David Wilson Homes

dmg24

I have lived in my David Wilson apartment for eighteen months now, and despite endless contact with them, still have a list of outstanding faults.

I wrote to them at the beginning of August, giving them 30 days to resolve all faults, or I would make a claim through the small claims court. The faults varied in severity, and I am glad to say that, two days before the deadline, the more trivial ones were sorted out.

I am now left with the following faults:

* My blocked pave driveway is sinking (yes, sinking!). I have been advised that this can happen when a driveway is incorrectly laid.

* My bin store is just mud (it was never paved or concreted).

* My draining board does not drain (it dips in the middle).

(This is not bad considering that the original list was a typed page of A4!).

We currently have a relief site manager, as our usual one is off sick. I have been able to speak to him today, and he is making a good effort to get the first two problems sorted.

The site manager contacted the customer services director and advised him of the problem with the sink. He has said that they will not replace it, and seems unwilling to even offer a repair.

Because the sink is cream, and because of the amount of time that the fault has been present, it has now stained, so even if a repair was offered, it would probably not be adequate (unless they have some magic cleaning solution!). I have advised DW that I shall now take this issue to small claims, with my claim being for a new sink.

I'm not being unreasonable am I? I feel like it would have been easier to buy an old wreck of a house and do it up myself (my next project)!

Stan_Morris

dmg24 wrote: »

I have lived in my David Wilson apartment for eighteen months now, and despite endless contact with them, still have a list of outstanding faults.

I wrote to them at the beginning of August, giving them 30 days to resolve all faults, or I would make a claim through the small claims court. The faults varied in severity, and I am glad to say that, two days before the deadline, the more trivial ones were sorted out.

I am now left with the following faults:

* My blocked pave driveway is sinking (yes, sinking!). I have been advised that this can happen when a driveway is incorrectly laid.

* My bin store is just mud (it was never paved or concreted).

* My draining board does not drain (it dips in the middle).

(This is not bad considering that the original list was a typed page of A4!).

We currently have a relief site manager, as our usual one is off sick. I have been able to speak to him today, and he is making a good effort to get the first two problems sorted.

The site manager contacted the customer services director and advised him of the problem with the sink. He has said that they will not replace it, and seems unwilling to even offer a repair.

Because the sink is cream, and because of the amount of time that the fault has been present, it has now stained, so even if a repair was offered, it would probably not be adequate (unless they have some magic cleaning solution!). I have advised DW that I shall now take this issue to small claims, with my claim being for a new sink.

I'm not being unreasonable am I? I feel like it would have been easier to buy an old wreck of a house and do it up myself (my next project)!

It's not unresonable to expect a *new* home to be up to scratch, going to court might be a bit premature though.

Did your flat come with a NHBC warrenty?

If so it might be time to get them involved.

http://www.nhbc.co.uk/Aboutus/Contactus/

Good luck sorting it out.

dmg24

Thanks Stan,

I have a Zurich warranty, which is the equivalent of the NHBC one. From the information I have, I can't tell if it covers internal items as well as the structure of the building? I'll find a number and give them a call.

I did have another, more extreme idea (I wouldn't do this unless they started being really pedantic). I know I am not the only one that still has outstanding faults, but many people just accept them and write them off to a bad experience (a very expensive one!). I thought about popping a quick note through everybody's door, compiling a list of all the faults, and passing it on to the local press (they are still trying to sell houses in the area!).

The latter is only an idea ... I'll only be as petty as they are!

dmg24

Excellent news, I have spoken to Zurich (who didn't seem at all surprised with my complaint), and they have advised me to fill in a claim form and they will intervene. They have told me to note down all the faults that have not been completed, not just the sink.

Will see what happens next! x

Networkguy

Look on the bright side.

Go to www.snagging.org and then realise that if you buy a David Wilson home and have less than 10 pages of faults, you are one of the lucky ones.

You will also find a lot of help on that site regarding new home problems.

dmg24

Very true Networkguy ...

Was in the pub on Sunday and described some of the faults I had had ... and then asked if anybody wanted to buy my house!

Am actually considering whether to go through Zurich or not at the moment, or whether just to go to small claims. I want to get the house on the market next month, and if I go through Zurich it could take even longer than court.

I do have a problem that I didn't mention above, because I didn't know how to describe it. Here goes ...

On the interior of the window frames (the bit that you see when you open the windows), practically every one has chunks of plastic missing. Also one window has a chip in it, which appears to be in between the panes. The only way I can see for them to resolve these issues is to replace the frames and/ or panes. Can't see them liking that too much!

The frustrating thing is that I know tradespeople that could resolve all the faults (at a cost!). Looks like I am now going to have to delay putting the property on the market (at which point I may hide this thread)! x

Stan_Morris

dmg24 wrote: »

Very true Networkguy ...

Was in the pub on Sunday and described some of the faults I had had ... and then asked if anybody wanted to buy my house!

Am actually considering whether to go through Zurich or not at the moment, or whether just to go to small claims. I want to get the house on the market next month, and if I go through Zurich it could take even longer than court.

I do have a problem that I didn't mention above, because I didn't know how to describe it. Here goes ...

On the interior of the window frames (the bit that you see when you open the windows), practically every one has chunks of plastic missing. Also one window has a chip in it, which appears to be in between the panes. The only way I can see for them to resolve these issues is to replace the frames and/ or panes. Can't see them liking that too much!

The frustrating thing is that I know tradespeople that could resolve all the faults (at a cost!). Looks like I am now going to have to delay putting the property on the market (at which point I may hide this thread)! x

Going to court will take many months, and the court may not be happy that you didn't first try to claim from the insurance scheme (as going to court is supposed to be when all else has failed).

Consider starting a www.mydavidwilsonapartmentfelltobits.co.uk website to try to speed up the process of getting things sorted out, as if they have yet to flog off all of the development, bad press will be the last thing they'll want.

dmg24

Stan_Morris wrote: »

Going to court will take many months, and the court may not be happy that you didn't first try to claim from the insurance scheme (as going to court is supposed to be when all else has failed).

Consider starting a www.mydavidwilsonapartmentfelltobits.co.uk website to try to speed up the process of getting things sorted out, as if they have yet to flog off all of the development, bad press will be the last thing they'll want.

I have made claims before and it was ever so quick (can't remember exact timeframe, 'ever so quick' is possibly an exaggeration!), and the courts should be quiet at the mo with all the bank charges claims being stayed!

My reasoning for possibly going to the courts first is that I could actually be mitigating my circumstances in doing so (assuming it would be quicker - I'll ring the CC to see what timeframe I am looking at currently). There is logic behind my thinking, I'll explain when I've taken my face mask off!

Can I start the website after I have sold mine please?!! I'm actually very tempted to get that address!