When it starts falling down before the paint's dry

What should you do if your brand new house develops cracks? Richard Phillips explains

YOU have bought your new home, perhaps on a new estate. The brochure was appealing, you visited the show home which was very attractive and you have since moved in.

You notice a couple of defects almost immediately, things you hadn't spotted when you were first shown around: the bathroom door doesn't seem to open properly and the kitchen sink, curiously, already has a leaky tap. Irritating, but hardly enough to put you off your dream home.

Then the real trouble begins. Six months later there is a large crack in the lounge wall and, hard to believe, there appears to be a damp patch forming on the ceiling below the bathroom.

The first two problems were minor. The last two are more severe, especially considering the house was brand new when you moved in. But sadly, this is becoming an all too common story. Last year, over 10,000 new homeowners found themselves engaged in a dispute with their builder over some defect or problem.

So what can you do to make sure you are protected against any faults in a new home which come to light at a later date?

The National House Building Council, the self regulatory body for the house building industry, has a warranty scheme which covers nearly every new home built in Britain. It has just launched an improved claims handling system which it hopes will dramatically reduce the notorious delays in achieving settlements.

Rod MacEachrane, director of claims, agrees the old system had its flaws. "We knew our old system was taking too long - in some cases it was taking months to get an investigator to a property, then several more before a repair schedule was put out to tender."

Now, the NHBC will take details over the phone and send out a claims investigator to your home within a few weeks. It is hoped that the whole procedure will be reduced to a few months, from start to finish.

Some problems on the NHBC's scheme cease to be covered after two years - double glazing for example - even if it is clear that the defect must have existed when it was installed. However, the warranty covers major claims such as subsidence, major cracking, or distortion in joints for 10 years. Do note however that you still need buildings insurance - the NHBC warranty only covers for builders' defects; it does not protect against flooding or fire.

What should you check for if you are thinking of buying a new home? On the exterior, make sure the brickwork is clean and free from splashes of mortar or paint. Check the windowsills have been finished off, including the underside. Check the guttering to make sure it is properly secure. Inside the house, check that each window opens and shuts properly. The NHBC produces a checklist which you can obtain direct from them.

Ensure the builder is registered with the NHBC. Virtually all are so registration is no guarantee of a good, reputable firm, but if it isn't registered, you should almost certainly steer clear. Ask to see previous properties the builder has constructed - you may even want to ask the occupants of these whether they have had any problems. Then you must make absolutely sure you obtain a copy of the insurance warranty for the property from the builder's solicitor before you complete the purchase.

Do not be tempted to buy a property before building work has been finished; likewise, don't put pressure on the builder to rush the job because you want to move in quickly.

Once you have moved in, do another thorough check of everything. If there are any defects, send a letter to the builder immediately and contact the NHBC. It will assist you with your claim from there on.

One chartered surveyor said the NHBC scheme was good but warned against having unrealistically high expectations of what it could provide.

NHBC: tel 01494 434477