Buying a New-Build Home: What to Check

Most new homes come with a 10-year warranty from a provider such as NHBC, Premier Guarantee or LABC Warranty. Lenders usually require one.

In the first two years, the builder is usually responsible for putting right defects. After that, the warranty mainly covers major structural problems. Read what your policy actually covers.

Snags are small defects left by the builder, such as poor paintwork, sticking doors or missing sealant. Many buyers have an independent snagging survey before completion, or soon after.

Report snags in writing to the builder, with photos and dates, and keep copies of every reply.

Many developers have signed up to the New Homes Quality Code, which sets standards for how they treat buyers. If the developer is registered, you may be able to escalate an unresolved complaint to the New Homes Ombudsman Service.

Check whether your developer is registered before you reserve.

On many new estates, roads and green spaces are not adopted by the council. Owners pay an estate management charge to a management company instead.

Ask what the charge is, how it can rise, and what it covers. Check whether the home is freehold or leasehold, and any ground rent.

• The warranty certificate and policy document.
• The building control completion certificate.
• The Energy Performance Certificate.
• Manuals and warranties for the boiler or heat pump, appliances and any solar panels.
• Every snagging report and the builder's responses.

Starting a record now means the next buyer gets a complete history. Log each repair on Propvio as it happens, rather than reconstructing it in ten years' time.