Bought a New Apartment, but Mold Appears... Refusal of "Defect Repair"?

Seven Out of Ten Cases Involve "Defect" Complaints
42.9% of Repairs Refused Even for Condensation or Mold
Only 45.3% of Disputes Are Resolved

Recently, there has been a rise in consumer complaints about defects in newly built apartments, as construction quality has declined due to increased building costs and unstable supply of materials. There are also many cases where the terms of the original contract are not properly fulfilled, requiring consumers to exercise extra caution.

According to the Korea Consumer Agency, a total of 709 applications for dispute resolution related to newly built multi-unit housing were filed between 2022 and the first half of 2025. In particular, 142 cases were reported in the first half of this year alone, marking an approximately 28% increase compared to the same period last year.

Yonhap News Agency

Seven out of ten cases (71.4%) were due to "defects." In addition, 28.6% of the cases involved "construction that differed from the contract."

An analysis of cases related to defects showed that "refusal to repair defects" accounted for the largest share at 42.9%. This includes not recognizing condensation or mold as defects, or shifting responsibility for scratches, damage, or malfunctions discovered after moving in onto the consumer.

Among cases involving construction that differed from the contract, more than half (57.6%) were related to "paid options." Consumer dissatisfaction arose when paid option items such as home appliances, windows, or storage and furniture were installed differently from what was seen in model homes or promotional materials, or when the products themselves were not as expected.

Analysis of the items involved in paid option complaints revealed that "home appliances" such as air conditioners and dishwashers accounted for the highest proportion at 42.5%. Typical cases included products being replaced with different ones from those specified in the contract, or older models being installed instead of the latest models as promised by sales staff at the time of contract.

The dispute resolution rate for new apartment-related cases was only 45.3%, meaning less than half were resolved. In particular, the settlement rate for "construction that differed from the contract" was only about one-third. This is believed to be due to significant differences in the positions of the parties involved, such as developers shifting responsibility for defects discovered after move-in to consumers, or refusing to acknowledge consumer claims that verbal explanations at the time of contract differed from what was delivered.

To prevent damage related to newly built multi-unit housing, the Korea Consumer Agency advised consumers to: thoroughly check for defects during pre-inspection; understand the different warranty periods for each facility and request repairs before the period expires; and carefully consider paid options, as brands and designs may change even if the latest models are installed or older models are provided at the time of move-in.