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Original poster

Buying a nearly new home

26 replies

rattlesnake · 02/08/2017 00:02

I'm considering buying a nearly newbuild (1 year old) . Owners moving as they want a bigger place. I was wondering...if they are obliged to tell me if they have had any repairs or serious snagging issues put right under the warranty?I have asked estate agent, whom I've met twice now, and she just says "I wouldn't know" and "if they have, it's obviously been put right"!! Am I correct in thinking that, if I ask, they should tell me about any repairs they have had done under the buildings 10 year warranty ?

OP posts:
Sararob28 · 02/08/2017 00:16

Anything like that would come up in your survey but I suppose it's a matter of trust before you get to that point x

SouthWindsWesterly · 02/08/2017 00:25

I've just bought a 9mth old house. We did the full survey which i am actually glad about as the glass banisters were not to code gap wise so the seller has had to pay to rectify it as they actually specified that look.

It might seem weird but go for a full survey, ask the estate agent about any alterations since build completion and make your offer conditional on certain criteria

manglethedangle · 02/08/2017 03:04

Get your solicitor to ask as part of the contract. That way its legally binding. So far they so no and something goes wrong later and you find out they knew about it you could sue for the cost of the repair. I doubt things like that would come up in the survey and it wouldn't be legally binding if it did.

PomBearWithAnOFRS · 02/08/2017 03:44

I would be wondering why the owners want to move after one year - surely they knew how much space they needed when they bought it? Even an unexpected pregnancy (unless it was triplets!) wouldn't mean they had to move so soon...
I'd be looking for other reasons - troublesome neighbours/parking disputes/noise etc.
It just seems a bit "odd" that they would be selling up so soon...

SuperBeagle · 02/08/2017 03:55

I was wondering...if they are obliged to tell me if they have had any repairs or serious snagging issues put right under the warranty?

They aren't obliged.

You should get a building inspection/report done. They're pricy, but worth it because they'll pick up every issue - major and minor - with the place, and you can decide whether to proceed from there.

I would be very cautious of buying a house which has only been occupied for one year by the first owners. They're not obliged to tell you anything about issues they've discovered, or which they were notified about if they got a building inspection done. But you should exercise your own due diligence and, if you really love the place, fork out for a report.

A lot of problems with new builds aren't visible on the surface. My mum is facing this at the moment. The timbers used for the balcony are not up to code, and will rot within 5 years if not rectified; insulation in the ceiling is uneven/wrong/missing, retaining walls are not up to code etc. Things like that, which most people wouldn't even think to notice but which will be picked up in an inspection.

Bobbiepin · 02/08/2017 04:14

@pombear space is a really good reason to move, even if its not the whole truth. A lot of new builds are bought off plan and under "affordable housing" and make a good chunk of money when sold on.

When DH and I were in that position we were honest about being able to move up but the property type we had was very much sought after so we had a lot of flexibility.

Fatguy · 02/08/2017 04:16

Pombear

Its a new build so is probably tiny. They may of bought it "off plan" and not realized how small it is. They sell houses by numbers of bedrooms not square metres in this country. I live in a fairly new 2 bedroom abode, the place is ridiculously small but it still has a down stairs toilet and a on suite shower. May look nice in the propaganda leaflet but I would rather have a larger lounge and a bigger bedroom with a shower over the bath.

SouthWindsWesterly · 02/08/2017 04:16

PomBears - I wondered the same especially as they paid to have the house built a certain way. We got chatting to them and they're moving due to a job promotion at the other end of the country. As DH says, you have to go where the work is

GnomeDePlume · 02/08/2017 05:31

I wouldnt be suspicious of someone moving on after a year. A lot of people choose new build because the house is available quickly without an unpredictable chain (that was why I bought my house).

Get a survey done. Are there any houses of the same design available new that you could go and look at? Any faults in design or finish tend to get repeated. As an example all three identical houses on my road had to have their boilers replaced within 10 years. All three had to have the same bit of pointing repaired.

Looked at objectively is it the best house on the plot or the worst or somewhere in between? I chose my house because all things considered it was the best house on the plot. Over time the difference can get magnified once the new gloss wears off.

aaaaargghhhhelpme · 02/08/2017 06:02

Very topical - but I would specifically check if it's leasehold or freehold.

And if it's leasehold what the terms of it are. Many many people are trapped in new build houses with leaseholds that make them impossible to sell as the terms are something ridiculous like the ground rent double every year so it would soon be thousands a year.

I would get the full survey done too.

Alicetherabbit · 02/08/2017 07:20

We looked at several houses on an estate which was still being built, reason for selling was divorce, nothing to do with the houses.

Tinnie88 · 02/08/2017 07:37

We have just moved from a four year old house which we purchased as a new build. On the solicitors forms one of the questions was had we made any claims under the NHBC warranty. The warranty also gets transferred to the new owner so you have cover.

I'm not sure why it would be an issue if they had had any issues rectified? We had a few snags in the first 18months or so. All minor stuff and part of a new House 'settling'. E.g small surface cracks as the house dried out, a door that was sticking. All covered on the house builders guarantee then the warranty after the first two years so not an issue to us?

At least you have the cover, an old house could have a multitude of sins not picked up on a survey which you'd have no warranty against!

TipTopTipTopClop · 02/08/2017 07:41

We looked at several houses on an estate which was still being built, reason for selling was divorce, nothing to do with the houses.

Someone selling on a duff house would do very well to tell the EA they were moving because of divorce, wouldn't they?

We're putting our house on the market because of its proximity to several sink estates, that will not be the reason the EA tells prospective buyers we're selling (naturally).

Neutrogena · 02/08/2017 07:45

Don't buy a new home or nearly new. Never.
The developer puts in the cheapest materials and appliances to maximise revenue. So you're buying a cheaply made house.
Buy a 'used' house and the owners won't be as likely to always go for the cheapest materials/appliances.

GnomeDePlume · 02/08/2017 08:18

Neutrogena I would disagree with that. A newer build house will have modern plumbing, wiring etc and will be less likely to have had successive dodgy DIY jobs done on it.

DH used to be an electrician and always found newer houses were generally wired up to the latest standard (at the time of the build) with fewer 'extras'.

You do find with newer houses that kitchens and bathrooms tend to be adequate rather than luxury.

Just dont pay a premium for it being 'nearly new'.

Witsender · 02/08/2017 08:20

They're not obliged to at all, as the problems have been fixed. Any current problems should come up in a survey

TipTopTipTopClop · 02/08/2017 08:21

Neutrogena I would disagree with that. A newer build house will have modern plumbing, wiring etc and will be less likely to have had successive dodgy DIY jobs done on it.

Of course, an old house that's been recently renovated would necessarily have a completion/inspection certificate?

BlondeB83 · 02/08/2017 08:24

I generally really dislike new builds, they're overpriced with small rooms and tend to be about 2 feet from the next, almost identical one next door.

If you want to know everything that's been done, get the full survey.

AnUtterIdiot · 02/08/2017 08:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Amd724 · 02/08/2017 08:24

Gnome, thats not entirely true. Friends of mine bought a new build. They've been dealing with shoddy and dodgy plumbing and drainage since they moved in. At one point they couldn't use two of their bathrooms, and one of the bathrooms got so backed up, it was flooded the downstairs. When a plumber came, they were told it was such bad work done that he couldn't do anything to help. The original plumbing was done backwards to how the house was supposed to be, and there was tonnes of debris from the working site in the drainage system. They've had to have people come out four or five times to pump out the system so they can use their toilets again. Its a mess, and they've only been there a little over a month!

I'm with Neutrogena, given all of the news about new builds and how they usually use cheaper materials to keep the cost down, as well as they're smaller than normal houses, I'd steer clear. Especially if it turned out to be a leasehold! You pay a significant premium for a new build, and usually a few years after trying to sell it, its gone down in value. My mortgage company, Nationwide, sometimes refuses to do a mortgage on a new build, especially if they can tell that its overpriced for that area.

AnUtterIdiot · 02/08/2017 08:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
rattlesnake · 02/08/2017 08:27

I think I'll ask the solicitor to ask this...and get a survey. Apparently the owner is moving to the house next door! This is a 3 bed and she needs a four! It has a much bigger garden too. Its a bit strange I know. :/

OP posts:
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 02/08/2017 08:32

If the owner is moving next door then I don't think you have anything to worry about. If she hated the workmanship on the house or the neighbourhood, she would not be moving next door! She must love it there.

PiratePanda · 02/08/2017 08:38

I think they may have to tell you. We bought a 10-year-old house two years ago. Our vendors told us about work to the roof they'd had to have done under their NHBC guarantee, and our solicitor was absolute shite, so I doubt very much she asked.

But yes, get your solicitor to ask explicitly whether they had to get anything rectified, or whether there is anything that still needs rectifying.

And if it is a leasehold house (and WTF would anyone buy one of those), check and double check the fine print to make sure it doesn't have doubling ground rent or maintenance charges that will make it valueless and impossible to sell on.

inkydinky · 02/08/2017 08:45

What PPs have said re the lease - check and double check that as some are terrible. I've been in my new build 2 years and i would tell you about any snagging issues if you asked. As yours is only a year old you should still have the builders warranty in place for another year and all appliances etc should be covered (if integrated) check that that's the case. You might also want to ask for experiences of the builder. Mine has fixed every issue and done it quickly. Not all do.