Advice on a lawyer

[Ruud Van Driver]

We have an ongoing issue with Taylor Wimpey.
An insurance appointed engineer found that the flue to our boiler was incorrectly fitted at installation because "flue lengths were cut too short, damaged elbow and missing seals".
Taylor Wimpey have sent their own independent engineer but they are refusing to share their findings (which I'm not surprised at).
Carbon monoxide has been leaking into our home, which explains why I get headaches and nauseous when working at home.  Fortunately, we have a three-storey townhouse and neither of us spend that much time on the top floor.*

We've been without running hot water and heating since 30th December 2016 because the engineer shut down our boiler on the grounds that it was dangerously unsafe.

I'm now more than fed up with Taylor Wimpey's constant procrastination and prevarication.
Despite assuring me that they would take this matter seriously and take any necessary measures, they are stonewalling us because I am unable to retrieve the last service report from the engineers that repaired our boiler under our home emergency insurance policy and serviced it at the same time.
I'm going to go ahead and have the flue repaired myself (home emergency insurance doesn't cover flues) and hold Taylor Wimpey liable for all costs.

I've since learned that Taylor Wimpey have had issues on other developments  around the UK with boilers and subsequent carbon monoxide emissions. Indeed, on our development a string of boiler failures prompted Taylor Wimpey  to install carbon monoxide alarm monitors on every home on site (almost 300).

My question: Can anyone recommend a law firm in the South East of England that has experience of taking on Taylor Wimpey in such cases? To be clear, I'm looking for a lawyer with specific experience of boiler and/or flue issues against Taylor Wimpey.


*I'm not interested in going down the route of looking for compensation for the carbon monoxide issue. it would be near impossible to prove that either of us have, or have had, any ill effects so I wouldn't waste my time.

[New Home Expert]

I have been running this forum since 2012 and this is by far the most alarming post made.
Most of the housebuilders have issues with electrics and gas from time to time after the so called inspection certificate has been signed off.

This is why I made it a recommendation To the APPG Inquiry that all gas and electrical installations be inspected and signed off by an independent qualified inspector and not the installer or the sub contractor company. The APPG Inquiry Into the quality of new homes was a year ago. Sadly this didn't get included in the Report recommendations when it was published in July.

I would suggest you contact Geoff Peter at wingrovelaw.co.uk today.
Tel: 01904 799400  Mobile: 07711 893943
He is based in Yorkshire but operates nationally and specialises in litigation against housebuilders on behalf of new homebuyers. I expect he would be able to start a class action against Taylor Wimpey.
If he cannot help you perhaps you could try this organisation:
The Technology and Construction Solicitors Association


Can you either PM me more details of the other sites that Taylor Wimpey have the same issue on namely incorrectly fitted and dangerous boilers and carbon monoxide.  I find it incredulous that Taylor Wimpeys solution is the fit Co2 alarms rather than ensure the problem is properly investigated and prevented from happening in future homes.

You could use the Consumer Code for Home Builder Adjudication Scheme, but this would only recover your costs and £250 maximum inconvenience payment. This is why a New Homes Ombudsman is needed.
Please sign this petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/167660 and ask your neighbours to do so too!