Linden Homes advice regarding new builds etc.

tjmcb

My wife and I are purchasing a new build off plan with Linden Homes, there seems to be a lot of negative press regarding standards and other Leasehold issues (ours will be freehold thankfully).

Can anyone give us any updated info regarding their experiences with Linden Homes, or any info with regard to dealing with them as a potential buyer?

There's a thread from 2015, but want a current view point. any help is welcome.

Thanks

Tim :money:

Lornapink

I'm a keen investor and I have found the major developers all much the same. What starts as an ever so friendly cant do enough for you relationship with a site rep, soon deteriorates into a squabble about snags and such like.


Just remain sceptical and expect the worst and you should be ok.


Watch out for them pressuring you into signing-off the property in their presence at handover stage in terms of snags. You need quiet and time to properly check the place over properly before signing to say you accept in terms of snags.

anselld

Lornapink wrote: »

I'm a keen investor and I have found the major developers all much the same. What starts as an ever so friendly cant do enough for you relationship with a site rep, soon deteriorates into a squabble about snags and such like.

I would agree with this. Any service after sale (snagging, faults, warranty) is non-existent. I don't know how the sales staff manage to trot out complete lies with a straight face.

More senior staff when you inevitably have to escalate problems are equally useless.

Maintenance and service for leasehold is very poor (but may not apply to OP).

dush_yant

Lornapink wrote: »

I'm a keen investor and I have found the major developers all much the same. What starts as an ever so friendly cant do enough for you relationship with a site rep, soon deteriorates into a squabble about snags and such like.


Just remain sceptical and expect the worst and you should be ok.


Watch out for them pressuring you into signing-off the property in their presence at handover stage in terms of snags. You need quiet and time to properly check the place over properly before signing to say you accept in terms of snags.

If you don't sign-off does this mean there has been no completion yet or is the conveyancing completion outside of this? And also does this mean you can't move-in until sign-off is done?

annienewbie

Bought from Linden 5 years ago, and with the benefit of hindsight, would rather still be renting (over-statement granted).

Have about 20 snagging issues, which they were intermittently responsive to. The major issue was the installation of our boiler, where their contractor failed to plug up the carbon monoxide flue, and therefore we have a CO3 leak for 12 months. They said it wasn't their issue, and the issue of the contractor. THEY CHOOSE THE CONTRACTOR!

After 4 months of emails back and forth, I had to seek legal advice, and suggested that maybe they meet me in court. 3 days after that suggestion, the boiler was fixed and they offered some cash compensation.

That said, as others have commented, their "after-care" doesn't really exist.

the-sheriff_2

We brought one of their new builds a few years ago. The area is lovely but all 15 x houses on the development have had no end of problems unfortunately.


Normal thing for a new build - your promised the earth then find once they have your money its not quite what it seems. We're still having to call them out even now - they show a lot of resistance and fail to amend snagging issues at the first time of asking.


Sadly we have a plethora of unresolved building and legal issues, its left a bitter taste in the mouth. I can appreciate that a home wont be always perfect and there will always be the need to address things after you move in, however many of the snags have just been left half done. We had a bathroom cabinet hanging off the wall for 3 months, patio slabs not installed properly and don't even get me started on the drainage. The later is a real problem with huge ramifacations, we've been lucky in comparison to some of our neighbours.


I wouldn't recommend them, a house is what you make it though and despite all the negativity and hardship with the builder - we're happy where we are. Make no mistake though, they are difficult and not particulary nice to deal with. There doesn't seem to be much of an internal process nor do they have a grasp on what they installed!!


Good luck if you go with them ..... personally I would try and find an alternative. Not a nice company.

knightstyle

If you buy early in the development the tradespeople will still be on site and prospective purchasers visiting whilst you are there finding the problems.
This makes it better to get jobs done, if not a notice in the window might bring quick results.

CarbonImage

Agreed with the above. I ended up pulling out of a new build but a close friend has had issues with Bellway - in the end he put a sign on the front lawn advising people looking round the estate not to buy a house. Problems soon got fixed after that!

Celticmuso

You only have to Google 'Linden Homes Negative Press' to find what you need. But if you need more convincing, here's the story of a friend of mine who has been locked in a battle with them for nearly 3 years. All she did was buy a new house. She had to move out 8 months later and hasn't been home since - apart from the 178 'snags' on the house (really!) - the major issue is the whole house has contaminated water supply that is harmful to humans, so of course she can't live there. They've bullied her, defamed her, called her a liar. They have changed the locks to HER home and locked her out. And now they're ignoring her. The poor girl is suicidal - and the sad thing is, they know that. Do not go near this evil company.
Whilst writing - also be aware the NHBC guarantee they offer is worthless. The NHBC take backhanders from developers (including Linden / and parent company Galliford Try) - as well as many others. The Guardian did an expose on this a while back. Basically it means they don't pursue peoples' claims against the developers. Buy an old property instead.
Also - check out the most recent case - man bought 700k home and it's built on top of 17 sewers. Google Surrey Homeowners furios with Linden Homes over sewage smell. (Daily Mail). I hope this all helps you make the right decision.

luis1988

We bought our Linden Homes new build about 2 years ago now.

To be honest, we’ve been pretty impressed with the quality of the house as well as the aftercare they gave us.

Admittedly we had some snags, as do all new builds, but none were major apart from a small leak from the bath that was fixed within 2 days, so can’t complain really.

We also found our parking was difficult at times due to the layout. Eventually Linden Homes agreed to move our spaces and even extended our rear patio and provided a shed base as a gesture of good will.

Our neighbours have had a few worse snags than us though so guess some get lucky and others don’t.

One thing I will say though is the quality of our home is a lot better than other companies like Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon.

mrtrinity

I wouldn't buy from them again. Shame.
A very bad experience. We bought a new build home (Borley Park, Botley) and gave them our key to sort out snagging problems after we moved our belongings into the house. Next day when I was at work and they worked on the house our smart alarm system recorded one of their people as he rummaged in our drawers.
The next day they sacked the man and they said sorry. I had to replace the locks, and put a new security system in place plus disposed of all the effected clothes which cost me thousands. I ask Linden to pay for some of the damage they caused because of their negligence, but I had no luck with them. Nice. I wouldn't buy from them again. Shame. A very bad experience.:mad: