Structural Warranty: Everything you need to know

Defects Insurance Period

Normally the first two years of a policy, the defects insurance period is the time in which the developer is responsible for rectifying any defects (which are deemed to be a failure to comply with the provider’s standards). Remember to report any defects you notice to your developer as quickly as you can after noticing them and keep copies of any correspondence sent as good practice.

Structural Insurance Period

Generally the 8 years after the Defects Insurance Period in which your structural warranty provider will be responsible for dealing directly with valid claims. During this period you should report any defects directly to your provider. Providing the defect is valid, the provider should then organise any necessary repair work, or pay for such repairs.

 

What is covered by your structural warranty?

With different sections of cover and types of insurance it can sometimes be tricky to work out just where and with whom you should be attempting to claim for any issue you may have. Below you will find a breakdown of some of the potential issues and some suggestions on who could be responsible. The below is only intended as a guide and whether any issue is covered by a particular insurance will depend upon the policy cover and the specific circumstances.

 

Who to refer to

Developer Warranty Period (DWP) – During the first year (Social Housing) or two years of your warranty, defects will likely be covered by the DWP. This means the developer will generally repair the defects for you.

Structural Insurance Period (SIP) – During the later years of the warranty (After the first two) your warranty provider should repair defects for you.

Household Insurance (HI) – Sometimes damage is nothing to do with the structure of the building or the developer. Weather damage for example, or accidental damage is likely to be covered by your household insurance.

General Maintenance (GM) – Minor blemishes or chips are generally a pretty normal sign of wear and tear and are unlikely to be covered by any insurance. They are generally easy to take care of with maintenance though.

 

For details of what is covered by any insurance you should refer to your policy and certificate of insurance

If, having read the above you believe you may have an issue that should be considered by LABC Warranty then you can find information on making a claim here.

 

Structural Warranty. What is it? When do you need it? What does it cover?

A structural warranty is, in its simplest terms insurance for the structure of your new home that lasts around ten years, depending on policy and provider. A home will only hold a structural warranty if, during its construction, it is regularly inspected by surveyors and meets the technical standards of the structural warranty provider.

Generally, a structural warranty is split into two periods of time. Those are:

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Please Note: Every care was taken to ensure the information in this article was correct at the time of publication. Any written guidance provided does not replace the reader’s professional judgement and any construction project should comply with the relevant Building Regulations or applicable technical standards. However, for the most up to date LABC Warranty technical guidance please refer to your Risk Management Surveyor and the latest version of the LABC Warranty Technical Manual.

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