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Author Topic: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)  (Read 42599 times)

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MJJenkins11

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Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« on: August 07, 2012, 01:57:58 pm »
We have purchased a new property using building firm, Harron Homes on a development in West Yorkshire.
Just wondering if anyone has had experiences with Harron Homes - more specifically with the after care (snagging etc). Thanks


Philofacts

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2012, 09:44:35 am »
You won't do any worse than if you bought from one of the nationals in my opinion.
Their customer care appears to be focused heavily on pre occupation rather than fixing any snagging problems.
In fact most of what they actually state on their website is a requirement of the Consumer Code anyway.

They are a small house builder, which can work either way.
They may give you a very personal service and care passionately about what they do.
Or as they have no reputation to lose they could give poor or no after sales service at all.
Being "small builder" they may not pay the salaries to attract the best site managers which could explain why they have not won any NHBC quality awards in 2012.

They say on their website:-
"Harron Homes Customer Charter -
Your reassurance that we care"
"Our After Sales Service is here to assist you after your purchase
We're with you every step of the way"


As you have already committed to buy one of their new homes only time will tell.
I would suggest you have the finished home professionally snagged by an independent firm such as Brickkickers.
As with any house builder, don't believe everything they tell you and always complain in writing!
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MJJenkins11

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2012, 01:57:13 pm »
Excellent information - thank you very much. We will look to hire professionals for snagging. Much appreciated.

Philofacts

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2012, 08:51:59 am »
Harron Homes were featured on BBC 1 Rip Off Britain programme this week. 
Have a look on BBC iPlayer.

You may also like to check out this too  People review Harron Homes
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MJJenkins11

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2012, 03:19:07 pm »
Do you know the date this piece was aired (or have a link to it on bbc iplayer)?
There's loads on there!

So far, for information, Harron Homes have been excellent. We moved in at the weekend, the build quality looks good. The site manager is extremely helpful and continues to pop in and check on us. We have had water penetrate the patio doors and within one day, scaffolding had been erected and improvements are being carried out.

Philofacts

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2012, 09:57:08 am »
I know there are.  I couldn't find it either!
You could check out these reviews HARRON HOMES
Water coming in already on the first day in a new home and scaffold going back up and you think this is excellent?
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jolyons

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2013, 03:45:01 pm »
We bought a house from Harron Homes in June 2006, the sales team were great, just a shame the after sales is not so great.

The road leading to our house was only just completed last year...6 years after moving in and the council still have not adopted it due to it already crumbling.  Because the road has not be adoped Harron Homes still have the responsibility of streetlights and maintence of grassy areas.  Residents are having to cut the grass at the sides of the road to keep the area looking nice, and all the street lights have gone out down our road...ingformed Harron end of Oct 2012 and to date Jan 13 they still are out!!


Philofacts

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2013, 08:32:57 am »
This really does appear to be one of Britain's worst house builders!

Their Charter would appear to be worthless:
"Your reassurance that we care"
"Our After Sales Service is here to assist you after your purchase We're with you every step of the way"


To have to wait over six years and the highway has still to be adopted, because I suspect it is still not up to highway standards.
You should write to the Local Authority and insist that they take over the road and make a claim on the Bond Harron Homes have to put up under the Section 38 Agreement. You may even find that the council have taken a view that they will never adopt the road as it would be too much of a maintenance liability.

Regarding the street lights write a stern letter to Harron Homes and say that should there be any accident due to darkness caused by the lack of street lights, they would be liable under negligence law.  Harron's compensation liability could potentially be millions.
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MJJenkins11

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2013, 04:07:55 pm »
Good point re: the term "excellent" and "scaffolding going back up after one day".
Also, I was quick to judge. Since September, our house has given us one problem after another.
The list of defects is too long to mention.
The work they re-did on the patio doors is again showing signs of water penetration.
We have excessive movement and cracking all over the place. You can hear and feel the wind blowing through gaps in windows.
All things an untrained person like me missed, but after a settling in period, and other people visiting, more horrific issues have come to light.
We have been told by a dozen different landscape gardeners that they cannot carry out any garden work because they can't guarantee the quality due to the poor workmanship of the build, the drainage and the damp proof course.

After sales is a total joke.
In the 6 months we've been involved, they've gone through three totally incompetent site managers, one pretty good site manager who they moved to South Yorkshire, because that was struggling and one who is nice and promises everything, but yet to deliver a bloody thing!

Around 20 houses are now finished on this development in Queensbury and nearly everyone is complaining - anarchy pending!

Philofacts

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #9 on: March 20, 2013, 08:30:47 am »
Well I did try to warn you!
You also said in an earlier post you were going to take my advice and have your home professionally snagged/inspected. Did you?

Most people move into their new home expecting a few minor problems that the site management fix in the first few weeks.
After that, when the euphoria of the new home wears off more serious problems come to light.
Problems that were fixed were just bodged and the site management looks to the buyer more as a nuisance than a customer!
That is why I always say no one should complete the New Homes Customer Satisfaction Survey questionnaire until they have been living in their home for at least six months.
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Cjs

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2013, 08:50:53 pm »
Mjjenkins11,
I'm thinking of buying one of the houses on Burwood Heights development.
You have said that everyone is complaining, is anyone happy with their house on there? Would you really not recommend them?
What problems do you have? Have Harron Homes said they will rectify any problems? Thanks

Philofacts

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2013, 08:37:04 am »
I think MJJenkins problems are well documented in this thread!
He has had nothing but trouble as have his neighbours.
You appear not to have read the posts!
"everyone is complaining - anarchy pending!"
If you really STILL cannot see the 'wood from the trees' I suggest you go to the site and knock on owner's doors and ask for yourself. 
Would you still buy a home if three people were happy and 50 were complaining?
"Caveat Emptor"
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Cjs

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #12 on: March 26, 2013, 09:41:16 am »
Thank you Philofacts for your comments.
However mjjenkins said the list was too long to mention!!!!!
I wanted to know if there were lots of minor problems that you should expect when buying a new build & how efficient they are dealing with the problems. I also wanted to know out of the 20 houses built, how many had problems, maybe he has only spoken to a few??
I will happily go down & knock on doors to find out how happy everyone is before we commit to anything.

Philofacts

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2013, 11:47:36 am »
Cjs,

You should never expect or accept any defects in a new home, let alone lots of minor ones!
Whether a lot of minor defects, or two or three major defects is irrelevant. 
Whilst it is true some defects may only become evident after a few days/weeks, the majority of faults buyers of new homes report to the house buider are obvious defects and/or bad quality all of which any good builder should ensure are rectified before anyone moves in.

Again the previous posts would indicate that Harron Homes are not especially good at attending to defects either.
I think "everyone is complaining - anarchy pending!" and "list of defects too long to mention" is a big warning to stay well clear!
I do not expect when you speak to buyers, that anyone will be overjoyed by their new home or Harron's customer after care.
How many NHBC Quality Awards have Harron Homes won in the last 10 years? 
How many stars in the HBF star rating have they got? 
Please have a good look around the main website before you buy any new home.
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MJJenkins11

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Re: Harron Homes (Yorkshire)
« Reply #14 on: September 10, 2013, 09:52:16 am »
Apologies. Haven't checked back on here for some time.
We have now lived in the property for 12 months and yes, we do still have some concerns.
We did not do a professional snagging which was a mistake, we should have and Philofacts is right. It's critical.
Some neighbours are still experiencing problems.
We still have no street lighting. On an evening, the entire cul-de-sac is in complete darkness (security concerns).
Our endless list of problems does now appear to have been rectified, but it has taken 12 months and some of the issues we have just done ourselves as we were getting nowhere with Harron Homes. For info CJs, our problems included broken window frames, cracked tiles, bad workmanship on sealants around showers and baths, gaps between windows and stone work, poor insulation, awful paintwork, doors not fitting into door frames correctly, door locks not working, water penetration as mentioned previously, a strange circular hole cut out of the stonework in the downstairs toilet yet no pipework to place in it, hence a big drafty hole in the toilet (now fixed). Gardens are terrible too, full of rubble and they just lay turf on top of it then wonder why it dies within a season. The general finish (plastering/decorating etc) is average at best. It was only when we started to decorate that we realised how slap-dash the finish was.

Customer service has improved, but still some way to go to meet our expectations.