How long do developers have to fix snags?
30 days from your report to settle most snags, under the New Homes Quality Code.
In most cases, 30 days from when you report it. The New Homes Quality Code says the builder must acknowledge a snag as soon as possible and, in most situations, settle it within 30 days. If there is a significant reason for a delay, it must explain the reason and update you at least once a month until the snag is settled.
The older version of the Code, which covers homes reserved before 2 March 2026, says the same but uses "should" instead of "must". The Consumer Code for Home Builders, which covers many builders outside the Quality Code, also expects most issues to be settled within 30 days, and snags fixed within a timescale agreed with you.
The warranty sets a looser test. NHBC's Buildmark says the builder must put defects right "within a reasonable time". So the 30 days is the number to hold the builder to, and it comes from the Code, not the warranty.
Do builders have to fix snags?
Yes, if the snag falls short of the warranty standards and you report it within the first two years. The builder must fix it at its own cost. The Quality Code also requires an after-sales service for at least two years from completion.
A snag you reported in time stays the builder's responsibility after the two years end, as long as the concern was justified. So a long-running list doesn't run out, as long as each item was reported inside the window and you can show it.
Some things aren't snags. The NHQB lists consumables such as light bulbs, small shrinkage cracks, wear and tear, and marks you can only see in certain light.
Why does snagging take so long?
Because the 30-day rule is often missed. The New Homes Ombudsman's latest report says delays run through almost every kind of complaint it sees, including delays to snagging and to agreed repairs. It also says the snags themselves rarely cause the complaint. What drives it is the builder's slow or poor response.
Snags are also common. In the industry's own 2026 survey, 93% of buyers said they had reported problems to their builder since moving in. The NHQB points out that a new home is built by a large number of different tradespeople.
What if the trades don't turn up?
Write it down the same day: the date, the time slot you were given, and that nobody came. Then tell the builder in writing and ask for a new date. Under the Quality Code, the builder has to keep you updated at least monthly on any snag it can't settle within 30 days. A missed visit is a reason to ask for that update in writing.
If visits keep being missed, use the formal complaints procedure rather than another phone call. The Ombudsman often treats poor complaint handling that has really affected you as a harm in its own right, and has awarded compensation for it separately from the snag itself.
A trick we used we asked for each appointment by email, even when it was arranged by phone. That way every booked visit had a date in writing.
What if the builder says it isn't a snag?
Ask for the reason in writing. If you make a formal complaint and the builder doesn't accept it, the Quality Code says its response must explain why. The test is the warranty provider's standard, not the builder's opinion. If you still disagree after the complaints procedure, NHBC's resolution service decides whether the builder met NHBC's standards, and what it must do. Other providers have their own process.
How to keep a snagging log
The NHQB advises keeping a record of every contact with the builder, with dates, times and a summary of each conversation, in case you need to escalate. NHBC asks for the same: what you said, who you told and when.
A simple table is enough. One row per snag, with:
- the date you reported it, and how;
- the builder's reference, if it gives one;
- each visit booked, and whether anyone came;
- what was done, and whether it fixed the problem;
- the date it was signed off.
Keep the photos in a folder named the same way. If the snag reaches the Ombudsman, it won't visit your home, so this log and the photos are your evidence.
When should I make a formal complaint?
When a snag is still open 30 days after you reported it, you can ask for it to go through the builder's formal complaints procedure. Snags you report aren't treated as complaints until you ask.
From there the builder has set deadlines, and after 56 days you can go to the New Homes Ombudsman. The two-year warranty page sets out each step. You have two years from reservation or completion, whichever is later, to complain.