New Home Owners And Snagging Forum
Advice on buying a brand new home => House Builders => Bellway Homes => Topic started by: braytown on June 30, 2015, 03:15:07 pm
-
I bought a new build house in October 2014 and I've had a number of issues since, the most recent being this week.
The first issue was a leak, I noticed long wet streaks on the kitchen ceiling, they had to butcher three walls in two of the bedrooms and cut a piece of floor in my son's room out, all in all it took a month to fix and they were unwilling to pay compensation for the distress and inconvenience of having to take two days off work unpaid.
A few months later I started to notice mould growing on the ceiling of our en-suite bathroom, turned out the ventilation system they installed wasn't connected properly and that was fixed within about two weeks.
Now the en-suite shower poorly-fitted tiles is letting water leak through, destroying the plasterboard that they're on and water has leaked through to the downstairs toilet, damaged a canvas and now it's dried there are brown stains - which will be decorated in due course I'm sure.
My issue is, it seems to be one thing after another, the fact the numerous ceilings in the house have has water soaked and dried on a number of occasions and then just painted over as well as patched up walls, sure this will have an impact long term?
Is there any more I'd be entitled to, should I seek compensation or do I have to just put up with it?
Thanks,
Bray
-
What you have experienced is exactly why I started this website to warn people about buying a new home.
Your experiences are far more common than the slick marketing the industry does would have people believe. Persimmon for example, have been exposed on BBC Watchdog (http://www.new-home-blog.co.uk/buyers-from-60-different-persimmon-developments-contact-bbc-watchdog-revealing-poor-quality-and-customer-service-issues-are-a-nationwide-problem/) twice in the last month!
The question of compensation is unfortunately a subjective one. nearly all housebuilders say that paying compensation is "not company policy" but despite this, they all do pay compensation!
There is no rules to force a housebuilder to pay compensation. There is no Ombudsman for new home buyers (http://www.new-home-blog.co.uk/why-new-home-buyers-need-a-new-homes-ombudsman/), indeed the government think one is not even necessary!
I agree, long term your joists have got wet and presumably dried out several times. This cannot be good.
Modern 'TJI' composite joists cannot get wet without weakening them. All joist types can dry out of shape, twist and creak. A patched up wall is never going to be as strong or finished as well as an undamaged wall and the same applies to the flooring. Put a straight edge across the making good and see!
All I can suggest you do is keep on writing to the CEO Ted Ayers, posting on Twitter and Facebook and perhaps even set up your own blog to highlight your experiences as a warning to others.
If you wish to take legal action I suggest you give Geoff Peters a call at www.wingrovelaw.co.uk
-
Many thanks for your response, I'll take your advice and write to the CEO.
I'll wait for a response and decide the best course of action after, blogging, social media and the legal advice link will definitely be used at some point soon no doubt.
Regards,
Andy