Defects are reported by nearly every UK buyer of new-build homes, underscoring ongoing problems with quality assurance despite a thriving housing market. In one recent example from south Leicestershire, a professional inspection carried out shortly after purchase exposed more than a hundred issues, which included both significant fire safety lapses and evidence of substandard construction.
Unexpected setbacks for recent buyers
Georgina and Charles Barnes, after saving for three years, finally purchased their first property in south Leicestershire at a cost of £299,995. Their enthusiasm quickly turned to disappointment when, just days after moving in, a Swansea-based independent snagging firm—New Home Quality Control—evaluated their home and flagged 150 separate faults. Problems included incorrectly fitted fire barriers, traces of an earlier leak, a poorly installed gas meter cabinet, and notably low-standard pipework, which was described by inspectors as “exceptionally poor.”
Georgina stressed the critical nature of these findings, especially the incomplete fire protection, calling a professional inspection essential for her peace of mind. With the property’s two-year developer warranty, many problems could be fixed, yet the experience left her shaken. She recommended, “I would say for any new-build buyer, 100% no doubt, I recommend a snagger.”
Defects common throughout the new-build market
The situation the Barnes family encountered is widespread. The New Homes Ombudsman Service, providing information to Parliament, referenced the latest Home Builders Federation (HBF) national new homes customer satisfaction survey that revealed 93.7% of new-build purchasers reported faults to their developer post-move-in, and more than 25% identified over 15 defects in their houses.
John Cooper, who co-founded New Home Quality Control, started his business after growing frustrated with being asked to conceal defects from buyers during his previous job as a contracts manager. “We’ve never done an inspection where we found a home in flawless condition,” he said. According to Cooper, faults with brickwork, carpentry, and roofing are the most frequent, while some sites even feature “fake” weep vents that mimic real ventilation but serve no function.
Cooper’s team charges fees in the range of £349 to £499 per inspection, requiring between two and four hours, using tools like drones, GoPro cameras, and thermal imagers. While he acknowledges this service may be out of reach for some buyers who have used their savings to buy a home, Cooper believes independent inspections should be mandatory before buyers occupy new properties. “When someone spends their life savings on a house, they should be guaranteed quality,” he argued.
Industry statements and persistent problems
The National House Building Council (NHBC) responded to widespread defect reports by stating that responsibility for regulatory compliance rests with developers. NHBC inspects homes during construction at key stages, and while it directs owners first to their builders if issues arise, unresolved cases can be escalated to NHBC after two years.
The HBF, representing developers, admitted that defects—called snags—are possible because “new homes are not made in a factory,” but asserted that most faults are minor and the sector maintains high standards, even as construction faces skills shortages. They noted that the UK builds about 200,000 homes each year, which still falls short of the projected need of 300,000, and insisted that the speed of construction is not behind the quality challenges.
Supporting professional oversight in the sector, HBF advised buyers to ensure any snagging inspector is certified by a recognised professional body such as RICS, noting that snagging inspectors themselves remain unregulated.
Government initiatives and consumer safeguards
Among recent government measures are a £39 billion allocation for affordable housing and a £625 million commitment to train up to 60,000 new construction workers, reflecting efforts to improve industry standards. In parallel, the Welsh government reiterated its focus on securing quality homes and buyer protections.
Despite ongoing regulation and government incentives, many buyers and independent inspectors say that major issues are often detected only after move-in, indicating the system is still not foolproof. The steady occurrence of faults fuels the case for independent oversight and active caution by buyers as the industry tries to address the challenge of maintaining quality with persistent labour shortages and ambitious build targets.