Answers · UK 2025/26

What is a snagging list and why do I need one for a new build home?

A snagging list is a written record of defects and unfinished work in a newly built home -- from minor cosmetic issues like paint marks to more serious problems like poorly fitted windows or plumbing faults. Buyers typically arrange a professional snagging inspection shortly after completion, giving the developer a fixed list to remedy under the new build warranty.

Last updated: 2 July 2026Last reviewed: 2 July 2026How we verify

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New build homes, despite being brand new, are notorious for a high rate of minor and sometimes significant defects, since they are constructed to tight deadlines and can involve dozens of different trades whose work is not always perfectly coordinated or finished to a consistently high standard. **What a snagging list typically covers** Common snags range from cosmetic issues (paint splashes, scuffed skirting boards, gaps in sealant, uneven tiling) to more functional problems (doors and windows that do not close properly, poorly fitted kitchen units, plumbing leaks, electrical sockets not working, inadequate insulation, or damp patches) -- a thorough inspection can turn up anywhere from a handful to over a hundred individual snags on a single property. **Professional snagging surveys** Many new build buyers hire an independent snagging surveyor (separate from the developer and any warranty provider) to conduct a detailed inspection, typically costing a few hundred pounds, and producing a comprehensive photographed report the buyer can hand to the developer -- this is generally considered worthwhile given how much a defect-free professional report can save in follow-up disputes and remedial costs. **Timing: before or after completion?** Ideally, snagging happens before legal completion, when the buyer still has leverage (the developer wants to complete the sale), though in practice many new build purchases involve tight completion timelines that do not allow for a full inspection beforehand -- in these cases, buyers rely on the statutory "defects period" (commonly the first two years) under the structural warranty, during which the developer remains obligated to fix reported defects. **The defects period under NHBC-style warranties** Most new build structural warranties (NHBC Buildmark and similar schemes from other providers) include an initial two-year defects insurance period, during which the developer/builder is responsible for fixing defects reported by the buyer, followed by a longer structural insurance period (commonly extending to ten years total) covering major structural issues only, not cosmetic snags. **How to submit a snagging list** Send the list to the developer's customer care team in writing (keeping a copy), ideally with photographs and clear descriptions of each issue and its location, and keep a record of when issues are reported and resolved -- this creates a paper trail that becomes important if disputes escalate to the warranty provider or, eventually, to the New Homes Ombudsman Service. **Escalating unresolved snags** If a developer is slow or unresponsive in fixing reported snags, buyers can escalate through the relevant warranty provider's dispute process, and since 2022 many new build purchasers also have access to the New Homes Quality Board's New Homes Ombudsman Service for complaints about builder conduct. **Practical tip** Do a thorough final inspection (ideally professional) as close to completion as possible, and keep chasing unresolved items formally in writing throughout the two-year defects period -- developers are far more responsive to documented, dated, photographed snagging lists than to informal verbal complaints.