Shared Ownership Property not up to scratch!

diamond

HELP!!

I have just completed on my Shared ownership flat and quite frankly the whole process was shoddy.

There is so much I could go into but the main things are that they have no idea who the utility suppliers are, there are lots of faults that need tidying up (like a kitchen unit still incomplete). They told me someone would meet me at the property to give me keys with a welcome pack etc. The day I completed they sent my keys by courier, no letter no instructions on who to contact about any problems nothing.

My purchase included a parking space, every time I have been to the flat someone else is parked in the place allocated to me and no spaces have been given numbers as I was told they would.

My biggest bug bear and this is where I am hoping you can help is my radiators. My living room is 6m x 3.5m and my ceilings are around 4m high, a big room. They have put the smallest radiator you can think of in the room! I'm amazed considering one entire wall of my flat is window, floor to ceiling. Are they joking? How do I complain? How do I tell them that this cannot be right.

any advice appreciated.

diamond

bumping up could do with some advice!

lynzpower

Im a shared owner as well

in terms of the radiator, sorry, but like any property ( aside from builders off plan) sold as seen, caveat emptor etc. Nothing you can do im afriad, aside from replace it at your own cost. You must have viewed the place? Did you not notice this?

If you feel let down by the housing association then you wil have recourse to thier complaints procedure.

Your parking space should be allocated, ask your housing officer - if you dont know who they are, phone and ask.

Every new build whether its shared ownership or not will have a certain degree of snagging to do. Again ask your housing officer about this and who the builders are and how the snagging process works.

Hope this helps

courtjester

As far as the parking space, it is probably being used by people because until your sale, that space was always free and they have got used to the free parking. Try printing some polite notices advising that the space is now allocated and you would appreciate their cooperation in parking elsewhere as this is a private space - perhaps even leave your name mobile for them to call you to discuss if its always the same car as it's most likely another resident who may not know which is their space....

Utility - make sure you have noted the meter reading(s), then just wait for a bill. Sooner or later, whoever provides the service will want to charge someone. The association will know who the utilities are provided by (any contact details shown on the meter(s)?). Or you could contact the main supplier(s) for your area to check.

Debt_Free_Chick

diamond wrote:

There is so much I could go into but the main things are that they have no idea who the utility suppliers are

Contact the local distribution company - see questions 4 and 12 on that link.

lynzpower

thinking about this a bit more, your solicitor should have checked who the utilities providers were before exchange- was this not done?

bunking_off

lynzpower wrote:

in terms of the radiator, sorry, but like any property ( aside from builders off plan) sold as seen, caveat emptor etc. Nothing you can do im afriad, aside from replace it at your own cost. You must have viewed the place? Did you not notice this?

Nope. Complain to the builders. Put thermometers in there to gather evidence. Building regs dictate a particular rad size for room dimension...in our place, because the living room faced north it was always too cold, and in the end the builders replaced both radiators in the room with double units. Be persistent - they'll try to wear you down.

lynzpower

thanks for that bunking off, I had no idea - learn omething new every day

kebl0826

diamond wrote:

HELP!!

I have just completed on my Shared ownership flat and quite frankly the whole process was shoddy.

Shared ownership I beleive, is regulated by the office of the deputy prime minister. There must therefore be an outlet for registering a complaint.

Also, if this is a new or recent build, did it come with a 10-year NHBC warranty?

lynzpower

kebl0826 wrote:

Shared ownership I beleive, is regulated by the office of the deputy prime minister. There must therefore be an outlet for registering a complaint.

Also, if this is a new or recent build, did it come with a 10-year NHBC warranty?

there is- the housing corporation manage housing associations.

bunking_off

kebl0826 wrote:

Also, if this is a new or recent build, did it come with a 10-year NHBC warranty?

Must admit I'd sort of assumed that given the mention of half-finished kitchen. Reading again though, I could have read too much into it & I suppose it could be an existing property that's just been done up.