Home→Persimmon Snagging Inspection
Persimmon Homes has the highest customer complaint rate of any major UK housebuilder. If you are buying a Persimmon property, an independent snagging inspection before completion is well worth having.
In 2019, an independent review commissioned by Persimmon itself, led by the former housing ombudsman Natalie Elphicke, found systemic quality issues driven by volume incentives. Persimmon pays bonuses based on units completed, which creates pressure to sign off properties that are not finished to a proper standard.
Since that review, Persimmon has introduced a 'Quality Pledge' and increased quality checks. In our experience, quality has improved on some sites, but the volume pressure that drives defects has not gone away. Persimmon completed over 9,000 homes in 2023. At that scale, corners get cut.
Our builders know what Persimmon sites look like and what to look for. We find more on Persimmon properties than on almost any other developer, and we document everything.
Brickwork and render cracks
Persimmon volume sites are known for rushed brickwork. Horizontal cracks above window lintels, stepped cracks in render, and gaps at DPC level are common.
Fire stopping failures
Missing or inadequate fire stopping between dwellings and in communal areas. This is a serious safety and legal issue. Document it in writing immediately.
Ventilation not extracting
Internal bathrooms and en-suites often fail the paper test. Fans are installed but not connected, or ducting is kinked and restricts airflow.
Boiler installation issues
Foil-wrapped pipe connections painted over, voiding manufacturer warranty. Incorrect pressure. Pipework not properly clipped, so vibration causes noise and joint fatigue.
Internal door misalignment
Doors that don't close properly, gap inconsistencies top and bottom, dragging on carpet. Frame squareness issues are consistent across Persimmon sites.
Consumer unit labelling errors
Circuits mislabelled, so turning off 'Bedroom 1 lights' may cut power to a kitchen socket. Test every circuit and document any mismatches.
Kitchen unit gaps and alignment
Poorly hung doors, uneven gaps between units, handles not aligned, plinths missing or poorly cut.
External drainage and drainage falls
Patios and driveways falling towards the property rather than away. Water pooling against the building envelope is a long-term structural issue.
The Persimmon record is unusually well documented, from its own commissioned review to national broadcast investigations and the parliamentary record. It is worth reading before you complete on a Persimmon home.
Persimmon's own commissioned review concluded that missing or incorrectly installed cavity fire barriers in its timber frame homes came from a lack of supervision of its own labour and its subcontractors.
Persimmon Independent Review, 2019
More than 650 homes in the South West were found to have missing or ineffective fire barriers, and Persimmon wrote to over 1,000 owners asking for their homes to be checked.
BBC News, 2019
A Channel 4 Dispatches investigation recorded walls around 30mm off vertical, against an industry tolerance closer to 8mm, alongside missing fire barriers.
Channel 4 Dispatches
In a 2025 House of Commons debate on new build standards, one case involved a Persimmon home with 117 separate faults, including damaged flooring, cold spots and plumbing problems.
Hansard, 2025
Across the industry in 2024 to 2025, the New Homes Ombudsman considered 369 cases and found fully or partly for the buyer in 52 per cent of them.
New Homes Ombudsman Service
Persimmon has publicly accepted that it fell short on customer care and apologised to affected buyers. That is a fair starting point. What it does not do is tell you what is wrong with your particular home, which is what our inspection is for.
Will Persimmon fix snags I report at handover?
Persimmon is legally obligated to fix defects reported within the 2-year defects liability period. In practice, their responsiveness varies significantly by site manager and regional team. A professional, written, photographed snag list is taken far more seriously than informal complaints. Properties with a thorough professional snag list submitted at handover typically see faster resolution than properties without one.
Does Persimmon use NHBC?
Yes. Persimmon properties typically come with an NHBC Buildmark warranty. This covers structural defects for 10 years but does not cover snagging and finish quality issues in years 1-2, which are the developer's direct responsibility. The NHBC does offer a resolution service for year 1-2 disputes if you have written evidence.
How many defects should I expect in a Persimmon property?
In our inspections of Persimmon flats in London, we typically find 50-90 defects at handover. Houses often have more due to external elements (driveways, gardens, brickwork). Some sites are better than others, but there is rarely a Persimmon property we inspect where we find fewer than 30 documented defects.