Mis-sold new build?

Jackornator

Hello, thanks for reading my thread! I'm looking for some advice. In February this year we bought our first house, a new build build by Barratt Homes. The particular house we bought was sold to us on the basis that it would be the only detached house of this model built and now 10 months later we have decided to sell.

We first contacted Barratts to ask them if they would be willing to buy the house back but they have declined so we have had an estate agent in who are now advertising our house. We have noticed however (as the housing estate is only currently half built), that there are new houses being built which are the same as ours and detached so I have just checked on the Barratts website and their site plans have been updated showing that there will now be 3 detached houses of this type built.

The house has clearly been mis-sold but what are the implications of this? I havent' been notified that they intended on changing their site plan, and when buying the house the sales pitch was emphasising how unique this plot was. Please help!

As we are looking to sell we would be grateful if we could simply sell back to Barretts, do you think this would be possible?

Jack

dawyldthing

i'd be surprised if they bought it back but you are selling it on rather quick after buying as they usually lose quite abit of value as its like cars, as soon as someones been in the price goes down

pinkshoes

Why are you selling after just 10 months?

Do you have anything in writing? If not, then just sell and move on.

BitterAndTwisted

The house hasn't "been clearly mis-sold" unless you got an undertaking in writing that they definitely wouldn't be building any more detached houses on this development.

Frankly, I think you're clutching at straws. Flogging a new-build after only 10 months is crackers. It's a second-hand house now and is going to achieve a whole lot less than you paid for it. Probably. You're in competition with pristine, brand, spanking-new houses, most likely to the new owners' spec as well.

okborednow

I can understand how annoyed you must be but there is a good chance it's not deliberate on Barratt's part. We rang up to reserve a plot only to be told the plans had changed that very day in line with customer feedback and what was selling so the whole site plan looked fairly different. We ended up going for another style than we planned as it had not been available in Phase 1. It is likely when your house sold to you that that was the only planned house of that style but that there was subsequently a lot of interest in it so the decision was made to amend the next phase.

Jackornator

Thank you for the replies, the reason that I'm clutching at straws is because that I'm selling, I'm in competition with those houses which are currently being built and if my property is no longer unique, I no longer have a strong selling point so its very important for me that it is the only detached house of this type built. All that I have from when we purchased is the original site plan....

The reason for the early sale is both my partner and I both have new jobs in new locations so we are having to relocate.

Lord_Baltimore

A developer will build that which is proven to sell. It's fairly common practice for site layouts and build options to change; they're under no obligation to 'clear' this with anyone but the Planning Authority.

Generally, price will have gone down a little on a new build in the short term but these are strange times; yours may be worth a little bit more and/or you may get your money back.

Stop licking your wounds and get on the open market. Good luck.

jacques_chirac

Very frustrating but you will not get anywhere, unless you have it in writing and you can prove it was material to the contract. I bought from Barratts on the basis that the development would all be owner occupied, there would be no rentals here, needless to say there was. I was young and naive but knew I could do nothing about it - except learn never to take the word of a salesman again

Jackornator

Im learning very quickly not to trust salesmen! Im worried that not having the 'edge' in the open market will mean that I'm going to lose my deposit money.....

nidO

I would be willing to bet that you were told something along the lines of "have to current plans to build any more of this type" if you were even told that much rather than just being given a site plan and making your own conclusions.
Plans change, and home builders will has been mentioned build what sells, if the planning authority are happy to allow requested changes.

Building_Surveyor

Jackornator wrote: »

Im learning very quickly not to trust salesmen! Im worried that not having the 'edge' in the open market will mean that I'm going to lose my deposit money.....

You bought a new build anyway not a unique one off country cottage. Most are built the same anyway, another development down the road will have the same. What 'edge' were you expecting?