New build homes
We hope you love living in your new build home. There is some extra information to keep in mind when living in a home that was built within the last 12 months.
When you moved into your new build home, we gave you a Home User Guide which contains lots of useful information about your home as well as information about your appliances. You are responsible for registering your appliances for any warranties.
Defects in new build homes
Defects are faults that happen within new buildings within the first few months following construction. They are generally due to material failures, workmanship issues or other issues such as missing parts.
New build properties have a one year defect period. This starts from the date the property is handed over to CKH, not the date you move in. We told you the end date for your defect period when you moved in. Your handover pack will tell you all you need to know about defects and when your defect period ends.
In broad terms, any damage which occurs that is not a direct result of an error during the build or manufacture process, is not a defect. We will let you know at the time if you try to report something which is not considered a defect.
We don’t deal with defects ourselves, we pass all the information over to the developer, and it’s the developer who would visit your home to resolve to these, if applicable.
The developer is obliged to correct faults which are identified as defects.
A defect is a fault which is related to:
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Poor design (not fit for purpose)
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Poor workmanship
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Faulty manufacture/ materials
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A component or part is missing, for example an area of floor covering or tiling.
It is not a defect if:
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It has been caused by wear and tear
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You have caused the damage
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It's a lack of understanding on how to operate items in the house, for example a boiler.
An example of a defect
A toilet which is continually flushing can be reported as a defect.
A blocked toilet which has been clogged by household waste is not considered a defect. You should clear the blockage and ensure the household is not flushing nappies, wipes, or other waste.
Report a defect
CKH report defects to the developer on your behalf. When you report a defect please provide a detailed description and a photo of the problem. We need a photo of the problem to help us assess the next steps.
In an emergency, call us on 01733 385030.
Emergency defects, such as a serious leak or loss of heating, will be dealt with within 24 hours. Minor defects, such as faults with flooring or large shrinkage cracks (which are thicker than a £1 coin) will not be dealt with until your End of Defect inspection has taken place.
End of defects
We will visit your home to complete an 'End of Defect' inspection when the defect period on your home is due to expire. Your End of Defect date should be in the information we gave you when you moved in and we will contact your when the appointment is due. You will need to arrange for someone to be at home to let us in so we can check for any outstanding defects, it is also your chance to talk to us about any defects you have noticed. If you do not allow us into your home to complete an end of defect inspection, you will be responsible for dealing with any unresolved defects.
Condensation, damp and mould in new builds
No one should live with damp and mould in their home, CKH is here to help if you spot any signs of a problem in your home.
Sometimes new homes provide the conditions that encourage mould to grow. Condensation occurs when warm, moist air contacts a cold surface. During the initial drying out period of a building it is likely that the air inside your home will be more moist than usual which can lead to increased condensation. Good ventilation is essential throughout your home. Although the building is insulated, condensation is likely to occur on windows, on walls in unheated rooms, and on external walls under severe weather conditions.
To reduce condensation, it is important to:
- Maintain a warm, but not overly hot, temperature
- Keep all rooms well ventilated, especially whenever steam is created, such as during cooking, bathing, washing and drying clothes
- Never use paraffin or ‘Calor’ gas heaters as these create moisture
- Regularly mop up condensation from windowsills to prevent damage to plaster
- Use the trickle vents in the sash of your windows
- Use the extractor grills in kitchens and bathrooms, there are operated either by a pull cord or a switch.