Snagging Surveys in London

London's new-build market is the most active in the UK by a wide margin, and the property mix here is fundamentally different to anywhere else we cover. Apartments dominate — one to three-bed flats in mid-rise and high-rise blocks — with townhouses, mews and the occasional duplex filling the gaps.

We focus on Greater London with particular attention to the major regeneration zones — Nine Elms, Greenwich Peninsula, Wembley Park, Stratford, the Royal Docks, Battersea and the Elizabeth Line corridor. Inspecting a London apartment is a different job to inspecting a home counties suburban house: the boundaries between your demise, the shared parts and the freeholder's responsibility shape what we look at.

Why a snagging survey matters in London

Apartment dominance is total — one to three-bed flats in mid-rise and high-rise blocks make up the overwhelming share of new-build supply. Penthouse and duplex layouts more common than in the home counties. Mews and townhouses fill some niches, but not many.

On London apartments, the recurring themes are very different to suburban houses: balcony glazing and seal quality, communal-area handover, MVHR commissioning, water pressure, lift snags, intercom integration, parking-bay handover. External façade is typically the freeholder's responsibility, not the leaseholder's, so we focus everything within your demise plus the connection points to communal services.

London is well-covered by every major rail and tube network. The Elizabeth Line and Northern Line extension to Battersea have specifically driven new-build activity in 2020–26. Tube and rail proximity remains the largest single driver of off-plan demand for new schemes.

The official numbers are sobering. The HBF's 2025 New Homes Review found that 93.7% of new-build buyers reported snags after moving in, with 26.2% reporting more than 15 defects. Industry data shows professional inspectors typically identify 150+ defects on a new home, while unaided buyers usually find 20–30. The gap is the things you can't reach — the roof, the loft insulation, behind appliances, inside service voids — and the things you wouldn't know to look for without years of experience.

What we inspect on a London snagging survey

Every Snagged inspection of a London apartment is a non-destructive visual survey lasting 1.5–4 hours, depending on the unit. Apartments need a different inspection pattern to suburban houses — we cover everything within your demise plus the connection points to communal services:

• Within your demise — every fixed surface and fitting inside your apartment — walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows
• Balcony — glazing seals, balustrade fixings, decking or floor finish, drainage, glazed panel alignment
• Kitchens — cabinet alignment, worktop joints, splashbacks, sealants, integrated appliances, sockets, sink and tap fixings
• Bathrooms — sanitary ware, tiling, grout, sealants, water pressure, drainage, extractor fans, shower performance
• Electrics — sockets, switches, lighting, smoke alarms, consumer unit (visual only)
• Plumbing — hot/cold water flow, mains pressure, hot-water cylinder access, drainage
• Heating & ventilation — MVHR units, extractor flow, radiator function, thermostats, cold-spot thermal scans
• Internal finishes — plasterwork, decoration, skirting, architrave, internal door fitting
• Connection points to communal services — lift access from your floor, intercom, post box, refuse, parking bay
• External (where visible) — drone roof inspection where developer permits — typically not part of the leaseholder demise

You can view a sample report to see exactly how each issue is documented — every item gets a location, photograph, plain-English description, the relevant guideline reference and a professional assessment.

Pre-completion or post-completion — which to choose

A Pre-Completion Inspection (PCI) for a London apartment is typically possible only once the building is at or near practical completion, since the developer is still actively working on shared parts before that point. For your individual unit, we coordinate with the sales office to inspect during the pre-exchange window where the developer permits.

A post-completion inspection is the most common option for London apartments. Once you've legally completed, the developer is required to fix reported defects within 30 days; you're covered for up to two years under your warranty. By this point the block's communal handover has usually settled, which makes the inspection more meaningful.

Both options work, though post-completion is the more common choice for apartments. The price is the same either way.

Pricing for London snagging surveys

Fixed prices for London apartments, no deposit, no VAT. Inspections of London units focus on what's within your demise plus the connection points to communal services — drone roof inspection is included where developer permits, thermal imaging is standard.

All Snagged surveys come with a fixed, all-inclusive fee — covering the on-site inspection, drone roof inspection, thermal imaging, the photographed report and follow-up support. There's no deposit, no VAT, and no postcode surcharge for London. Pick your options below and your fixed fee appears instantly.

Major developments we've inspected in London

We've inspected plots across the main new-build sites in London and the surrounding area:

• Nine Elms / Battersea Power Station (Berkeley, Mount Anvil, Galliard) — south-west London — major regeneration corridor
• Greenwich Peninsula (Knight Dragon, Berkeley) — south-east London — large mixed-use scheme
• Wembley Park (Quintain, Linden, Berkeley) — north-west London — high-density flats around the stadium
• Kings Cross (Argent, Berkeley) — central London — mature regeneration with later phases
• White City (Berkeley, Mount Anvil, St James) — west London regeneration
• Stratford / East Village (Get Living, Berkeley) — east London — Olympic legacy
• Royal Docks (Mount Anvil, Galliard, Ballymore) — east London — long-term regeneration

Developers active in London

We've worked across every major builder operating in the area:

Barratt London · Bellway London · Berkeley Group · Galliard Homes · Mount Anvil · Redrow · Taylor Wimpey · Vistry · Quintain · Ballymore

We don't work for any developer. We work for the homeowner. That's why our reports reference NHQB and NHBC standards — the same yardsticks the developer is contractually required to meet.

A recent London inspection

A 2-bed Berkeley apartment at Nine Elms last autumn produced 94 items. The block was barely two months handed over. Standout findings: balcony glazing seal failure at a corner detail (already showing condensation), MVHR unit commissioned but not balanced, hot-water pressure dropping below spec at second-floor draw-off, and intercom video-feed not paired correctly. All went on the snag list — most were resolved within two weeks.

What London customers say

"Rob's service was outstanding. We are incredibly impressed by the level of detail in his survey, his prompt communication and his approachability."

Read all verified reviews on Trustpilot.

Just outside London? We also cover Watford, St Albans, Hatfield and the wider home counties — see our full list of areas covered.