Anyone bought a new Bloor home?

Postik

I was all set to reserve a Bloor home. Jumped through various hoops over several weeks to reserve one. At the very end of the long 2 hour long reservation meeting they dropped the bombshell that I "must" use their "recommended" mortgage broker and solicitor.

When I explained that my mortgage was already sorted and I have my own solicitor, their friendly attitude suddenly became very hostile. Apparently I was "doing my own thing" (their words) which would cause delays in the process. They told me to go away and come back in 2 weeks to see if the plot was still for sale. In other words, they wouldn't sell to me if I used my own conveyancer. Which not only breaks the Consumer Code For Home Builders that they sign up to, but I suspect it might also be illegal.

Anyway I ran a mile and never did hear from them again. I kept a close eye on their Trustpilot page and noticed any negative reviews are quickly buried by reviews such as, "We called by the sales office on Sunday afternoon and the sales lady was lovely" so I think it's safe to say their 4.5 star rating is skewed by people who either haven't bought anything, or have only just completed and haven't had any issues yet.

With that said a friend of mine has a Bloor home on the same estate I was going to buy, and he's very happy with it, albeit he did use their solicitor "because it was easier".

Grumpy_chap said:

John Bloor still owns and directs Bloor Homes and takes a certain pride in the company, it's outputs and successes.  
Bloor Homes are a large company, but you are not dealing a faceless national housebuilder but a company where the Owner / Director is still driving the success of the firm.

Whilst that may have once been true, based on my experience and countless others that I've since read about, I think they aspire to be "like the big boys" and as such some of their underhand tactics and sharp practices reflect this.

Their houses do look lovely, I'll give you that. But I would not trust them as far as I can throw them.

Grumpy_chap

Postik said:

.

Grumpy_chap said:

John Bloor still owns and directs Bloor Homes and takes a certain pride in the company, it's outputs and successes.  
Bloor Homes are a large company, but you are not dealing a faceless national housebuilder but a company where the Owner / Director is still driving the success of the firm.

Whilst that may have once been true, based on my experience and countless others that I've since read about, I think they aspire to be "like the big boys" and as such some of their underhand tactics and sharp practice reflects this.

Their houses do look lovely, I'll give you that. But I would not trust them as far as I can throw them.

You are correct that Bloor Homes are of a certain size.
My previous comment was in the light of my professional work including a number of national and local housebuilders and, in that capacity, I have always found Bloor Homes fair and reasonable to engage with.
I also understand that my experience, in a professional work relationship, may differ from that of a customer (though I would hope that is not the case).
I did not include that detail in my previous post as I focused on the clear fact about ownership, rather than view or experience that may be irrelevant to most contributors to this thread.

MultiFuelBurner

Postik said:

I was all set to reserve a Bloor home. Jumped through various hoops over several weeks to reserve one. At the very end of the long 2 hour long reservation meeting they dropped the bombshell that I "must" use their "recommended" mortgage broker and solicitor.

When I explained that my mortgage was already sorted and I have my own solicitor, their friendly attitude suddenly became very hostile. Apparently I was "doing my own thing" (their words) which would cause delays in the process. They told me to go away and come back in 2 weeks to see if the plot was still for sale. In other words, they wouldn't sell to me if I used my own conveyancer. Which not only breaks the Consumer Code For Home Builders that they sign up to, but I suspect it might also be illegal.

Anyway I ran a mile and never did hear from them again. I kept a close eye on their Trustpilot page and noticed any negative reviews are quickly buried by reviews such as, "We called by the sales office on Sunday afternoon and the sales lady was lovely" so I think it's safe to say their 4.5 star rating is skewed by people who either haven't bought anything, or have only just completed and haven't had any issues yet.

With that said a friend of mine has a Bloor home on the same estate I was going to buy, and he's very happy with it, albeit he did use their solicitor "because it was easier".

Grumpy_chap said:

John Bloor still owns and directs Bloor Homes and takes a certain pride in the company, it's outputs and successes.  
Bloor Homes are a large company, but you are not dealing a faceless national housebuilder but a company where the Owner / Director is still driving the success of the firm.

Whilst that may have once been true, based on my experience and countless others that I've since read about, I think they aspire to be "like the big boys" and as such some of their underhand tactics and sharp practices reflect this.

Their houses do look lovely, I'll give you that. But I would not trust them as far as I can throw them.

I suspect you get £1000 off if you leave a review of the sale office experience first.

All my own opinion and not based in fact so take it as a joke if you question the legality of my comment

SeekingAdvice22

@Postik I have just been through the same thing with the horrible sales tactics.  All good attitudes until you say you are unwilling to use their mortgage broker and solicitor.  I did contact the offices for the NHQC and it looks like a loophole exists for the developers.  I was informed nothing can be done when no reservation has taken place.  Hence they break the rules forcing you to use their brokers, etc, before allowing you to register.

Postik

SeekingAdvice22 said:

@Postik I have just been through the same thing with the horrible sales tactics.  All good attitudes until you say you are unwilling to use their mortgage broker and solicitor.  I did contact the offices for the NHQC and it looks like a loophole exists for the developers.  I was informed nothing can be done when no reservation has taken place.  Hence they break the rules forcing you to use their brokers, etc, before allowing you to register.

Interesting to hear the same thing happened to you.  I didn't pursue it simply because nothing was in writing and I didn't have a lot to gain from it.  I was glad I found out what they're really like before I committed.

The loop hole sounds like a farce because they write your mortgage broker and solicitor (or rather their mortgage broker and solicitor) on the reservation form.  Granted this can probably be changed later on in the process, but the point is the code says your choice should not be restricted, yet they are attempting to restrict your choice right from the get go before you've put pen to paper, and no doubt afterwards too.  But then a "code" that the house builders voluntarily sign up to never is going to stand for much.

In hindsight I wish I had called their "recommended" solicitor and said, "I do not want to use you but I'm being forced to, what's your advice?"  Because I believe it's against Law Society rules or such like for a solicitor to act on your behalf if he knows you are being pressured to do so by a third party.  It would have been an interesting conversation in any case.

MEM62

I have one of his motorcycles and it's quite nice :-)