Help! Badly Built House

montypython_3

Help, Newbie here in need of some advice (I'm sorry this is long but please dont be put off)

Myself and my wife purchased a new build property a year ago. This was our 3rd new build as we like the peace of mind that the house is in good repair, how wrong were we!

It started the day we moved in a turned up at the agreed time, with a van full of wooden flooring to lay, to find that none of the work on our snagging list had been done. No problem mistakes happen we put our moving in day back 24 hours and stay at our parents.

We should have known then the property wouldnt be right from then. We've had broken fittings, dodgy plaster, broken boilers huge cracks. We had roof tiles fall off to be told by an independent builder they were not fitted correctly in the first place. Each time we contacted the builders we were told sorry not our fault its not covered by the warranty.

The most major was a flood which ruined all our wooden flooring in the kitchen and hallway. We have an outside tap the pipe has been switched off under the sink as we moved in in winter and builders said they didnt want it to freeze.
When we turned it on in summer to fill our toddlers paddling pool we returned from the garden to find water coming out of the walls, out of the cupboards and out from under the floor.

On investigation it turned out the builkder had put a large screw through the pipe in the wall whilst securing the kitchen wall cupboards. We were initially again told by the builders that damage to wooden flooring is not covered. After a week of heated negotiating they eventually agreed to replace the flooring.

We share out drains with our four neighbours. About a week ago my neighbour had a sewer assessor out from her insurance company as she had raw sewage coming out the manhole cover into her garden. They traced the blockage back to the main drain on my property. Her insurers would not cover this as it was not on her land.

I originally called the builders who said blocked drains are wear and tear and can happen any time so they are not covered by warranty! Only been there a year!

I called my insurers who sent an engineer out. He put a camera down and found there is a lump of concrete in the piepwork. My insurers will not correct this as in their report they have put the problem is not covered as it is due to poor design and build quality.

They have stated that the pipework is smaller than it should be therefore the only way to correct the problem is to dig up the whole area, as the problem will keep arising, they have suggested I contact the builders. The property has a 10 year NHBC guarantee.

I am about to fax a copy of the report but here is where I want your help what should I put on the covering letter? The manholes are directly outside my property and if they are dug up I will not be able to get access.

I have an 11 month old daughter and dont want her near anywhere that has raw sewage problems!

With all the problems I am having I have lost faith in the build quality of the house.

What should I ask for in the letter? Do you think it be reasonable I ask for financial compensation for the problems, worrying and inconvenience I'm having?

Kaminari_2

Are you going to give us any more information?

Pull it down and start again?

montypython_3

sorry, saved it halfway through as at work at minute. Its all on there now

Doozergirl

Big housebuilder or relatively local?

montypython_3

Its relatively big not one of the huge ones but not local if you know what I mean?

Norma_Desmond

This is AWFUL! I'd almost be tempted to by-pass the builders and take your complaints and issues straight to the local press - there's nothing like a bit of adverse publicity to galvanise people into action.
My house is 200 years old and the worst I've had is a loose slate; it's time for you to cook up a REAL fuss about this!

Doozergirl

You need the name of the MD. Send a letter, handwritten to them, marked 'private and confidential' so it looks personal. It generally means it doesn't get diverted to the relevant department by a secretary before it makes it to the right hands. Once the boss asks for something to get done, it gets done. Shame you couldn't have sent it in a red envelope yesterday

Have you read through your NHBC policy to see if that will cover the sewer issue?

Name and shame the builder, come on!

montypython_3

Thanks Norma and Doozergirl.

Its nice to know people understand where I'm coming from as when I phone the builders they seem to suggest these things happen on all houses and I'm moaning about nothing. Its not just my house I know a lot of people on the estate have had lots of issues.

We bought this house as our first family house a place to grow our family however now I just wonder what will go wrong next month.

What should I ask them for in the letter I want to teach them they cant fob me off but what is realistic compensation to ask for?

Doozergirl

I think you just need to be very reasonable and exclude as much personal stuff as you can and just deal with the main issue in hand which is the drain.

A strong closing statement along the lines of having paid a premium for a new build house, and whilst being realistic that some more minor snagging will occur (and has occured), burying concrete in your soil pipe is by no means acceptable; it has already caused a public health hazard and will continue to do so in the future. They put it there and it is only reasonable that they get it out.

I don't know if I'd ask for compensation first off. I'd just want the letter actioned to start of with and people are always most responsive to polite requests. Once you get a phonecall from them (fingers crossed) and they arrange to (sigh) dig up the garden then you should probably ask politely what kind of compensation you will receive?

Don't fax it. Send a proper letter with a copy of the report (can you send your neighbour's one too?) which supports how serious the issue is.

montypython_3

Thanks Doozer Girl

I just tried to call the Customer Service manager to let her know I had got the report but she is not in today and will apparently call me back tomorrow. I've heard that before!

The neighbour has not got a report as such because her insurers just told her it was on my land so my problem.

I dont want compensation to financially gain from this but as you said I paid a premium for a brand new house with no structure problems and I'm not getting the goods I paid for.

Am I right in thinking you tend to pay more for a brand new house than a "Used" house as it is supposed to be tip top condition?

Do you think I would be unreasonable asking them for compensation?

The nighbour concerned has her house up for sale as she is fed up with all the problems!

Doozergirl

You pay a premium for a new build because the builder has the marketing budget to make people think they're buying something in tip top condition.

In reality, they're mass produced, not exactly made with love, though I wouldn't go so far as to say that they're not well made; we have the strictest building regulations in the world!

You have to expect things to wear in and settle. Even stuff like boilers breaking you have to accept because we all know that sometimes we buy new things and they don't work.

I don't think you'd be unreasonable asking for compensation, I just persoanlly thin you need to get a commitment to repair before you start another potential argument!