New Homes Week 2026, a national campaign designed to give buyers the confidence, clarity and motivation to take their next step on the property ladder. This year’s theme, “Power to Move,” highlights how new build homes can help address key challenges in today’s housing market, from energy efficiency and lower running costs to modern construction standards and improved affordability for first‑time buyers, growing families and downsizers alike.
For many, a new build represents a fresh start: a home untouched by previous owners, ready to be shaped to personal taste. Yet behind the excitement sits a conveyancing process that differs significantly from traditional property purchases. Understanding these differences is essential to making the most of your own “Power to Move.”
A Conveyancing Process Unlike Any Other
Although new builds often remove the complications of an onward chain, they introduce unique legal considerations from the outset. This is largely because buyers commit to the purchase before the property is completed — and in some cases, before construction has even begun.
Instead of viewing the finished home, buyers rely on plans, specifications, brochures and show homes, with the opportunity for a traditional viewing coming much later, often close to completion. This makes it crucial to feel confident in the developer’s information and a clear understanding of the steps involved will help buyers navigate the process with confidence.
Reserving Your Future Home: The First Step in Your “Power to Move”
As mentioned, when it comes to securing your future home, your new build property will not yet be constructed and therefore, most developers operate on a reservation system. This requires buyers pay a reservation fee to secure their chosen plot, and the property is taken off the market for a set period. During this window, you are expected to progress swiftly toward exchange.
The reservation fee is usually deducted from the final purchase price upon completion however, it is important to note that the reservation fee is typically non-refundable if the buyer decides not to proceed to completion with the purchase. Therefore, buyers should ensure that they are satisfied with the details of the property and if they are relying on mortgage finance, they should ideally obtain a mortgage offer prior to committing to reservation.
Once the reservation is made, the developer will issue a reservation agreement outlining the purchase price, anticipated management fees, service charges and any other associated costs.
What Your Conveyancer Will Be Checking: Building Buyer Confidence
New build transactions involve a significant volume of documentation, often far more than a standard purchase. Your conveyancer’s role is to examine every detail, so you understand exactly what you are buying and what obligations come with it. This stage can take the most time of all, but it is essential to protecting your interests.
Your conveyancer will typically:
- Verify planning permission and building regulation compliance, ensuring all legal requirements have been met.
- Confirm that an approved new build warranty will be in place at completion.
- Review contractual protections relating to design and construction, including limits on any changes the developer may make
- Clarify completion arrangements, whether a fixed date or completion on notice, and check any agreed longstop date.
- Establish the snagging process, allowing you to inspect the property and request that defects are remedied.
- Explain your rights if construction is delayed, including circumstances where you may withdraw.
- Disclose all rights and obligations affecting the property, such as covenants, restrictions and financial contributions.
This thorough review supports the campaign’s aim of giving buyers the knowledge and confidence to move forward.
Exchange of Contracts: A Key Milestone in Your Move
Although new builds often benefit from being chain-free or end off chain, the smoother process highlighted by New Homes Week, exchange of contracts still requires careful coordination. Exchange must usually take place within the reservation period, yet the developer may not be able to confirm a final completion date at that stage.
In these circumstances, contracts are exchanged on the basis of completion on notice. Once the property is finished, the developer will serve notice requiring you to complete within a specified timeframe.
If you are also selling a property, the entire chain must be prepared to work with this flexible arrangement. This often involves detailed amendments to these contracts to reflect the unknown completion date. Yet once agreed and at exchange, you will pay the contractual deposit, typically 10% of the purchase price.
Completion: Turning the Key on Your New Beginning
Completion will take place either on the fixed date set out in the contract or following notice from the developer that the property is ready. Upon notice, your conveyancer will transfer the remaining funds within the required timeframe, after which the keys to your new home are released. At this point, your fresh start truly begins, and you will have made the most of your “Power to Move”.
Your conveyancer will then arrange for the last elements to be tidied up namely payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax and registration of yourself as the new proprietor with the HM Land Registry.
New Build warranties: Long-Term Protection for Your Move
Buyer reassurance is a central theme of New Homes Week 2026, and new build warranties play a vital role in that. You will receive a certificate confirming that a new build warranty is in place upon completion and the most common scheme is the NHBC Buildmark warranty, which provides 10 years of protection from the date the property is signed off.
Years 1–2 are centred around the developer’s responsibility. The developer must remedy all defects that fall short of NHBC standards. However, this does not cover shrinkage, condensation from drying out, general wear and tear or issues caused by lack of maintenance.
Years 3–10 moves to a structural insurance where the warranty then provides insurance‑backed cover for major structural issues, including but not limited to:
- Load‑bearing defects
- Subsidence or settlement
- Heat‑related structural damage
- Defects affecting roof coverings, external walls, tile hanging and other key elements where safety may be compromised
This long‑term protection gives homeowners confidence that serious issues will be addressed if they arise.
Why Specialist Legal Support Matters in 2026
With affordability pressures and evolving regulations shaping the 2026 housing market, expert legal guidance is more important than ever. A conveyancer experienced in new build transactions ensures:
- You understand every document and obligation
- Your rights are protected throughout construction
- You are prepared for flexible timelines
- You can make informed decisions… exactly what New Homes Week 2026 aims to promote
If you are considering purchasing a new build property and would like to speak with one of our experienced conveyancers, please do not hesitate to contact us.