Inspection reportedly finds 150 defects in couple’s new-build home

Charles and Georgina Barnes had an independent inspection of their new-build home days after receiving the keys, and inspectors listed 150 defects, BBC Wales reported on 26 September. The reported findings included incorrectly installed fire barriers, making the couple’s experience a case study in what buyers can discover after moving in and how repairs are handled.

The couple bought the property in south Leicestershire in February 2026 for £299,995, according to the BBC. They had saved for three years to buy their first home. Georgina Barnes told the broadcaster that arranging a snagging inspection was ‘non-negotiable’ for her.

What the inspection reportedly found

The BBC’s account of the inspection described signs of a previous leak, roofing defects, low water pressure and problems with the installation of the gas meter cabinet and gas pipe. Inspectors also recorded more than a dozen cosmetic and finishing defects. The original inspection report was not available for independent review, so the count and descriptions are attributed to the BBC’s reporting.

Barnes raised a specific concern about the reported fire-barrier finding. ‘If there had been a fire, that's one thing that could have happened and been very detrimental,’ she told the BBC. Her comment describes a feared outcome; the available account does not establish what would have happened in a fire.

The developer’s response

Vistry, which the BBC identified as responsible for Countryside, the developer of the home, said it supported ‘appropriately conducted independent inspections as an additional source of reassurance about build quality’. It said its teams check each home and that independent inspections also take place.

Vistry also told the BBC that its build team meets customers two to three weeks after they move in to discuss and agree snagging work. The company’s description sets out its general process; the BBC account does not establish when each reported defect in the Barnes home arose or how each was classified under building regulations.

What wider evidence shows

In written evidence to a parliamentary committee, the New Homes Ombudsman Service said most issues it sees are relatively superficial snagging items that can be straightforward to fix. It also said it receives a steady number of complaints involving major defects, safety issues such as faulty fire-safety equipment, and damp or mould. Its caseload does not measure how common serious defects are across all new homes.

The service cited a Home Builders Federation customer survey published in March 2025: 93.7% of new-build purchasers reported defects or snags to their developer after moving in, while more than 26% reported over 15 problems. Those figures describe buyers’ reports of problems, not independent findings that the problems were equally serious or remained unresolved.

The Barnes inspection reportedly found far more items than the survey’s threshold of 15. That difference does not show whether their home was typical. The reported items range from finishing defects to concerns about fire barriers, and the available evidence does not establish how many of the 150 were safety defects.

Repairs and redress

The Barnes couple’s reported outcome shows one route: raising the inspection findings with the developer during a two-year warranty period. In the BBC account, the National House Building Council said builders are responsible for meeting building regulations and that homeowners should raise issues with the house builder within two years. It said homeowners can seek resolution through NHBC if problems are not fixed.

Another route depends on the developer. In its parliamentary evidence, the New Homes Ombudsman Service said it could investigate complaints involving developers that had voluntarily joined the New Homes Quality Code and its scheme. It said it could not investigate or provide redress for customers whose developers were outside that remit when the evidence was submitted. Eligibility in an individual case depends on the applicable registration and scheme terms.

An inspection may give buyers a record of items to raise with a builder, but its cost is another consideration. John Cooper, co-founder of the company that inspected the Barnes home, told the BBC that inspections generally take two to four hours and cost £349 to £499. Those are his figures, not a universal fee schedule.