New Home Owners And Snagging Forum

Advice on buying a brand new home => Snagging and defects => Topic started by: allistera on October 04, 2019, 01:34:05 pm

Title: Garden Slope Issues with Persimmons
Post by: allistera on October 04, 2019, 01:34:05 pm
Typical Persimmon Homes  issue coming up...

I moved into my 4 bed house last October.
During the meeting where we went over the plans they informed us there would be a slight gradient at the bottom of our garden. When we moved in we were greeted with a large slope that we can't let our daughter go down on her own. When we had our NHBC resolution meeting Persimmon said the solution was 'don't let her out'.

We have been through the following:

* NHBC - won't have anything to do with it as they say it is a 'contractual issue'
* Papers - we were in the Sunday Mail a few weeks ago, Persimmon only reply was that they are 'committed to fixing the issues reported by NHBC' .... the problem is NHBC are saying the slope is a contractual issue.
* Disclosure - we requested all information held about us from Persimmon and got some interesting details. I have attached some of the findings.

I am wondering if anyone who is a bit more knowledgeable in the building trade can look at the documents and tell me if what is written is what is there?

I was thinking of the legal action as the last step, but if the slope is what I signed then I wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Garden Slope Issues with Persimmons
Post by: New Home Expert on October 05, 2019, 10:11:10 am
From what I can see, what you signed for (on the plans shown) was a slope of 450mm from the path to the side of your house and a further 350mm to the boundary.

My advice is don't waste money on legal action when you can spend it on a decent landscaper to level up your garden with dwarf retaining walls and guarding for your daughter.

It is Persimmon and they don't care about anything. If you have additional issues then it may be worth going to court.

As for the NHBC claiming it is a "contractual issue" and nothing to do with them, I would point out that in most new build contracts it states that work will be done in a workmanlike manner in accordance to the approved plans and to meet all applicable Building Regulations and warranty standards.
Obviously, when a house has defects it is a contractual issue so, from what the NHBC said they would never pay for any remedial works under the warranty on any new home?

The NHBC inspector should have assessed the slope and made a judgement based on the warranty standards guidance and common sense.

For anyone reading this thread the message is clear, if you a Persimmon new home, don't expect them to be very helpful fixing defects!