House warranty on leaking roof.

[Danny7496]

The house that my girlfriend owns is only about 7 years old, she has lived there for about 18 months, the other day we noticed that during heavy rain, water is leaking into one of the spare bedrooms through the roof. We got an independent builder round and he said that the "lead soakers" haven't been put under the lead flashing on the roof and that this is why water is getting in. I have contacted the company who built the house but they wont return my calls, I think they are a bunch of cowboys as they haven't even surfaced the road, and we only got the street lights working this past winter. Should the house have some kind of manufacturers warranty on it? Are they obliged to sort this problem out?

[jake-the-peg]

Have a look at this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/asktheexperts/housing/hous 09.shtml

[Danny7496]

Jake-The-Peg   Thanks for posting this URL

[Oneeyedtic]

Your girlfriend may have a Claim against one or more of the following  (1) the surveyor who acted for her, if there is one (2) the previous owner(s) if the leak was or should have been known to them or (3) the builders particularly if there is an NHBC or Zurich guarantee in existence. To pursue this your girlfriend will need to employ a Chartered Building Surveyor who specialises in Failures in Residential Buildings (not a builder) to examine and report upon the problem and the necessary remedial works. The Claim should then be submitted to the appropriate party(s) through a solicitor.

[Danny7496]

Oneeyedtic - Thanks for the advice, there is a NHBC guarantee in place on the house, after digging out some paper work we found that the house was built in 2002, so it's not as old as I first thought. The first occupants obviously didnt stay long. I'm going to visit the builders in person, if I dont get anywere with them we will be contacting the solicitors.