How to check a new-build developer
Check the company behind the contract, the warranty provider, completed schemes and the written snagging process. The development brand alone is not enough.
Warranty cover
Government buyer guidance says most new homes have 10 years of cover for major structural problems and 2 years for general defects. Read the exclusions and start date for the specific policy.
- General defects years
- 2
- Major structural years
- 10
How this was counted
Postcode district. typical new-build warranty pattern described in the government buyer guide.
The 15-year provision
The CMA's 2024 final report said the statutory 15-year minimum-warranty provisions were not yet fully in force. Do not treat the proposed period as existing cover.
- Fully in force at report
- No
- Proposed minimum years
- 15
- Report year
- 2,024
How this was counted
Postcode district. CMA status report on Building Safety Act warranty provisions.
Developer record
Match the seller's legal company name to Companies House. Review completed developments for recurring defects, delayed handover, service-charge changes and aftercare response, then preserve every promise in writing.
England and Wales
- General defects years
- 2
- Major structural years
- 10
How this was counted
Postcode district. typical new-build warranty pattern described in the government buyer guide.
Great Britain
- Fully in force at report
- No
- Proposed minimum years
- 15
- Report year
- 2,024
How this was counted
Postcode district. CMA status report on Building Safety Act warranty provisions.
Sources and method
- GOV.UK How to buy a home. guidance verified 2026-08-03. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
- Competition and Markets Authority housebuilding market study. final report 2024. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
For an address-specific desk check, Property Diligence’s paid report adds the more detailed property-level information available from public sources.