First time buyer! Help needed.

NPDA

Hi All,

I am in the process of finding a new build home, I have visited a couple of new housing developments and finally found something which I would like to buy.

However, when discussing the details with the sales team they told me I wouldn't be given the dimensions of the outside of the property until much later, due to the plot division not being complete and is subject to change.

As anyone else gone through something like this before?

How do you ensure the plot area you have been shown in a sales office is what you are actually buying? For example if they tell you the garden would be 10mx10m and half way through it you end up with a garden which is now 6mx6m.

Is there any safe guards which would prevent the above from happening?

Let me know your thoughts.

Cheers!

Cakeguts

Why not buy something that is already built and lived in? You can then see how the site has developed and you can also see exactly what you are buying. It will also be cheaper.

NPDA

Cakeguts wrote: »

Why not buy something that is already built and lived in? You can then see how the site has developed and you can also see exactly what you are buying. It will also be cheaper.

I am planning on using help to buy, so it wouldn't work with a pre-owned house.

Thanks!

bhughes1986

Are you telling us that there is no site plan available at all? Do you have a link to the development?

I suppose that you could reserve the plot (is it built yet?) which would be in the region of £500. If the plot size isn't as expected then simply don't exchange contracts. You might lose your reservation fee however.

ACG

I doubt it would change by that much, it may be more than instead of it being 10x10m that it is 9.7m x 10.1m - still smaller but not 40% smaller.

If something is important to you, get it in writing. If it is not in writing, there is no guarantees.

NPDA

The development in question is the David Wilson homes at Castle Hill in Ebbsfleet. Sorry can’t post links yet.

They do have a site plan, however they don’t seem to want to commit to plot sizes at the moment.

Thanks!

jonnygee2

However, when discussing the details with the sales team they told me I wouldn't be given the dimensions of the outside of the property until much later, due to the plot division not being complete and is subject to change.

Something seems a bit off here. Surely they know what the division will look like? There must be plans of the site etc. If for some reason it hasn't been decided yet, it seems this would be a good point for them to decide (they are trying to sell the houses now, so...)

I think I'd just lean on them a bit to at least commit to a minimum size. If they won't agree, I think I'd just refuse to proceed until they got it sorted. They won't be able to exchange any contracts etc until they do and I doubt you'd be the only person put off.

Cakeguts

David Wilson homes is owned by Barratt. Have you looked at the reviews for their houses? If not I would suggest that you do so that at least you know what you are going to be buying.

NPDA

jonnygee2 wrote: »

Something seems a bit off here. Surely they know what the division will look like? There must be plans of the site etc. If for some reason it hasn't been decided yet, it seems this would be a good point for them to decide (they are trying to sell the houses now, so...)

I think I'd just lean on them a bit to at least commit to a minimum size. If they won't agree, I think I'd just refuse to proceed until they got it sorted. They won't be able to exchange any contracts etc until they do and I doubt you'd be the only person put off.

Their sales team came back with the following:

Unfortunately we are not able to confirm any sizes in writing as everything on a new build property is subject to change. The working drawings we have show sizes of the property, internally but nothing externally. The garage is located alongside the house with a driveway in front, but again there are no confirmed garage sizes available. The location of the garage and driveway will be shown on the conveyance plan, which again is a legal document and shows your boundaries, but again no sizes are given.

Even the marketing drawing, layout of the properties we hand out to customers does say in small print at the bottom that sizes are subject to change and should not be relied upon.

I am going to walk away from this, unless they change their mind and give me the plot dimensions, seems ridiculous to me that anyone would just take a leap of faith like this...

Thanks!