HomeElephant & Castle Snagging Inspection

Elephant & Castle · SE1 · South London

Elephant & Castle Snagging Inspection SE1

From £299 · Report in 24 hours

Elephant & Castle is one of London's most significant regeneration zones, anchored by Lendlease's Elephant Park masterplan. Large-scale development means complex phasing, multiple contractors, and defects that need to be caught before you complete. Under the New Homes Quality Code, developers cannot unreasonably refuse pre-completion access for a snagging inspection.

SE1
Primary postcode
24hrs
Report turnaround
£399
Money Report

Why New-Build Flats in Elephant & Castle Require Specialist Snagging Inspections

Elephant & Castle is one of London's most significant regeneration zones, but it is also one of the most complex. The Elephant Park masterplan alone involves multiple phases, multiple contractors and handovers spread across several years. Buyers in early phases often complete while construction continues on adjacent plots.

This phased environment creates specific defects that do not appear in quieter developments: dust contamination inside units, unfinished communal areas, landscaping and drainage issues, and external defects caused by ongoing site activity. Our inspections cover both the flat itself and the condition of everything the lease makes you responsible for.

Developments we cover

Elephant Park (Lendlease)

SE1, Lendlease's flagship 10,000-home regeneration of the former Heygate Estate. Multiple phases completed and ongoing. Premium specification in later phases, but defects occur at every price point. Balcony waterproofing, curtain-wall glazing and kitchen appliance connections are priority checks.

Elephant One (Tribeca)

SE1, Mixed residential tower close to the tube. Compact studio and 1-bed units. Dense service installations in small footprints, ventilation and boiler connections are high-priority.

One The Elephant (Lendlease)

SE1, Tall residential tower at the centre of the masterplan. Upper-floor window seals and MVHR ventilation require thorough inspection. High-spec finishes mean expensive remediation.

Perronet House / Manor Place Depot

SE17, Several residential developments on former council and industrial sites around the Walworth Road. Mix of developers and tenure types including shared ownership.

Other SE1 / SE17 developments

We cover all new-build and near-new developments across SE1, SE17 and the wider Elephant & Castle area including Kennington and Walworth.

Shared ownership buyers

Peabody & L&Q at Elephant & Castle

Multiple housing associations manage shared ownership in SE1 and SE17. They carry out a developer sign-off before handover, not an independent inspection on your behalf.

Read about shared ownership snagging →

What the record shows

Elephant & Castle is anchored by Lendlease's Elephant Park masterplan. A recent tribunal there gives a clear, documented picture of what can go wrong with charges and management once you have completed.

Leaseholders at Beck House won a tribunal against Lendlease after being overcharged more than £2,500 per household in service charges.
Southwark News
The tribunal found a 150 per cent overcharge for building management, £3,000 in late electricity fees and a 100 per cent overcharge for security.
The Canary
Leaseholders were charged for leisure facilities that they were not able to use.
Labour Hub
Monthly charges at Beck House rose 149 per cent between 2021 and 2024, and Lendlease did not disclose adequate financial detail, in breach of the lease.
First-tier Tribunal decision
After the tribunal, Savills replaced Lendlease as manager and charges fell from a peak of £586 a month to £335.
The Canary

Service charges are set after you own the flat, but the defects you inspect for are the developer's responsibility only if you record them before you complete. That is what our inspection gives you.

Our Elephant and Castle snagging inspection process

From booking to report, no chasing, no phone calls.

1

Book online

Choose your package, enter your property address and completion date. Takes 2 minutes.

2

We contact the developer

We arrange inspection access directly. Under the New Homes Quality Code, developers cannot unreasonably refuse.

3

Builder carries out the inspection

A BluntSnag builder attends, typically 2-3 hours for a flat. Every room, every system, every surface.

4

Report within 24 hours

PDF report with photographs, priority ratings and repair cost estimates (Money Report and above).

5

Submit snag list to developer

We give you a written snag list formatted for submission. Developer is obligated to respond in writing.

6

Optional reinspection

Once the developer claims to have fixed defects, we can return to verify the work was done properly.

The faults we find most often

Most new build defects never make the news, because they turn up one flat at a time. On Elephant and Castle new builds, these are the faults we find most often on inspection, and the ones that cost the most if you miss them before you complete.

Plumbing done poorly, where the first sign is a leak or a flood weeks after you move in
Waste pipes and traps left loose or unconnected under baths, sinks and washing machines
Sockets that are dead, or wired to the wrong circuit
Windows and walls out of true by 10 to 15mm, well beyond tolerance
A handover pushed through before the flat is actually finished
Ventilation that fails the paper test, which leads to condensation and mould
Silicone and sealing done badly, so water gets behind baths and shower trays

Frequently asked questions

Do you inspect flats at Elephant & Castle?

Yes. We cover all SE1 and SE17 developments, including Elephant Park, Elephant One, One The Elephant and surrounding residential schemes.

What defects are most common at Elephant Park?

Based on our inspections: balcony drainage and waterproofing issues, MVHR ventilation zones not functioning correctly, large-format tile hollow spots in bathrooms and kitchens, underfloor heating calibration, and curtain-wall glazing seal integrity on upper floors. Later-phase units tend to have better base quality but defects still occur.

Lendlease has a premium reputation, does that mean fewer defects?

Reputation and construction quality are different things. Lendlease deliver a higher specification than volume builders, but every development has defects. In premium developments, the cost of remediation is higher. Our Money Report gives you repair costs alongside the defect list.

Is there much shared ownership at Elephant & Castle?

Yes. Elephant Park and surrounding SE17 developments include shared ownership units. Peabody and L&Q both manage shared ownership in the area. Your housing association is not inspecting on your behalf before handover.

How early should I book?

At least 2 weeks before your legal completion date. Elephant Park and Lendlease sites require access to be arranged with their customer care team, we coordinate this for you, but it takes time.

Do you cover Kennington and Walworth?

Yes. We cover SE1, SE11 (Kennington) and SE17 (Walworth). If your development is not listed, WhatsApp us and we will confirm.

Book before completion

Inspect your Elephant & Castle flat

We cover all SE1 and SE17 developments. Book in 2 minutes.

No sales calls · Report in 24 hours · Full refund if we cancel