202 snags and counting on persimmon new build

[dazla36]

We have recently moved in to a new property and have been absolutely appalled with the quality and finish of our new house.  We were forced to move in to an unfinished house, which had missing electric box door, substandard brickwork and mortar stains/snots all over, bent lintel over front door with 40mm sealed gap between frame and lintel, weep vents hanging out of wall in numerous locations, damp patches in garage due to possible back falling wall ties or obstruction in the cavity, no gate,  creaking floor boards, (should be glued and screwed),  hungry joints all over right gable end, 3 x 3 quarter bricks above garage as they lost gauge, cracked brickwork/perp joints due to house being crashed in to by site operative,  pillars rebuilt due to this and the garage door would not close due to top 7 courses being out of plumb,  additional lintel and damp course on gable due to incorrect setting out of window,  waste pipe exit points to soil stack have not been sealed,  trip hazard in garden due to no top soiling in areas,  shed located in wrong position and refusing to move it (we have signed paperwork from sales and quantity surveyor to advise site staff on position of shed), mortar needs tinting due to rebuilding pillars. 

We have already contacted local authority, who were very helpful and pointed us in the direction of LABC warranty as they provide the warranty and not NHBC.   Any advice on the best course of action would be greatly appreciated.  We have threatened them with legal action, but I get the feeling they couldn't care less

thanks
Darren

[New Home Expert]

This is a Persimmon new home and the service and standard of build is unfortunately, to be expected!
they are rated just three stars by their own customers for the last 3 years. Only 7 of their 390 site mangers on average have won an NHBC Quality award over the last 4 years.

Good luck with the LABC warranty.  You will find they are not as consumer friendly as the much maligned NHBC. I always recommend that new home buyers walk away from any new home if it does not have an NHBC warranty.  There is always a reason and it is often a warning!

So what can you do?
Most of what you list is rectifiable and would be attended to by most house builders.
But as you have discovered, Persimmon are not one of those housebuilders!

Until there is a new homes ombudsman, your only course of action is via the warranty, then the courts. It will be a long and possibly expensive process. Be aware also that Persimmon use an  aggressive firm of solicitors (Gateleys), who I know have sent some quite appalling and  threatening letters to at least one Persimmon home buyer, to bat away buyers complaints.

Please write to your MP today.
Tell him/her of your dreadful experience with Persimmon. Ask that Persimmon be stopped from selling their homes using Help to Buy. Insist that they write to housing minister Alok Sharma and DCLG secretary of State Sajid Javid to  appoint an independent New Homes Ombudsman who would be able to help you.

[dazla36]

Thanks for your reply.
I was supposed to be receiving a call from the customer care manager today, which didn't happen.  I am now in the process of sending another email and will be contacting my solicitor on Monday.
I have also contacted the HSE regarding safety issues on site, and that made feel a lot better .

I do find it strange that Persimmon state they will try to correct any snags withing 28 days, but we are well past that date now  and they still have over 100 snags to rectify.  Would you say that the structural integrity of our house would be at risk as we have stihl saw cuts in the mortar beds on the front right corner as they are replacing these bricks?  this has been like that for almost 2 weeks now.  Thanks

[New Home Expert]

I doubt that joints cut out by and angle grinder would cause structural issues short term.
Even if it did, Persimmon or the LABC would have to step in and reinstate it.

Persimmon state they will try to correct any snags within 28 days

If at first they don't succeed they should try, try again!
It isn't strange it's Persimmon! 
If it wasn't for Bovis, they would be Britain's worst housebuilder.

All you can do is keep writing to them with your lists.
Write to the CEO Jeff Fairburn if necessary.
He doesn't care either, but he should at least know how bad his homes are as he trousers his £120million bonus!  He doesn't have a publicly available  e mail, he even hides behind his PA!
jacqueline.fennon@persimmonhomes.com