Outstanding Building Work on a New Build 3 months after completion

ging84

I moved into a new build property in December
a few weeks before completion I was told there was a chance of a delay for me to be getting access to my parking area and garage due to outstanding work on the property behind and i was asked to sign an agreement to use alternative parking. This was expected to be a short term thing, When we moved in it turned out that they had massively understated the delays, and there was significant amounts of outstanding building work. They agreed to let us store some stuff in the show house garage, this would have been an ok arrangement for a few weeks like we expected, but not something we would have agreed to for anything longer.
After 3 months of complaining and getting fobbed off when ever we asked why it's taking so long and asking for a date it would be complete, recently we were told by the site manager that we were never going to have access until the properties behind were completed, and the outstanding work was not intended to be completed until that was ready to happen. These properties were not due to be ready at the same time as ours, so really we should have been informed of this before exchange, and a proper formal agreement made through the solicitors as part of the contract of sale. Where i could have negotiated a discount or compensation arrangements, or had the choice to refuse to complete until it was 100% ready. Instead because it was only 3 weeks before completion, i had already given notice on my rental property, so i had to agree or end up homeless.

So I've now been paying our full mortgage on a nearly £250k property, for over 3 months, but have had no garage, no off street parking and my garden has been been fairly unusable yet not received any kind of discount or financial compensation for it. It has also caused me a lot of hassle, I have been constantly complaining I have been on the phone or in the sales office chasing up issues several times a week for the last 2 months, and been getting promises made which keep getting broken.
They offered an amount of compensation and were very quick to say they would be sending a cheque for this straight away. I'm going to speak to my solicitor on Monday about if it's for a suitable amount or if i should be pushing for more, and what to do with the cheque if i plan on going for more.

I just thought i would ask people what they think would be a suitable amount of compensation so i can see if i i'm way off the mark asking for more.

Doozergirl

I think you should go to your solicitor straight away and get them to deal with it! They'll probably advise on what they think you are entitled to under the contract.

You'll need to show them this document you've signed.

ging84

Doozergirl wrote: »

I think you should go to your solicitor straight away and get them to deal with it! They'll probably advise on what they think you are entitled to under the contract.

You'll need to show them this document you've signed.

What i signed was a copy of an email outlining the agreement about using alternative parking arrangements while there was no access to my parking spaces. I was never given a copy, it seemed fairly reasonable to agree to at the time had the information i had been given before actually been true. I have requested a copy of it, but they have so far refused, it was shortly after i requested the copy that the offer of compensation was made.

Doozergirl

I know that the developers like to try and protect themselves in contracts, but Anyone else would be in breach if they didn't give you full possession ipon completion. That usually means daily interest on the purchase price.

What they've done to you sounds so cocky!

I'm sure your solicitor will advise if the offer is a sensible one or if you should push for more.

ging84

If i went down the route of it being late completion up until the date everything was ready with an interest penalty of 4.5% (which i read was standard for this sort of thing base rate +4) on the full purchase price then we would already have clocked up to £3k, which is a lot more than they've offered and more than i would ever expect to get.
But it does make me wonder if that is the sort of amount they know they could be looking at if i took them to court and why they have been so keen to get this cheque out to me.