How To Deal With Serious Faults

So you've moved into your dream home and now the honeymoon period is over. Cracks are starting to appear and the wallpaper you lovingly put up is starting to curl due to damp. These kinds of disasters are a home owner's nightmare scenario, so what can you do about it?

By Kate Faulkner

Identify The Problem

The first thing to do is to identify what the problem is and what needs to be done to ensure you fix it for good. The best way to do this is to ring around a few reputable/recommended companies and tradesmen, ask them to come to your home to identify the problem and then give you a quote to get it fixed.

Once you know what the problem is, there are then three possible options to fund the fixing.

Check Your Independent Survey

If you had an independent survey carried out on your property, check whether the surveyor highlighted the problem and suggested you investigated it further. If they did and you didn't investigate further, then it is likely it's your responsibility to get it fixed, but check with them first and speak to your insurance company (see page two).

If they don't mention the problem, give them a call and ask them if they can explain either why it wasn't included or what they can do to help you fix the problem. They should take your complaint seriously and it's worth having a verbal conversation first, then putting your thoughts in writing. All Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) members need to consider your complaint via a senior member of the firm (or a complaints handler) and then refer to an independent redress scheme such as The Surveyors Ombudsman.

Complaints will be considered by a senior member of the firm or a designated complaints handler. If the complaint cannot be resolved, it will be referred to an independent redress scheme such as an ombudsman. There are a number of redress schemes and the firm must give details of the redress scheme to which it refers complaints so that you know where to take your complaint.

Finally, if you are not satisfied with the answer, then you may be able to complain to RICS.