The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is authorized and directed to require that, in connection with any property upon which there is located a dwelling designed principally for not more than a four-family residence and which is approved for mortgage insurance prior to the beginning of construction, the seller or builder, and such other person as may be required by the said Secretary to become warrantor, shall deliver to the purchaser or owner of such property a warranty that the dwelling is constructed in substantial conformity with the plans and specifications (including any amendments thereof, or changes and variations therein, which have been approved in writing by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development) on which the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development based his valuation of the dwelling: Provided, That the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall deliver to the builder, seller, or other warrantor his written approval (which shall be conclusive evidence of such approval) of any amendment of, or change or variation in, such plans and specifications which the Secretary deems to be a substantial amendment thereof, or change or variation therein, and shall file a copy of such written approval with such plans and specifications: Provided further, That such warranty shall apply only with respect to such instances of substantial nonconformity to such approved plans and specifications (including any amendments thereof, or changes or variations therein, which have been approved in writing, as provided herein, by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development) as to which the purchaser or homeowner has given written notice to the warrantor within one year from the date of conveyance of title to, or initial occupancy of, the dwelling, whichever first occurs: Provided further, That such warranty shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, all other rights and privileges which such purchaser or owner may have under any other law or instrument: And provided further, That the provisions of this section shall apply to any such property covered by a mortgage insured by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development on and after October 1, 1954, unless such mortgage is insured pursuant to a commitment therefor made prior to October 1, 1954.

The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is further directed to permit copies of the plans and specifications (including written approvals of any amendments thereof, or changes or variations therein, as provided herein) for dwellings in connection with which warranties are required by subsection (a) of this section to be made available in their appropriate local offices for inspection or for copying by any purchaser, homeowner, or warrantor during such hours or periods of time as the said Secretary may determine to be reasonable.

(Aug. 2, 1954, ch. 649, title VIII, § 801, 68 Stat. 642; Pub. L. 85–857, § 13(s)(2), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1266; Pub. L. 90–19, § 10(e), May 25, 1967, 81 Stat. 22.)