NHBC Warranty - What does it cover?

Cardinal-Red

Morning all - hope this is the right board for this!

We bought a new build flat in July 2005 (we were 1st occupants but building was finished in April 2005)

When we moved in within a few weeks problems occurred with the ceiling coving in a couple of the rooms, notably the bathroom where it came away from the wall completely in 3 different locations and one side fell off entirely.

The builders were, to their credit, quite helpful and came around each time. The work they did though wasn't great and included nailing the coving up while the glue settled. We have filled and painted over these holes but they're not great!

Then last night, the coving on the wall which our bed is pressed up against fell off in the middle of the night and smashed into 3 pieces. Luckily nobody was hurt but this could have been quite serious.

I want to have the entire coving taken down and redone with new coving - as well as the times when its come away from the wall, we've also had flaking of whatever the surface is on the coving in several locations and it just generally looks very bad.

It seems to me that the entire coving job isn't up to standard - we've had incidents now in all 4 separate rooms in the house. This morning as well on inspecting the damage there is a clear 1cm gap between the ceiling and wall underneath where the coving was - am no builder so don't know if this is correct or not.

I've looked at the NHBC website but not a great deal of info on there.

Also am I right in thinking there are rules on sound insulation etc? I ask because my upstairs neighbour is hardly in this country so I've not noticed, but the neighbours who occupy ground/1st floor flats next door say that they can hear each other's conversations! One even said she can hear light switches being turned on and off!! I thought she was exaggerating but my own upstairs neighbour was home last night and there is clearly a serious problem there.

So I guess my question is how far does the warranty extend in these circumstances?

moonrakerz

You have just struck a sore point with me !

I tried to make a claim through this organisation a few years back. They are completely and utterly useless !! Chocolate fire guards and ashtrays on motorcycles have nothing on this bunch.

They are funded by the building trade so you don't need to be an Einstein to work out where their loyalties lie !

One example of how their professionalism: At one stage in my saga with them I received a letter from them saying:

"Please find enclosed a copy of our booklet - What to do if your builder goes bust"

(He hadn't and I hadn't told the NHBC that he had)

Hand written across the bottom of the letter was:- "PS: This book is temporarily out of stock" !

I would really suggest that you get proper legal advice if you wish to persue this.

ormus

http://www.nhbc.co.uk/NHBCpublications/LiteratureLibrary/Homewarranties/Buildmark/BuildmarkPolicyDocuments/filedownload,24117,en.pdf

as you rightly say the nhbc warranty is pretty much worthless, for all but the most really serious building defects.

page 15 is the one to read. tells you what it does and does not cover.