Hi everyone,
First post so go easy
So I purchased a new build property in November 2015. 3rd (top) floor flat.
On getting in to see the property, even before the keys were handed over, I noticed that there was a very noticable slant from the inner to the outer walls. I reported this at the time and was told that it was part of the settlement of the building and that it would be addressed after the first year had passed to allow time for the settlement to complete.
So a year passed and the defects (cracks and other stuff) were getting addresses but still no one really mentioned what would be done with this slant throughout the property which had gotten steadily worse over the course of the year. Various visits have taken place since with most folk saying that they havent seen anything like it before and not sure what the issue is.
Things have come to a head when I started to get somewhat ratty about how long the issue was taking etc and so eventually had a visit yesterday from one of the directors of the building company who has told me what the plan is to resolve he problem.
The timber frame company and the contracting builder want to move me out of the property for 2 weeks and empty the property of all my possessions to allow them to get the floor up and find out what is happening underneath it.
They are satisfied that the building itself is structurally sound. This has been an ongoing saga and caused real stress over the course of the last 20 months which the builder acknowledges. Actual action being taken only seems to have gained momentum since I talked about contacting local press and of compensation for the issue. Yesterday he has offered me (and my partner) £500 for each week that we are out of the property plus £1,000 compensation for the hassle.
So I guess what I'm asking is, is he being reasonable/unreasonable?
My take on this is that I shouldnt be out of pocket for a penny of this work getting done and I was also advised to not move out of the property for anything less than £200 per day to cover my costs.
This not to mention that I am going to have to take the two weeks off work unpaid (as is my partner) plus will have to find kennels for the dogs for the 14 nights and all this before a penny compensation, taking into account the problem over the 18 months and the fact that I literally have to put my life on hold for a fortnight not to mention having to pack everything up beforehand and unpack again once we are back in. I'm trying basically to find a balance between not seeming greedy but also not wanting to be fleeced by taking much less than I might be due. If I'm honest I just dont feel that £2,000 covers my costs and the inconvenience that has been and will be caused going forward.
Apologies for the long winded post but just wanted to put people in the frame and hope that they are able to point me in the right direction.
Thanks for any help in advance
James.