple of Instagram accounts I follow that go round snagging new builds. Some of the work is truly horrendous.

Snagsure - New-build snagging specialist (@snagsure) • Instagram photos and videos

32K Followers, 7,802 Following, 189 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Snagsure - New-build snagging specialist (@snagsure)

www.instagram.com

New Home Quality Control (@new_home_quality_control) • Instagram photos and videos

290K Followers, 177 Following, 620 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from New Home Quality Control (@new_home_quality_control)

www.instagram.com

Steeps · 7 Dec 2022 at 11:48

You can report it to the NHBC, but ultimately they are a waste of time. Our bath has now been sealed 4 times by the builders and it still leaks from behind the wall, the tiles need to come off to fully investigate but they keep sending the same builder back to apply more sealant near the area. Multiple walls have not been built straight but apparently its "just a guideline", you can't fit a wardrobe butted up to the skirting because the wall angles in far beyond the skirting. Settlement cracks within a year big enough to swallow a pound coin but they're not interested.

Unfortunately my property is a leasehold and the freeholder is saying I cannot make repairs unless NHBC admit they are issues, but NHBC won't because they know they'd be liable for it and don't want to pay.

Reuben klang · 7 Dec 2022 at 12:26

Derek W said:
That's just crap builders not following drawings / folk just building what they want cos they don't think it's needed / cutting corners

Yup, nailed on the head. Guys on priced work battering in as much as possible in little to no time.

Dis86 · 7 Dec 2022 at 19:00

Steeps said:
You can report it to the NHBC, but ultimately they are a waste of time. Our bath has now been sealed 4 times by the builders and it still leaks from behind the wall, the tiles need to come off to fully investigate but they keep sending the same builder back to apply more sealant near the area. Multiple walls have not been built straight but apparently its "just a guideline", you can't fit a wardrobe butted up to the skirting because the wall angles in far beyond the skirting. Settlement cracks within a year big enough to swallow a pound coin but they're not interested.

Unfortunately my property is a leasehold and the freeholder is saying I cannot make repairs unless NHBC admit they are issues, but NHBC won't because they know they'd be liable for it and don't want to pay.

That sounds like an absolute freaking nightmare

Ours is freehold at least.

jpaul · 7 Dec 2022 at 21:47

Reuben klang said:
Yup, nailed on the head. Guys on priced work battering in as much as possible in little to no time.

post Grenfell, would be interesting to know how much explicit surveyors analysis of fire safety is presented in their reports

HungryHippos · 7 Dec 2022 at 22:02

Is it Linden Homes by any chance? they're not part of Bovis I think.

This sounds like the nightmare I had with them, absolute jokers, outstanding snags still 2 years after I bought that were reported very early on.

Very glad to be shot of them.

GravyMonster · 8 Dec 2022 at 11:15

TheOracle said:
Good luck getting the NHBC to do anything.

Can confirm this. NHBC are absolutely useless. They take months to actually come and assess the property, then it seems their default response is always 'not covered'.

thezappa · 8 Dec 2022 at 20:32

Common point that is often forgotten is that developers pay NHBC for their warranty. A cynic might think it’s not in NHBCs interest to visit. That’s just one way of looking at it though.

Peerzy · 8 Dec 2022 at 21:21

Steeps said:
You can report it to the NHBC, but ultimately they are a waste of time. Our bath has now been sealed 4 times by the builders and it still leaks from behind the wall, the tiles need to come off to fully investigate but they keep sending the same builder back to apply more sealant near the area. Multiple walls have not been built straight but apparently its "just a guideline", you can't fit a wardrobe butted up to the skirting because the wall angles in far beyond the skirting. Settlement cracks within a year big enough to swallow a pound coin but they're not interested.

Unfortunately my property is a leasehold and the freeholder is saying I cannot make repairs unless NHBC admit they are issues, but NHBC won't because they know they'd be liable for it and don't want to pay.

That sounds like a nightmare, new builds on the whole just seem so pointless when you read stories like this.