Upheld: defective repair work and poor communication regarding building warranty claim complaint against National House-Building Council (NHBC)

Decision detail

Summary

Mr and Mrs P complained to the FOS about NHBC's handling of repairs to an unlevel, bouncing bedroom floor. NHBC's surveyor recommended a specific repair method in June 2022, but the contractor completed a different method instead. The discrepancy was only discovered in February 2025 when ceiling work revealed the original recommendations had not been followed. Although the underlying defect was resolved and the floor remained structurally sound, Mr and Mrs P were upset by NHBC's poor communication and false assurances that recommended work had been completed. The ombudsman upheld the complaint, ordering NHBC to reimburse £495 for an independent surveyor's report and pay £500 compensation for upset, but declined to require the work be redone as this would be disproportionate given the defect was resolved.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that NHBC failed to ensure recommended repairs were carried out and provided poor communication when the discrepancy was discovered. However, since the underlying defect (unlevelled, bouncing floor) was successfully resolved and the floor has remained structurally sound for nearly four years, requiring NHBC to redo the work would not be proportionate or fair. The appropriate remedy is compensation for the upset and confusion caused, plus reimbursement of the surveyor's fees that Mr and Mrs P incurred as a direct result of NHBC's failures.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website