NEW-BUILD HOMEOWNERS DESERVE BETTER — A PROPOSAL FROM THE SNAG SURGEON
The Prime Minister wants to crack down on “cowboy builders” by looking at ways of protecting customers from paying in full before work has been properly completed. I agree with the principle. But why should this protection stop at the front door of a major housebuilder?
As The Snag Surgeon, working in the new-build housing sector, I see first-hand the problems homeowners can face. People are spending £300,000, £400,000, £500,000 or more on a brand-new home — often the biggest purchase they will ever make. Yet the housebuilder can receive 100% of the purchase price at legal completion, even when the house still has significant defects, poor workmanship or outstanding snagging.
The homeowner is then left chasing the developer to put things right. That doesn’t seem right to me.
My proposal: A New Build Consumer Retention Scheme
Why not introduce a system where 5% of the purchase price is held independently until the new home has been properly completed?
For example:
🏠 £300,000 home = £15,000 retained
🏠 £400,000 home = £20,000 retained
🏠 £500,000 home = £25,000 retained
The money would be held in a protected account — not by the housebuilder.
An independent, suitably qualified inspector would assess the property against the relevant:
- Building Regulations
- NHBC Standards, where applicable
- NHQB requirements, where applicable
- Agreed specification
- Relevant British Standards
- Manufacturer installation requirements
- Appropriate workmanship standards
- Critical defects should be rectified before the retention is released.
- Significant defects should have a defined period for correction.
Minor snags could be recorded and dealt with within an agreed timeframe.
And this should apply to EVERY housebuilder.
Small builders.
Regional developers.
The biggest national housebuilders.
NHBC registered or not. NHQB registered or not.
Being registered with an industry body should not mean a developer is automatically exempt from an independent quality check.
