Not upheld: Home insurance claim disputes complaint against National House-Building Council (NHBC)

Decision detail

Summary

Mr P complained about NHBC's handling of his building warranty claim, which involved delays in progressing repairs after a developer failed to meet a July 2025 deadline. NHBC visited the property in September 2025 but did not issue a further report until November 2025, and provided its final response in December 2025 with £150 compensation. The ombudsman found that while NHBC could have been more proactive after September 2025, the earlier delays were not wholly unreasonable given the developer's indications that work was ongoing. The ombudsman also determined that complaint handling delays fall outside its jurisdiction. The ombudsman upheld NHBC's £150 compensation as fair and did not uphold the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that while NHBC could have been more prompt, the delays were not wholly unreasonable or avoidable given the developer's indications that work was ongoing. The ombudsman noted that taking over the claim earlier could have caused more delays. However, NHBC should have been more proactive after September 2025. The ombudsman determined that complaint handling delays fall outside FOS jurisdiction as complaint handling is not a regulated activity under FSMA 2000. The £150 compensation was considered fair for the inconvenience caused over the prolonged period from July to December 2025.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website