Buildmark policy

: If you are buying a newly built home you may need cover such as Buildmark in order to secure a mortgage and release funds.
If you are buying a newly converted property your lender may not require you to have such cover, however, buying a property with Buildmark cover will give you some protection if problems arise in the future. Please note that sometimes on conversion properties we add exclusions to the cover, these will be printed on your insurance certificate.
: You should have received your Buildmark policy documents from your solicitor or conveyancer upon legal completion.
If you have not yet received your policy documents, please email ccsupport@nhbc.co.uk, quoting your name, address, postcode and NHBC Buildmark policy number if available.
If your policy has not been previously activated by your Solicitor, you will need to send in an official copy of your Land registry document, or your signed and dated TP1.
Alternatively, please call 0344 633 1000, press 0 and say 'Duplicate Documents'.
: Please visit this page Your Buildmark Cover for information about the warranty and insurance cover provided by Buildmark.
: Yes. Typically, for a new build property, the total amount we will pay for all claims after legal completion is the original purchase price up to £1,000,000. Please refer to your policy document for more information.
Note: The insured value may have been increased above these limits in special circumstances. Please refer to your Buildmark certificate and schedule, or contact our Customer Services team for further information.
The limits are increased on each anniversary of the completion date by 5% of the original limit. We then deduct amounts we have paid or have to pay for claims we have accepted (please check your Buildmark policy documents and booklet).
If you want to learn more about your financial limit, please contact our Claims team on 0800 035 6422.
: NHBC registered builders and developers apply and pay for Buildmark when they register their building plots with NHBC.
: Can't find your policy document?
If you know your policy number you can download a copy of your policy booklet here.
Please note: If you’re unable to find your policy prefix (e.g. AJ, AE, XA or other) on the page or you don’t know your policy number then please contact our Customer Services team to obtain your policy booklet.
If you are unable to find your policy booklet online, please email ccsupport@nhbc.co.uk quoting your name, address and postcode or call 0344 633 1000, press 0 and say 'Customer Services'.
: If you are the first owner of the home, Buildmark gives you protection from exchange of contracts, until the end of the policy, which is typically 10 years from the start date shown on the insurance certificate.
If you sell the home, the remaining cover passes to the new owner.
This remaining cover means both the balance of the 10 years post-completion, and also any available financial limit. Any claims made may have reduced, either partially or wholly, the financial limit available for future owners.
: If you are not sure if your property is covered by an NHBC warranty, please email us at cssupport@nhbc.co.uk, with your full name, address, postcode and a daytime telephone number, and we will let you know.
Alternatively, please call us on 0344 633 1000, press 0 and say 'Customer Services'.
: Please see Make a Buildmark claim to learn how we can assist you.
: If you’re buying a new-build home, the Buildmark policy must be accepted by the policyholder. Your conveyancer can accept the Buildmark policy on your behalf via our online NHBC Conveyancing Portal, so we can issue your Buildmark insurance certificate. Your conveyancer will be able to provide you with a copy.
: Your Buildmark policy doesn’t provide cover for any alterations or extensions to your home, or for any damage or problems caused by the work. To avoid problems, it’s important that any building work is carried out carefully by competent contractors who are fully insured.
: We are sorry if you are unhappy with any aspect of our service and are keen to put things right. Please see more about our complaints process here.
: Condensation and fine cracks in plaster aren’t usually building faults.
New-build homes can contain up to 5,000 litres of water in the concrete, mortar, screed and plaster. The home needs to dry-out and, as it’s lived in and heated, water evaporates causing timber and plaster to shrink. This can cause small cracks to appear.
You may also notice that you have condensation forming on cold surfaces such as windows. Modern homes are designed to minimise drafts and stop heat escaping but this can also stop water vapour escaping, leading to increased condensation. Our guides to condensation in your home and condensation in your roof space aim to help you understand and control condensation in your home.
For more information about cracking in your new home, please have a look at cracking in homes.
If you have these problems, contact the builder as they may be responsible under the builder's warranty period to carry out work if they have not complied with NHBC Technical Requirements.
: You will need to contact the Managing Agent in the first instance to check whether you or they are responsible, on behalf of the freeholder, to carry out any repairs. For example, it is usually the case that the common or ‘retained’ parts of a block of flats, such as the roof, external walls, main entrances, communal stairs and corridors are the Managing Agent’s responsibility to maintain and repair. Under the terms of your lease, you may be responsible for keeping the internal or ‘demised’ parts of your property in good condition, such as the internal decoration, sanitary ware, internal doors.
: If you meet the requirements for a valid section 1 claim, we will either repay your lost deposit or, instead, we may choose to repay the reasonable extra amount (over the amount in the contract with the builder) you have to pay for construction of the home to be finished. If we choose to repay your deposit, we will repay the amount you paid to the builder (under the contract you have with them) as part-payment for the home up to the financial limit. Please refer to your policy booklet and schedule for the financial limit, exclusions and full information on what is and is not covered.
: Only purchasers who intend to complete on the purchase of the home (either to live in or rent out) can make a claim. You cannot make a claim if the money you paid to the builder was intended to fund the construction of the home as a short-term investment and you expected to receive a return on your investment instead of completing the purchase of the home.

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