Missing Window Detailing

[billinghamn]

Quick update:

Through Bloor's official complaints process, the Head of Customer Care has offered to rectify the header detailing but not the window sills.  At least this would mean that all the windows are consistent, although not complete, not compliant with the approved plans.

It's a start.  I'm pushing back asserting my desire that they address all aspects of their non-compliance with the approved plans.

They included an internal elevation plan (apparently for our house) that shows the rear without the window detailing - where that might have come from I have no idea.  They also argued that at the point that we reserved, the house walls had already been constructed.  I highlight in my response that we were given no opportunity to inspect the rear of the property, and at the Inspection we specifically asked the Bloor Homes reps as to whether there had been any changes to the approved plans. 
The answer we received was No.

Will see where the next round of discussions go.  Likely will move to Stage 3 in the complaints process and thus I'll be having a discussion with the Regional Managing Director.

Thanks to everyone for listening and for offering advice.

[New Home Expert]

New homes, unless stock homes or a show home are a work in progress. It is ridiculous to claim that as the brickwork was built you could have and should have queried it at the time of reservation.  Factor in that these days most housebuilders actively forbid buyers to check their homes as they are built, often citing "health and safety" as the reason.

Most strange is the cills would be the easiest to change.
Why on earth do housebuilders such as Bloor Homes continue to make it as difficult as possible for their customers to actually get the home they paid for I just don't know.

[billinghamn]

We are well into the formal Complaints process now.  Initial response from the Head of Customer Care included a "working elevation drawing" which shows no detailing on any window at the rear.  They offered to "make the window headers consistent", which we read as them offering to install the 2 missing window headers. However, in a subsequent escalation of the complaint, the Regional Managing Director clarified this offer as being the removal of the window header that was incorrectly installed.  They have accepted that a mistake was made, but the mistake they accept is that the one window header that had been installed, should not have been installed.

The crux of this complaint is this:

• At the time we purchased the house, the house had already been built (and therefore the error was already present).  We were not allowed to view the rear of the house during this process - it was still a building site, and we were lucky to be allowed to see the front, sides and the inside!
• During the sales process, Bloor suggest that they showed us the working designs (including the "working rear elevation drawing" showing the windows without the detailing.  At that time they suggest we reviewed these and signed them off.
• During the sales process, Bloor were explicit in not allowing us to take copies of any drawings, nor take our own photos of drawings.  It is now clear why we didn't get any copies - it's a way for Bloor to reduce the possibility of anomalies being highlighted after homeowners move in.  No drawings = no evidence.

The fact that the "working drawings" are not consistent with any other house of the same type on the development highlights the bizarre Bloor argument that the rear window detailing was never supposed to be installed on our house.  There is no rhyme or reason for this, other than the suggestion that the developer deliberately changed the working drawings when they realised the mistake the brickies had made.  It's a cheaper fix to remove one window header than to add in 6 new ones, and that's only if the homeowner notices!

We are in the final stage of the complaints process.  I am waiting for a response from the Divisional Chairman.  I suspect they will continue to hide behind a blatant attempt at misleading us during the sales process, and no doubt we will end up taking legal action.

[New Home Expert]

The trouble is Bloor Homes will probably be able to provide proof that you signed as seeing the pertinent elevation drawing. It should have a drawing number and any revision listed on the form.
You should ask for a copy of this.
If there is no signed form it is your word against theirs.
No doubt they will be able to produce am elevation drawing showing what they need for any court hearing.

You could try using the Consumer Code for Home Builders. I rate your chances of success around 25% as it is controlled to protect the industry. nevertheless it is Free to lodge a complaint and will result in Bloor wasting their time answering the complaint. The CCHB could rule that Bloor Homes have to change the headers as you want.

But everyone should ask themselves why all of this is necessary as it seems clear cut, it would have cost very little to keep their customer happy. Bloor Homes don't care about this and now others should think twice (taking no notice of any 5 star rating) before making up their mind and signing to buy one of their homes!

[Midwest]

The crux of this complaint is this:

• At the time we purchased the house, the house had already been built (and therefore the error was already present).  We were not allowed to view the rear of the house during this process - it was still a building site, and we were lucky to be allowed to see the front, sides and the inside!
• During the sales process, Bloor suggest that they showed us the working designs (including the "working rear elevation drawing" showing the windows without the detailing.  At that time they suggest we reviewed these and signed them off.
• During the sales process, Bloor were explicit in not allowing us to take copies of any drawings, nor take our own photos of drawings.  It is now clear why we didn't get any copies - it's a way for Bloor to reduce the possibility of anomalies being highlighted after homeowners move in.  No drawings = no evidence.

The fact that the "working drawings" are not consistent with any other house of the same type on the development highlights the bizarre Bloor argument that the rear window detailing was never supposed to be installed on our house.  There is no rhyme or reason for this, other than the suggestion that the developer deliberately changed the working drawings when they realised the mistake the brickies had made.  It's a cheaper fix to remove one window header than to add in 6 new ones, and that's only if the homeowner notices!

I've checked back through my documentation. I've found the 'Reservation Checklist'. On that checklist, it shows we signed for & were given floor plans & elevation plans. I have the plans in front of me now. I do recall, I can't remember why, we weren't given 'Legal Layout plans & Landscaping plans', but I took pictures.

We were allowed on site during its build to view the rear, my wife wanted to see the size of rear garden and how we were overlooked by neighbours. We had to wear appropriate PPE, accompanied by sales & site agent, on an arrange day.

On our development, the brickwork is reconstructive stone. Most not all of the houses front windows, have stone headers & sills. This is reflected in my elevation plans. None of the houses have such on the rear windows.
As said before, my neighbour got some real changes done to his boundaries, after they had moved in.

@billinghamn I would keep pushing, and keep going higher up if you don't get satisfaction.