New house warranty

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

kianok

MB Enthusiast
SUPPORTER
Joined
Feb 12, 2011
Messages
2,152
Location
Leeds
Car
E220 AMG line premium plus coupe
About 3 months ago we moved into a house which is now approximately 18 months old.


Two weeks ago we had a leak which was coming from the shower in the third floor bathroom which has also caused minor water damage to the floor below.

Having had a site manager and a customer liaison inspector out who both agreed that there is a fault with the pluming the house builder is now refusing to rectify the issue are now calling it a “user error” :confused:


We have made a complaint to the NHBC however I’m not holding out much hope that they have any real power.

Anyone with any advice as to how we should try and move forward?
 
NHBC are funded by the house builders, perhaps escalate or write to a director.

Or just claim on house insurance.

S
 
Sorry to say in my past experience with the NHBC they are a dog with little or no bite .
 
NHBC guarantees are fundamentally there for major issues like structural failures, heave or subsidence. That kind of thing.

They really don't seem at all effective for anything less than catastrophic problems.
 
Most new houses come with a 10 year warranty from NHBC but the builder is responsible for the first 2 years for most snagging items. It should cover a leak from a shower, mine certainly did. If however they are saying its user error (what ever that might be) then I guess they won't cover it. It's no different to MB not honouring the warranty because you used diesel instead of unleaded. You need to find out why they are saying its your fault and not a problem with the shower.

10 years' home warranty and insurance -NHBC Buildmark | What does Buildmark cover? | NHBC Warranties and Cover | New Home Warranty
 
NHBC will charge you to inspect and if found in your favour they will refund.
 
It should cover a leak from a shower, mine certainly did. If however they are saying its user error (what ever that might be) then I
The shower was left on very slightly and the leak is from around the waste pipe area (sealant around the bath is fine) so they are trying to say it's our fault!
 
Sounds like the builder is trying it on,at least you can get it fixed with the insurance,but contact the builder and ask is the waste supposed to leak in your houses,or like in others it is there to take waste water away without damaging the ceiling.
 
Having had a site manager and a customer liaison inspector out who both agreed that there is a fault with the pluming the house builder is now refusing to rectify the issue are now calling it a “user error” :confused:

Have you had the builder tell you it's user error in the presence of the site manager and the customer liaison inspector?

I'd arrange the tripartite meeting.
 
Have you had the builder tell you it's user error in the presence of the site manager and the customer liaison inspector?

I'd arrange the tripartite meeting.

Both the above mentioned have said that the plumbers who installed it are at fault.

The person that has said that it's a user error (their words!) is the only person involved that haven't actually inspected it!
 
...........contact the builder and ask is the waste supposed to leak in your houses,or like in others it is there to take waste water away without damaging the ceiling.
The plumber is employed by the builder who is your point of contact. You have no contract with the plumber.
How the builder gets it fixed is his problem & you should not be involved with any negotiations with the plumber (who is obviously an idiot)
 
Write to the builder and if you don't have a satisfactory response then contact the NHBC. The warranty is with the NHBC and covers minor defects for 2 years.

The site manager and customer care manager may be hoping the problem will go away. Write to the head office of the builder.
 
The plumber is employed by the builder who is your point of contact. You have no contract with the plumber.
How the builder gets it fixed is his problem & you should not be involved with any negotiations with the plumber (who is obviously an idiot)

Agreed, apart from calling anyone an idiot without knowing the facts.
 
Both the above mentioned have said that the plumbers who installed it are at fault.

The person that has said that it's a user error (their words!) is the only person involved that haven't actually inspected it!

Idiot in my book if he doesn't inspect yet blames user error.

I come across loads of "tradesmen" who are so arrogant that it is never their fault.

I have nearly 40 years experience in the building profession, initially qualifying as a Building Surveyor and ending up as a House Builder, capable of carrying out all trades (except plastering) to a high quality level. I can plaster but the skill level is low & prefer to employ others for that.
I spent several years during the late 80's/early 90's recession employed by the NHBC correcting other builders defects where those builders had ceased trading.
In 25 years of new house building in my own right I have yet to have a customer complaint upheld against me. Before this working for 2 other companies I am unaware of any upheld claims against those companies on projects I was involved with.

So I speak from extensive experience. Plumber & his employer in this case could make this go away easily by accepting responsibility, correcting the fault with minimum inconvenience to the customer.

As an aside I have little faith in the NHBC and other building guarantee providers. They will do all they can (after having accepted significant insurance policy fees & inspection fees from the builder) to avoid paying out on claims including laying off costs on the builders they took the premiums from in the first place.
Plumbing claims are only accepted in the first 2 years when the builder should cover costs. In years 3 to 8 only serious structural claims are entertained and then they try to lay the cost at the builders door.
 
Idiot in my book if he doesn't inspect yet blames user error.
(Maybe but has he been asked to inspect and wasn't it the builder it said it was user error. I don't see a reference to the plumber being consulted.)

I come across loads of "tradesmen" who are so arrogant that it is never their fault.
( Dealt with loads as well)

I have nearly 40 years experience in the building profession, initially qualifying as a Building Surveyor and ending up as a House Builder, capable of carrying out all trades (except plastering) to a high quality level. I can plaster but the skill level is low & prefer to employ others for that.
I spent several years during the late 80's/early 90's recession employed by the NHBC correcting other builders defects where those builders had ceased trading.
In 25 years of new house building in my own right I have yet to have a customer complaint upheld against me. Before this working for 2 other companies I am unaware of any upheld claims against those companies on projects I was involved with.

So I speak from extensive experience. Plumber & his employer in this case could make this go away easily by accepting responsibility, correcting the fault with minimum inconvenience to the customer.

As an aside I have little faith in the NHBC and other building guarantee providers. They will do all they can (after having accepted significant insurance policy fees & inspection fees from the builder) to avoid paying out on claims including laying off costs on the builders they took the premiums from in the first place.
Plumbing claims are only accepted in the first 2 years when the builder should cover costs. In years 3 to 8 only serious structural claims are entertained and then they try to lay the cost at the builders door.

I also speak from a little experience with over 40 years in the building industry and 38 as a manager.
My point is until the problem has been inspected it may not be the plumbers fault, although it probably was. Other things can happen to disturb his work after he has finished. Nails go through pipes after testing and don't always come to light immediately for example.

The builder is responsible however as is the developer if different. If the builder fails to deal with it satisfactory then the NHBC will cover it if its a building defect.
I have no experience of how effective the NHBC are if a claim is made however but have no reason to doubt their integrity. Fortunately I have always worked for contractors who rectify their own defects, whether directly or via the subcontractor involved.

Unfortunately non of this helps the threadstarter and I would advise him to formally register his complain with the Builder or Developer that he bought the house from.
 
Last edited:
I've always been told that NHBC is there to protect the builder not the buyer.

Certainly felt like it when I tried to claim for a leaking pipe hidden behind woodwork. They would pay for the faulty part (but they wouldn't as there is a minimum claim value) but not pay for all the strip out and reinstatement...
 
I've always been told that NHBC is there to protect the builder not the buyer.

Certainly felt like it when I tried to claim for a leaking pipe hidden behind woodwork. They would pay for the faulty part (but they wouldn't as there is a minimum claim value) but not pay for all the strip out and reinstatement...

Who did you claim from?

I cant see how they protect the builder or developer other than as a selling point like a warranty on a car, and like cars claims are not always straightforward. The NHBC do carry out certain inpections of course and also check the designs structurally and also check contamination issues etc.

The mortgage providers, I believe, insist on an independent guarantee such as NHBC or Zurich, to cover defects in case of failure by the builder or developer.
 
Claim put into NHBC as the builder of the house (small development) had gone AWOL

Presumably the minimum claim is a clause in the small print!
Not very good but maybe an excess like any insurance.

I hope you had it repaired without too much expense.
 
I also speak from a little experience with over 40 years in the building industry and 38 as a manager.
My point is until the problem has been inspected it may not be the plumbers fault, although it probably was. Other things can happen to disturb his work after he has finished. Nails go through pipes after testing and don't always come to light immediately for example.

The builder is responsible however as is the developer if different. If the builder fails to deal with it satisfactory then the NHBC will cover it if its a building defect.
I have no experience of how effective the NHBC are if a claim is made however but have no reason to doubt their integrity. Fortunately I have always worked for contractors who rectify their own defects, whether directly or via the subcontractor involved.

Unfortunately non of this helps the threadstarter and I would advise him to formally register his complain with the Builder or Developer that he bought the house from.
Exactly my point in post 11
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom