Persimmon Homes

Furryconker

Hi all,

Just looking for a bit of advice/experiences with regards to Persimmon Homes and issues with them.

We bought a new build property from them in June 2013 (so our 3 year anniversary is incoming). We've had numerous annoying issues which you (well we didn't) wouldn't expect from a new build house. Last November I had to fork out £200 to replace failed valves on our hot water system. The plumber we used had to install and rewire in new types of valve at Persimmons contractor had installed obsolete valves and Persimmon had washed their hands of it saying they were perishable parts.

We now have a larger issue which I cannot believe I have no comeback on.

We currently have at least 2 leaks in the ceiling space over the living room. They have grown into large L shaped marks and seem to originate from the hot water cylinder (once again) and head towards the front wall and the radiators we have installed there. We also have a 3rd leak at the rear of the bath that seems linked to a waste pipe (its directly below where the waste goes into the floor space).

I've had ongoing dialogue with Persimmon Yorkshire (their Customer Service Manager) and got nowhere. He basically wants categorical photographic proof its an installation issue and not a "service or parts" issue which means either ripping up chipboard floors upstairs OR taking the ceiling down in the living room with NO guarantee they will do anything anyways.

I'm struggling to get my head around why a not even 3 year old house should develop so many problems and to not have any come back on it. I'm at my wits end....worried about the cost this will drop on me....

Does anybody have any advice/experiences to share ? Any thing will be of help. I mean you buy a car and you have no MOT for 3 years....surely house can't be build, potentially sub standard and there be nothing that can be done bar forking out more money ?

Thanks,

Phil

sophscottx

Hi

Not sure if you're still looking at this thread however we're just going through the process of buying a new Persimmons home and we've gained a 10 year guarantee for the build itself including pipes etc.

I'm shocked they won't do anything for you!

Have you threatened to take it to press? I've seen a few with Persimmons who've taken things to paper to get stuff done about it, not that that's ideal but maybe better than what you're going through!

IF you have all your original papers you should be able to go to head office and complain about it.

DONT STAND DOWN

dgtazzman

I assume that's the NHBC guarantee, which is probably worth as much as the paper it is written on. They'll usually only get involved in major structural issues, if they can't find some excuse to wash their hands with it.

Press? Pointless, Persimmon has so much bad press, they just don't care anymore, they are still getting their houses sold.

Rented a Persimmon house for 4 years, terrible. Paper thin walls, bad quality finish all round and the sewage piping backed up at least once every 6 months (plumber told me they had used piping with a diameter that was too small to transport toilet waste).

Was going to buy one of their houses last year, but had such a bad experience with the sales staff, I pulled out. They outright lied to me before I signed the reservation form as to what was included as standard fitting, meaning it would have cost at least another 10 grand to bring the house up to the spec I thought I was buying.

That's my experience of Persimmon.

sophscottx

No matter what company you go for; Bellway, Persimmons, Taylor Whimpey etc. Everyone has bad experiences.

You hear more about the bad than you do the good, of course.

Both my brother and my partners sister have bought Persimmons houses in our area and have had great experiences, my sister bought Bellway and had horrific experience with them.

I don't have much experience in it all but my father in law used to work for these companies as a joiner before he retired, the horror stories are horrendous, only thing you can do is fight, as long as everything is in writing then at least you have some sort of ground to stand on.

Nothing ever works in the buyers favour sadly, new builds are always going to bring problems I guess!