New Home Warranties

A building warranty is essentially a form of insurance policy paid for by the builder that is aimed at protecting the homeowner for a period of ten years against latent defects with their homes.

The builder covers the costs of the first two years and provides cover for every defect within the home during that time. In the remaining eight years the insurance company covers only structural defects. It is therefore essential to report any defects found in the first two years in writing.

NHBC Buildmark Warranty

The National House Building Council's (NHBC) Buildmark 10-year warranty covers around 85% of new and newly converted homes in the UK. Builders must abide by a strict set of rules and build to the standards that the NHBC lay down. The NHBC inspectors visit new homes at key stages of construction.

Zurich Warranty

Zurich Municipal is currently the only alternative to the NHBC for the private sector. Their service is comparable to that of the NHBC in that they provide a 10 year warranty and produce a set of standards by which the developer has to abide.