Air Bricks below ground level

[Coops]

I have recently purchased a shared ownership property and have been made aware of an issue with the air bricks to the rear of my property. They are below ground level with gravel partially covering them.

Yesterday the site manager attended and said that he will dig the gravel out and that is sufficient. Now the air bricks will still be below ground level and sit very close to the patio slabs. The gap from wall to patio slab is 110mm which they say is sufficient. They also stated that the dpc is both above and below the air brick. I have attached photos showing the state of the air bricks and what they advised that they were going to do.

I checked the NHBC website for air brick regulations and they contradict what the site manager has said. Does anyone have any advice on what they should really do to correct this issue as it feels like I am being fobbed off?

Also I have noticed at least 10 other properties in the estate with the same issue.
Many thanks

[New Home Expert]

First of all a DPC below the air brick is below ground and is thus useless.
This demonstrates how lacking in knowledge the site manager is and why you and at least 10 other properties have the same defect.
As it is, what will happen is when it rains is water will get in under your suspended floor.

That is why all air bricks must be at least 75mm above Finished ground level to the bottom of the air brick and the site manager should know this. The external wall dpc must be at least 150mm above FGL. This is stated in BOTH the building regulations and the NHBC warranty standards.

The solutions are:
1) Cut out all air brick and position them higher. But it will still mean the dpc is at the same level as the finished ground.
or
2) Lower the finished ground level around the home so it complies.

Please do not allow the site manager to give you anymore bull**it!
You may like to get the other shared ownership party involved.

 

[Jeff Raine]

Hi,

Can you let me know the year of build and the warranty provider - LABC or NHBC I will then look up the specifications in the relevant build manual and post it on here. Then there can be no dispute of the standards needed