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Top tips to save buyers from new build ‘snagging’ nightmare |
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15-step guide available for free publication in British press.
Buying a home is perhaps the most important purchase you will ever
make, so it's not surprising many opt for the apparent advantages of a
new build.
Those choosing new-build homes,
lured by the low running costs and high specifications, may believe
they have chosen the safe option. But recent research shows there is a
high chance they will move into a home riddled with defects, or
‘snags’, potentially costing them a fortune to put right. The problem
has steadily been getting worse. The first National Customer
Satisfaction Survey carried out in [2001 by the Housing Forum showed
that 81% of homes had defects compared to 93% in 2006.
New Build Top Tips
1. Check how well the site is managed. Ask whether the Site Manager has
won any industry awards and speak to the people who have already moved
in to get a feel for the quality of the workmanship and customer care.
2. Research the house builder on the Internet. New Build
Inspections is in the process of compiling dossiers for each the major
house builders in the UK.
3. Check that the house has a warranty from Zurich Municipal, the
NHBC or Premier. However, these do not guarantee that your home will be
free from defects and are primarily insurance schemes for the developer
not the home owner.
4. Check if there is an affordable housing provision on the site. If
there is, find out whether these homes will be managed by a housing
association. Although this is unlikely to cause problems the developer
may try to hide this from you, which affects your ability to make an
informed decision about your purchase.
6. Measure your property including ceiling height to determine
whether your furniture will fit. Pay particular attention to the stairs
and don’t forget the garage, these are often designed for ‘average’
cars.
7. Check the site and house plans carefully, especially if you are
buying off-plan. Remember that the marketing material may use artist
impressions and should not be regarded as accurate. If you feel your
property has been misdescribed, contact your local Trading Standards
Office, who may prosecute the developer under the Property
Misdescription Act 1991.
8. Remember you are not buying the show home and you may not even
be buying the same style of house. Try to get a tour of the style of
property you are buying, which may involve going to another
development.
9. Make sure you negotiate. The developer is unlikely to reduce the
price, but flooring, landscaping, fencing and curtains are all up for
grabs. Try not to appear too keen, if you want to get the best deals.
10. Extra care is required at the end of the developer’s financial
year, as targets have to be met and corners may be cut to meet them.
You could be moved you into a property that is not complete with
significant remedial work required. However, developers may offer
generous incentives at this time of year to meet their targets,
especially if they have unsold homes which are build-complete or
nearing completion.
11. Instruct a conveyancing solicitor with a track record of
negotiating retentions and delaying completion due to defects and
snags, using the cheapest company you can find on the Internet will be
a false economy. The developer may recommend a solicitor to ‘speed
things up’, but there may be a hidden agenda.
12. If you need to be in your new property by a particular date ask
your solicitor about getting the completion date written into the
contract.
13. Get your house professionally inspected by an independent
snagging company that does not work for housing developers, such as New
Build Inspections Ltd (www.newbuildinspections.com).
Ideally, this should be done before legal completion, so that the
developer will have time to address the defects and snags identified
before you move in. If you cannot afford this and you plan to do it
yourself use the Snagging Checklists available from Snagging.org for £14.99.
14. If you have an NHBC warranty re-inspect your house every six-months
during the first two years and notify your developer in writing of any
faults you discover. The developer is obliged to fix them, if they
don’t the NHBC will. However, faults caused by normal shrinkage and
drying out are not currently covered by this warranty.
15. Don’t skimp on your insurance. Get a home and contents policy
which includes legal protection which will be useful if you need to
take the developer to court.
Notes to editors:
The New Build Buyer’s Guide is provided by New Build Inspections for free publication in full by British press.
The reference to New Build Inspection may be deleted if elsewhere the source of the guide is acknowledged
as ‘New Build Inspections, www.newbuildinspections.com‘.
For more information contact:
Catriona Bright
Director and Founder
New Build Inspections Ltd
0845 22 66 486
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