Can you get a retrospective warranty for a construction project?

A retrospective warranty is also sometimes called a completed house warranty, and is a type of insurance cover designed for completed properties that don’t already have structural defects insurance in place.

There could be several reasons for this to be the case, such as:

  • You bought a completed recently built, renovated or converted property with cash that doesn’t currently have latent defects insurance in place
  • You bought a property from a developer or construction firm that has become insolvent or gone into administration before they took out a building warranty on the project.

Why is a retrospective warranty needed?

If you’re planning to sell the property, a warranty will be needed before a mortgage firm will lend on the building, so that’s why a retrospective warranty might be needed if there is no existing warranty in place.

It gives the new homeowner financial protection if a structural defect comes to light within the first 10 years after the property build or renovation was completed.

It can also be transferred to any future homeowners if it falls within the cover period of 10 years from completion.

How do you get a retrospective warranty?

In order for a retrospective warranty to be issued, the completed property will need to undergo a full building condition survey to check if there are any existing issues that may not be covered (and thus are exempt from the cover) before the insurance starts.

Once this is complete, and any exemptions agreed, the provider can issue a retrospective warranty for the property, which will usually be for a period of 10 years from the construction completion date.

If you have a property that has recently undergone renovation work, the retrospective warranty can be applied for once the works are complete so that the property can go on to be sold if needed.

Our team can provide a quote for a retrospective warranty if you contact us for more information.

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Advantage Home Construction Insurance (AHCI) provides structural defects insurance – operating nationally with offices in Warrington, London and Birmingham – offering development-related insurances and a service designed to give customers peace of mind.

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