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Author Topic: Miller homes delays...  (Read 35597 times)

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Andychappers1

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Miller homes delays...
« on: January 12, 2016, 08:18:38 am »
We reserved a new Miller home on 8th August 2015 and the anticipated legal completion date was set for the 27th November 2015. (this was specified on the plot reservation form)

To cut a long and boring story very short, we are still waiting to move in and have been told that it "should" be February, but we havent been given a date. Our mortgage offer expires on the 14th Feb.

The delays have apparently been put down to them being unable to get their hands on the stone needed to build the house and the weather delayed the crane to get the roof sorted.

Miller give themselves 2 months from the given completion date to cover any delays but they are going to exceed this.

We are currently renting and therefore have some flexibility over when we move. Would these delays have happened had we sold our house and be pushing to move in??

I emailed them on 9th December expressing my dissatisfaction and only got a response after I chased and chased.

So now we have a meeting with the site sales person and her manager on Saturday. We have asked for a good will gesture from them, what should we be asking for (if anything?)

Any help and advice would be appreciated.

Thanks


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Re: Miller homes delays...
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2016, 07:30:04 am »
The first thing to say is that the initial time to build a house from 8 August to 27 November is not exceptional. By the time the bad weather started, the home should have been watertight and weather would not delay progress internally. So the home should have and could have been finished by the date you were given.  To quote a delay in obtaining materials [stone] shows poor planning and the weather delaying a crane putting on the roof is to be anticipated.  Unless the home was a flat in a block, then the time frame was realistic.

Now Miller have failed, this is a fact, they have a requirement in the Consumer Code for Home Builders to keep you fully informed of the progress and any delays:
Code Requirement 3.,2 states:

"The Home Buyer must be given reliable and realistic information about when construction of the Home may be finished, the date of Legal Completion, and the date for handover of the Home."
By all accounts Miller have failed to meet this requirement as the date was neither reliable or realistic.
However, because   "weather and other matters beyond the builder's reasonable control make the time needed to construct a Home difficult to predict" the Code suggests the following approach:

"Before completing the foundations and ground floor – give the calendar QUARTER when the Home is likely to be ready.
When the roof is completed and the building weatherproof – give the MONTH when the Home is likely to be ready.
When the Home is decorated and main services are connected – say what WEEK the Home is likely to be ready."


Miller can give themselves whatever leeway they like to cover delays, but the completion date you are given must be "realistic and reliable."

Without question, the delay you have and are suffering is unreasonable. It shows a degree of incompetence within Miller and I can only hope you home is 'perfect' after all the time Miller have required to build it. When they eventually tell you it is finished, please do get it professionally inspected and snagged before you legally complete.   I suggest either Brickkickers or SnaggingInspections.co.uk

It matters nothing with housebuilders whether you are renting or have a home to sell.  The delay would still occur in either case.  Obviously if you were forced to move out because you were selling and didn't want to lose your buyer it would be more of an ordeal.

Meeting with Site Sales and her manager isn't going to get you anywhere. This will be a PR exercise to placate you. You need a meeting with a director who is able to make a decision as to what would be a faor recompense for you being messed about.

Please be aware the maximum you can claim under the Code for inconvenience is £250. You could also claim any other additional expenses that you have incurred because of the delay such as additional mortgages fees, legal fees, storage, loss of deposits etc.

As for what you can get from Miller by way of compensation, I would suggest that any "extras" are thrown in for free, perhaps a turfed rear garden? House builders can hide "extras" used as compensation for their failure, but they can't easily hide compensation payments from auditors and shareholders. As for an amount, I would say less than £1000 but more than £500 would be fair.

This is the first post about Miller Homes and I would like to think that they are one of the 'good guy's in the industry. Please let everyone know how you get on.


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Burger

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Re: Miller homes delays...
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2016, 06:12:17 pm »
To add some perspective, we put an early bird deposit on a Lovell home in February 2015 and were verbally told to expect a moving in date of July/August.
Reservations were signed in May.

We moved out of our house in September to move in with the in-laws for a few weeks with an expected move in date of October 2015.

We then got delayed again until November and again untill December with assurances we would be in by Christmas.

The next promised date was January, then March and now the latest date is April 22nd 2016!

Of course during this time our mortgage offer has expired and has cost us £750 in enhancements and a slight interest increase.

Lovell offered £2,500 toward the stamp duty which we have accepted.

The reasons for the delays are many, including availability of bricks, weather and access due to safety ie Heavy plant moving past our house via the one way in to the development.

I wish you good luck and hope you don't suffer the delays we have.

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Re: Miller homes delays...
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2016, 06:22:38 am »
Truly shocking Burger.
Completion date delayed by 9 months.
Somehow I don't believe the reasons/excuses can explain away nine months worth of delay!
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Burger

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Re: Miller homes delays...
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2016, 02:03:47 pm »
I don't believe them either, but have no way of proving otherwise, or indeed have the power to do anything about it.

I have simply resigned myself to the fact we will be in at some stage.

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Re: Miller homes delays...
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2016, 07:31:50 am »
This is why we need a New Homes Ombudsman. 

You would then be able to claim compensation once you know the extent of their failure and your inconvenience.
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Andychappers1

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Re: Miller homes delays...
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2016, 12:51:43 pm »
Burger - our delays are nothing compared to yours, I really hope you get something sorted asap.

So we had the meeting yesterday and they have now told us that we are aiming to complete on the 3rd March. They made no excuses for what had happened and apologised for the problems.

I went with the aim of getting a date from them, so that was good, whether we believe them or not is another matter.
We have asked them for :

- refund of all optional extras that we have ordered, approx £500.
- refund of the cost we paid for the door into the garage, approx £260
- integrated dishwasher to be fitted (inc matching door) at Millers cost.
- turf to the rear garden

By way of compensation. This has to be passed onto the directors who, fortunately had picked up my original email so are aware of my dissatisfaction to be sanctioned or not.

I will let you know what they say.



Andychappers1

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Re: Miller homes delays...
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2016, 06:59:15 pm »
Well Miller have come thru and have agreed to all of our requests!

Very happy despite the slightly extended delay.

Thanks again New Home Expert

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Re: Miller homes delays...
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2016, 07:12:29 am »
It re affirms Miller Homes as a cut above the others such as Bovis, Persimmon Taylor Wimpey and Bloor. There are many others I could mention and the fact I haven't isn't a recommendation!)

All in all I believe you have secured around £2,000 compensation.  You may still have to pay fees for another mortgage offer if it expires.  In addition, your home may now be rushed in an effort to not fail  again. 

You should definitely use some of your "savings" to pay for the home to be inspected by a Professional Snagging Inspector.
And perhaps a small donation?
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Michael S

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Re: Miller homes delays...
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2016, 12:45:34 pm »
Just found this thread and read with interest,  as couldn't find much recently about the net on Miller homes! We reserved a plot on the outskirts of Edinburgh in November last year, with entry currently planned for the first week of September. We will be selling our flat, so one of the big worries is possible homelessness if there are delays! Possibly being dramatic there, as have a plan B and C, but both aren't overly palatable.

Good to see that Miller seem to have a decent reputation with you guys though, and we've had a great experience with our sales rep so far. It's a relatively small development with around 30 houses and a small block of flats, so my uneducated assumption is that is maybe a good thing as they won't be rushing to meet deadlines and do a crappy job?

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Re: Miller homes delays...
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2016, 08:18:36 am »
Miller year-end is 31 December so a completion of September is good.
Your home will also be built during the summer so weather delays should not be an issue.
Your home should also be drier than a winter built one.
Finally you have a lovely lead in in that your house will be built 9 months after you reserved so you will have the benefit of any process rises during this time.

The one thing you need to keep an eye on is when the house is started or due to be started.
To be safe, you will need to allow about 5 to 6 months to build the home. 
Working back, this means construction must begin on your house in March.

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Michael S

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Re: Miller homes delays...
« Reply #11 on: January 28, 2016, 08:51:35 pm »
Thanks for the reply, and all sounds like good news. They are starting to prepare the ground for the foundations just now I believe!