When you book a snagging survey for a new build flat in England, send the inspector the flat number and a floor plan. If there is a balcony, parking space or store, identify it on the plan and ask whether it can be included. Also ask the developer who handles defects in communal areas. Doing this before the visit avoids confusion when a fault affects your flat but sits outside it.
Start With the Flat and Any Private Spaces
Work through the accessible areas room by room. In a flat, pay particular attention to features that can be missed when the building is busy or the visit is short:
- Entrance and locks. Confirm that the keys and fobs provided operate the doors they are meant to. Record if the flat entrance door rubs, fails to latch during normal use or has visible damage. Ask the developer to investigate concerns about the door's fire performance.
- Kitchen and bathroom. With water available and permission to operate fittings, look for leaks, slow drainage and poorly finished seals. Note which services could not be used on the day.
- Windows and balcony doors. Check accessible handles, locks and seals. If you can safely access a private balcony, record visible ponding, damage at the threshold or movement in a fitting. Keep clear of any area with loose guarding or unsafe access.
- Ventilation and heating. Ask for a demonstration of the heating and ventilation controls. Have the relevant commissioning records available if you have received them. A snagging visit can flag visible concerns or basic functional issues. Specialist tests are separate.
If you have a specified parking bay or store, photograph its number and location. Compare it with the plan or sales documents. Ask the managing agent or developer to confirm where an issue should be recorded.
Keep Communal Issues on a Separate List
The lift, shared corridors, communal plant and the outside of the block may be beyond the survey's agreed scope. You can still report a problem you encounter. Give the exact floor, door or location, say how it affects you, and ask for the relevant maintenance or defects reference. For examples of how to describe and locate an observation, see Ashbridge's sample snagging report.
Example: The flat's balcony door locks only if you lift the handle and push the leaf hard into the frame. The second-floor communal door also fails to latch. Record the balcony door against your flat and report the corridor door separately to the developer or building manager. This gives each team a specific issue to investigate and avoids assuming the same contractor deals with both.
Choose the Visit Around Access
For a qualifying private sale under the New Homes Quality Code, check your developer's entry in the New Homes Quality Board register and the date you reserved. Version 2 applies to eligible homes reserved from 2 March 2026. It provides for a pre-completion inspection using the official template. The NHQB publishes a separate apartment checklist. Confirm dates, access arrangements and the applicable version before booking.
Once you have the keys, an independent snagging survey can check the accessible areas covered by the agreed scope. Ask whether any areas of the flat or building will be unavailable and who will arrange access. If you would like a price, give Ashbridge the flat number, bedroom count and any balcony or parking details when you request a snagging survey.