You have moved into your new home, reported your snags and waited patiently. Weeks later, the list is still largely untouched. Calls go unanswered, appointments are cancelled, or you are told that a problem you can clearly see is "within tolerance". It is a frustrating position to be in, and you are far from alone.
In September 2026, the New Homes Ombudsman Service published its annual report for 2025/26. As reported by Mortgage Solutions, it received 1,802 new complaints during the year, up from 593 the year before, with defects and snagging the most common issues. Tellingly, the report found that it was often not the defect itself that pushed buyers to complain, but slow responses and poor communication from the developer.
The good news is that new build buyers now have a clearer route to getting things put right than ever before. This guide explains what your developer is expected to do, how to escalate your complaint step by step, and where to turn if you still cannot get a resolution. Our New Build Snagging Survey: Your Complete 2026 Guide gives a short overview of getting snags fixed; this article goes into much more detail for buyers whose snags have stalled.
What your developer is expected to do
Most new homes in England are sold by developers who have signed up to a consumer code, and most new homes come with a warranty. Between them, these set out how your developer should deal with snags after you move in.
If your developer is registered with the New Homes Quality Board, they must follow the New Homes Quality Code. The second edition of the Code applies to homes reserved from 2 March 2026, and the first edition applies to homes reserved before that date. The Code says developers must provide an after-sales service for at least two years after completion and put right any snags or defects within agreed timescales. It also says that, in most situations, a developer should be able to settle an after-sales issue within 30 days unless there is a significant reason for a delay, and that if there is a delay they must explain why and update you at least once a month.
Importantly, the Code states that reporting a snag is not automatically treated as a complaint. However, if a developer has not put a snag right within 30 days of it being reported, you can ask for it to be dealt with under the developer's formal complaints process. That is the point at which your snag becomes a formal complaint with set timescales attached.
Step one: make sure your snags are properly reported
Before escalating, check that your snags have been reported in a way that cannot be ignored or misunderstood. Send them in writing through your developer's customer care or after-sales process, with a clear description of each item, where it is in the home and a photograph. Keep a dated copy of everything you send.
A professional snagging report is particularly useful here. It describes each defect clearly, records its location and includes photographs, so there is little room for confusion about what needs fixing. Where a developer disputes that something is a defect, an independent report from a qualified inspector carries far more weight than a homeowner's own list.
It also helps to keep a simple log for every snag, recording the date you reported it, any reference number, what the developer said, appointment dates and whether the repair was completed properly. If a repair fails or is only partly done, add that to your log and report it again. This record becomes your evidence if you need to escalate.
Step two: chase calmly and in writing
Developers' customer care teams are often busy, particularly on large sites. A polite written reminder, referring to your original report and asking for a date for the work, is often enough to get things moving. Keep phone calls to a minimum, or follow each call with a short email confirming what was agreed, so that nothing relies on memory.
Make sure you are giving the developer reasonable access to carry out the work. Missed appointments on either side slow everything down, and it is harder to argue that a developer has been unreasonable if access has been difficult. It is also sensible to check with your developer before arranging your own repairs to items on your snag list, as doing so may make it harder to get them put right, or reimbursed, later.
Step three: make a formal complaint
If your snags have still not been put right, or you are unhappy with how the developer proposes to deal with them, it is time to use the developer's formal complaints procedure. Your developer should have given you details of this when you bought the home, and it is usually on their website or in your handover pack. Say clearly that you are making a formal complaint, list the outstanding items with your evidence, and explain what you would like the developer to do.
Under the New Homes Quality Code, the developer must then follow a set timetable. They must send a written acknowledgement within five days of receiving your complaint, and a Path to Resolution Letter within 10 days setting out how they will handle it. Within 30 days they should send a Complaint Assessment and Response Letter explaining their assessment and proposed actions. If the complaint has not been closed after 56 days, they must send an Eight-Week Letter explaining what is still outstanding, why, and what they will do next, with updates at least every 28 days after that.
These timescales give you a clear way to measure whether your complaint is being handled properly. Note the dates of each letter, or the absence of one, in your log.
Step four: the New Homes Ombudsman Service
If your developer is registered with the New Homes Quality Board and your complaint remains unresolved, you may be able to take it to the New Homes Ombudsman Service. The Ombudsman is independent of the developer, its service is free for customers, and it can investigate whether the developer has met the requirements of the Code.
According to the Ombudsman's step-by-step guide for customers, you can bring your complaint once the developer has sent you a closure letter and you are still unhappy, or if the developer has not responded fully within 56 days (eight weeks) of you first raising your complaint. The Code confirms that a complaint which arose within the first two years after completion can be referred after 56 days of the complaint start date, and the New Homes Quality Board confirms that these are calendar days. You do not have to refer it within the two years, provided the complaint itself arose during that period, but the Code encourages buyers to refer complaints as soon as possible. When you apply, it helps to have your reservation agreement, your complaint and evidence, the developer's closure letter if you have one, and a clear idea of what you would like the developer to do to put things right. The Ombudsman applies its own scheme rules when deciding whether to look into a complaint, and some matters are excluded, such as issues that can be dealt with through the structural part of your warranty.
To check whether you are covered, search for your developer on the New Homes Quality Board's register of developers. You are protected if your developer has an "active" status and you reserved your home on or after the date their registration started. If your developer is not registered, or you reserved before they joined, the Code and the Ombudsman do not apply to your purchase.
If your developer is not registered with the New Homes Quality Board
Not every developer has signed up to the New Homes Quality Code. If yours has not, your home is likely to be covered by a different consumer code, and your developer should be able to tell you which one. Many homes are covered by the Consumer Code for Home Builders, which requires builders to have a complaints system and to explain it to you before you buy. If you have been through your builder's complaints process and are unhappy with the response, the Consumer Code advises contacting your home warranty provider first. They will either deal with the complaint under your warranty or, if it relates to a possible breach of the Code, give you the forms to apply to the Code's free Independent Dispute Resolution Scheme. Disputes can be taken to that scheme from 56 calendar days after you first raised your complaint with the builder, and no later than 12 months after the builder's final response, so keep an eye on that deadline. Check your sales paperwork or ask your developer which code applies, then follow that code's process.
Step five: your warranty provider
Most new homes come with a warranty from a provider such as NHBC, Premier Guarantee or LABC Warranty. In the first two years, sometimes called the builder warranty period, the developer is usually responsible for putting defects right, but the warranty provider may be able to step in if the developer does not.
NHBC, for example, offers a resolution service during the builder warranty period. Its guidance on the first two years explains that you need to have reported the problems to your builder within that period, given them reasonable time and access to carry out the work, and been through the builder's complaints process. If you are unhappy with the builder's final response, or have not had one within 30 days of making a formal complaint, you can ask NHBC to help. NHBC also provides template letters for reporting issues, making a formal complaint and chasing up a builder. Other warranty providers have their own processes, so check your policy documents for the exact steps and deadlines that apply to you.
After the first two years, most warranties move into a longer insurance period that mainly covers structural matters. Structural issues are outside the scope of snagging and a snagging inspection is not a structural survey, so if you have concerns about the structure of your home, speak to your warranty provider, who can advise on the right route and arrange for a suitably qualified professional where needed.
Keep an eye on the two-year deadline
The biggest mistake we see is buyers waiting too long. Your developer's responsibility for snags generally runs for two years from completion, and both the Code and most warranties are built around that period. Report everything you find as early as possible, and if the deadline is approaching, make sure every outstanding item has been reported in writing before it passes. If a complaint is dragging on, do not let it run past the two-year mark without taking the next step.
If you need independent advice at any point, organisations such as Citizens Advice can help, and for larger or more complex disputes you may want to speak to a solicitor.
How a snagging inspection helps when snags stall
Clear evidence is the foundation of every successful complaint. A professional snagging inspection gives you an independent, detailed record of the defects in your home, with photographs and descriptions that your developer, the Ombudsman or your warranty provider can easily understand. It also picks up issues you may not have noticed yourself, so they can be reported well within the two-year period. Our New Build Snagging Checklist inspections include thermal imaging to help reveal hidden problems such as missing insulation and air leakage, and where a defect is persistent or disputed, our intrusive surveys can investigate further and are quoted individually.
If your snags have stalled, or you want an independent record before you escalate, you can book a snagging inspection online, view our fees, or contact our team on 01788 486 076 or at info@ardentinspect.co.uk. We are always happy to talk through your situation and help you decide on the right next step.
