A crack appears in the wall of a five-year-old new build. It runs along a load-bearing section, and no snagging inspection could have picked it up when the property was handed over. The fault was there from the start, hidden inside the structure, and it has only just become visible.
This is a latent defect. It is different from the scuffed paintwork or sticking door that gets flagged during a final walkthrough. Latent defects stay hidden until long after completion, sometimes for years, and when they surface the repair bill can be substantial. Continue reading “Latent Defects Insurance Explained: What It Covers and Who Pays”
