New build with short time remaining on defects insurance period of warranty

PlsProvideAName

Hello all,

I'm interested in a new build flat which only has around 7 months remaining on the initial defects insurance part of the warranty (its practical completion date was in late 2021).  Therefore by the time I complete the purchase and move in, I would probably have 4 months or so left.  Does anyone know how much of an issue this might be? I plan to do a snagging survey, but what I'm not clear on is how many additional defects tend to be found over a period of time after moving in.  Could this be a good basis for negotiating the price down further?

(I initially asked about this here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/80000627/#Comment_80000627 but I decided to start another thread as I think that one was getting cluttered and it was initially about a different topic).

GixerKate

Are you talking about the period of time to report snags?  Its usually 2 years from the completion date of when you bought the property not the developer's completion certificate unless you are buying through shared ownership? My experience is with buying a house, I guess it might be different for flats?

With my house I was still reporting snags to just before the 2 years was up such as issues with the vents, cracks etc.  I know a few people who were caught out with the shared ownership thing, they thought they had 2 years to report snags but they bought the place 18 months after the SO had completed and so only had 6 months to report snags.

I think if you get a proper snag list done as soon as you move in and accept that you will be responsible for anything else that comes up you should be fine.

chanz4

pointless getting a snagging on a second hand property, as the builders will blame on the old owner

ManuelG

chanz4 said:

pointless getting a snagging on a second hand property, as the builders will blame on the old owner

Isn't this the question though, that needs to be clarified by the OP? What I'm not clear is if the block was completed late 2021 but this flat has sat empty since, or if we're moving onto the second owner.

PlsProvideAName

@ManuelG and @chanz4 it's a new flat that has been empty since it was completed.

TheJP

Are you buying from the developer?

eddddy

I guess you need to split potential snags into 3 groups:

• 1) Snags that were visible from day 1 (e.g. missing handles, poor paintwork, bumpy plaster)

• 2) Snags that would have shown up in the last 17 months, even though the flat was empty (e.g. cracked plaster, warped woodwork, leaking roof, leaking window frames) 

• 3) Snags that would only show up after 17 months of occupation/use (e.g. things that fail after 12 to 17 months of normal use, due to poor installation.)

It's only the stuff in group 3 that's a problem for you. A snagging surveyor might or might not be able to spot some of that stuff. 

e.g. If a kitchen cupboard has been fixed to the wall using inadequate screws/anchoring etc - it might take 12 months of normal use, before it starts falling off the wall. (But the developer would probably accuse you of mis-using the cupboard anyway.)

And I guess, for example, badly made plumbing joints might last for the next 7 months before starting to leak.


I guess you could try negotiating a price reduction on that basis. It depends how desperate the seller is to sell.

Postik

PlsProvideAName said:

I plan to do a snagging survey, but what I'm not clear on is how many additional defects tend to be found over a period of time after moving in.

I bought a 4 year old "newbuild" and as the second owner, almost 6 months in, I am still finding snags now.  Although I think "bodges" are perhaps a more appropriate term.  None of them are that major so either the previous owners gave up the will to live getting them fixed, or they didn't notice, or couldn't be bothered with the hassle.  In fact some of them would probably be too disruptive to fix and it's easier to live with them.