100 Most Common

Residential Defects

1. Materials containing asbestos
2. Cracks to walls
3. Condensation
4. Poor quality flat roofs
5. Rot to external joinery especially lower frames and sills
6. High external ground levels bridging damp proof courses
7. Leakage from poorly designed shower enclosures
8. Poor sound proofing in converted flats
9. Sub-standard electrical installations
10. Defective drains
11. Non-compliance of gas installations
12. Lead plumbing
13. Contaminated land issues raised by legal advisers following environmental searches.
14. Defective heating systems
15. Bulging flank walls
16. Wall tie failure
17. Condensation in double-glazed sealed units
18. Spalling and frost damaged brickwork and stonework
19. Sub-standard loft conversions
20. Damp basements and cellars
21. Inadequate bay window support over double glazing
22. Old roof coverings lacking underfelting
23. Flooding in the locality
24. Radon gas
25. Mining subsidence in locality
26. Mundic construction in Cornwall
27. Settlement of solid ground floor slabs
28. Woodworm, mostly Common Furniture Beetle
29. Dry rot under floors, behind panelling and in flat roofs
30. Leaking parapet and valley gutters
31. Inadequate means of escape in event of fire
32. Poorly insulated ceilings in lofts
33. Lack of party/fire walls in old terraced roof spaces
34. Sagging and spreading of timber flues
35. Condensation in old chimney flues
36. Failure of damp-proof courses
37. Leakage of water into wall cavities from concrete 'Finlock' gutters
38. Cracked and leaning boundary and retaining walls
39. Tree roots posing risk to structure
40. Coastal erosion
41. Failure of old lath and plaster ceilings and partitions
42. Leaking gutters and down pipes
43. Inadequate support when chimney breasts are removed
44. Shortage of power sockets
45. Inadequate ventilation to bathrooms and showers
46. Inadequate ventilation to kitchens
47. Poor septic tank and cesspit drainage arrangements
48. Inadequate sub-floor ventilation to timber ground floors
49. Excessive service charges to blocks of flats
50. Cracked and loose external rendering
51. Poor woodwork and sash cords to sliding sash windows
52. Hazardous large sheets of ordinary quality glass to walls and partitions
53. Excessive steep staircases and inadequate balustrades
54. Flat roofs used as terraces and inadequate balustrades
55. External electrical circuits not in armoured conduit
56. Adjacent high-voltage pylons, electrical sub-stations and mobile phone masts
57. Problems with shared drives and private access roads
58. Inadequate management arrangements for blocks of flats
59. Damp and rot to timbers due to leaking washing machines and dishwashers
60. Cracking and shelling to wall plaster
61. Lamination of clay and concrete roof tiles
62. Nail sickness and cracking to old slate roofs
63. Lack of wind bracing to modern gang nailed rafter roofs
64. Damp penetration and staining to walls from leaking overflow pipes
65. Settlement of blockwork partitions resting on timber floors
66. Poor quality supporting platforms for water tanks and cylinders
67. Excessive bounce to floors due to over spanned joists
68. Leaning chimney stacks
69. Leaking service and heating pipework embedded in solid floors
70. Sub-standard extensions converted into habitable rooms
71. Inadequate covers and lagging to water tanks in lofts and on flat roofs
72. Rot to floors under leaking flush pipes and waste connections to water closets
73. Builders' rubble and other debris left under floor boards blocking ventilation
74. Galvanic corrosion to old galvanised steel water tanks
75. Header tank overflow pipes run into adjacent cold-water tanks
76. Foundation settlements on shrinkable clay soils
77. Foundation settlements due to leaking drains causing subsoil erosion
78. Lifting of foundations by ground heave due to clay swell where trees removed
79. Inadequate damp proof membranes in solid concrete ground floors
80. Integral garages with inadequate protection against spread of fire into the main building
81. Wet rot to painted softwood frames to porches and conservatories
82. Cavity walls lacking damp-proof cavity trays and other detail
83. Tree roots in drains
84. Inadequate encasement of steel and insufficient cover to steel reinforcement
85. Removal of internal walls and chimney breasts compromising structural stability
86. Use of spiral and open riser staircases which do not comply with Building Regulations
87. Porous thatched roofs attacked by squirrels and other vermin
88. Brick and blockwork garages and inadequate piers and/or roof strapping
89. Poorly installed and potentially dangerous loft ladders
90. Inadequate cavity fire checks, breather membranes and other detail in timber frame houses
91. House Longhorn Beetle in Weybridge area of Surrey
92. Lack of asbestos management arrangements for common parts to blocks of flats
93. No proper pavement crossover for forecourt parking
94. Storm water soakaway systems completely blocked and needing relaying
95. Hot-water pumping over into loft header tanks
96. Furring up of cylinders and pipework in hard water areas
97. Failure to obtain listed building or conservation area consent where these apply
98. Thermal expansion and contraction causing cracks to Calcium Silicate bicarbonate
99. Death Watch Beetle in old damp hardwoods especially Oak
100. Neighbours undertaking works to party walls without necessary agreement