Bloor Homes - mis-sold home PLAYGROUND

[lhbloorhomes]

My husband and I purchased a Bloor Homes new build 4 years ago, and at the time, we were told there was going to be a "woodland area with benches" on the grass area at the back of the property once all the building work was finished. We asked them if it was going to be a playground, as it immediately set off alarm bells, and they assured us it wasn't a playground.

Fast forward four years and the estate is nearly finished (or at least it is on the side we live).
It recently came to light that the "woodland area with benches" is absolutely going to be a playground (20 metres from my garden!). Not a big playground, but a playground nonetheless.

Of course, ourselves and neighbours around us are really not happy with this, as none of us were told it'd be a playground, and we've all said that we wouldn't have bought these houses had we known about the playground. We've all been misled into buying these houses, but I know Bloor Homes won't look at it that way.

We have been through somewhat of a complaints process with Bloor Homes who have pretty much fobbed us off, haven't even apologised and not given us any sort of fix! I've spoken to the sales office on numerous occasions, who, up until a few weeks ago apparently didn't know the area was going to be a park either. How can the sales people not know? They either lied to us, or genuinely didn't know. Either way that's not an excuse.

I'd love to sell the house and just get away from it, but saving up to move again after only four years isn't exactly what I was planning on!

Any advice would be appreciated, because I'm exhausted going through the options. So far I've contacted the Consumer Code, NHBC, Trading Standards, the local council... they've all been useless.

[New Home Expert]

This really is something your solicitor shpoudl have clarified on your behalf.
Whatver you can do now will depend on proof. This needs to be in writing.
I expect Bloor will produce something you signed confirming they showed you plans showing the area as a playground not just landscaped.
I expect the sales brochure it is a just a green area.

If you have children sales would have said play area. As you obviously didn't want a play area sales told you it wasn't. Now they claim they don't even know!

Yes Bloor have breached the Consumer Code for Home Builders. But proving it will be nigh on impossible.
All you can do is claim against your solicitor for negligence, perhaps conflict of interest if he was "recommended" by Bloor.

What is needed is an independent New Homes Ombudsman who will rule on the probability of what you claim, rather than what can be proved. Write to your MP and demand government set it up as soon as possible.

[lhbloorhomes]

Thanks for the reply New Home Expert!

Bloor Homes haven't shown me anything that I signed, they've pretty much just fobbed us off, and told us tough. A number of neighbours are currently in the exact same situation as we are, and none of us are happy about it. Even the families with children didn't know about the park.

I've had a response from the solicitor today and they have said "we had no information about the precise use to which Bloor Homes would put each part of the various areas of open space as there was only very general wording in the Transfer and in the Section 106 Agreement".

So it looks like either the solicitors are lying, because they were recommended to us by Bloor Homes, or Bloor Homes never passed on the information to begin with.

I can't believe that with all the consumer protection for items we buy in shops, cars etc, there is absolutely no protection for a new build home, which is one of the most (the most) expensive purchase you'll ever make.

I'll never buy a house with Bloor Homes again, they've trashed their reputation for me, and I'll never recommend them to another person.

[New Home Expert]

It always disadvantages new homebuyers if they use any solicitor recommended or suggested by a housebuilder. In fact, the practice should be made illegal.

Notwithstanding, you should report "your" solicitor to the SRA and Law Society. They clearly have a conflict of interest. It was obvious from the planning approval and stated in the Section 106 agreement what this land was designated to be used for. Otherwise why would Jones and the Local authority sign it?

[Bri]

Any updates on this? Bloor Homes never informed me they intended to create a communal area 20 feet from my front door. They knocked on my neighbours door informing them of these plans. I complained to the council once I found out. I told the council that no way I would allow this to go ahead, my neighbours objected too. The council agreed with us.

Bloor Homes sales staff are a bunch of liars in my personal bad experience.