Buying a new build property, whether it’s your first step on the housing ladder or your planned forever home, is something that many homebuyers think will minimise the risk of things being wrong with the house. It’s definitely true that older properties that may have been around for many years and had many different types of work done on them in the past, or are in need of some repair and maintenance work urgently, can be very expensive to sort out. Even with a full structural survey, sometimes issues can be missed. However, despite usually having a several-year guarantee and theoretically being in pristine condition, new build problems are actually very common.
Problems with new build homes in the UK can take many forms, many of them minor, and good developers will usually work with new homeowners to resolve any issues that come to light after they move in, with things like snagging guarantees and regular checks to make sure that everything is fine.
However, in some cases, the promised fixes don’t happen, and the issues are not addressed by the developers, who have often moved onto new properties or projects by this time, and you can end up waiting months for repairs that don’t materialise. There are also occasions when the developer won’t admit liability for specific issues you’re having with your new build home, and you might be in dispute with them over whose responsibility it is to fix the problems.
If you’ve chosen a new build property because you want a ‘worry-free’ experience, sadly this isn’t always the way things turn out. Our specialist dispute resolution team can give expert advice in this area of law and help you to achieve the best possible outcome from the situation. Call us on 0161 696 6178.