New build house flooded

Nell42

Hi, looking for any advice/help - new build house purchased 1 year ago. Internal flooding from surface water overwhelming public sewer x 2 rendering house uninhabitable, first 6 months after purchase, second flooding 3 weeks prior to moving back in, so still in temporary accommodation since April when only purchased in September of year before.
Research has uncovered high surface flooding risk not highlighted by solicitors at time of purchase, and builder appears not to have mitigated against surface water flooding despite whole site being subject to same flooding in 2019 (was reported by other residents but ignored, this flooding unknown to us). Builder states not their problem as flooding caused by public sewer overwhelmed - BUT their SUDS arrangement on the site is to use public sewers for surface water runoff (other methods of SUDS were unfeasible due to site) and this planning condition doesn't appear to have been discharged. Local water company saying not their problem. Council who agreed planning permission don't feel it's their problem either.
Any advice? All a mess, let down by every party possible here.
Anyone ever had their builder buy back a new build house? Anyone ever taken legal action against any solicitor/public body/builder with any success?

ThorOdinson

Do you have legal cover on your home insurance?

What has your insurer said? Presumably they don't want to keep repairing it only for it to flood again.

Nell42

They paid out for first flood then refused to renew at end of contract - no insurance available in interim as house empty with ongoing claim so no cover. That bizarrely is less of a problem - the builder hasn't met the conditions of their planning approval - want them to buy house back as a result but aware this is probably a very rare occurrence.

user1977

Nell42 said:

new build house purchased 1 year ago...

whole site being subject to same flooding in 2019 (was reported by other residents but ignored, this flooding unknown to us)

Just checking - house was built 1 year ago? If so in what sense was it the "same flooding"?

high surface flooding risk not highlighted by solicitors at time of purchase

As in expected to be still high risk after the planning conditions had been complied with? What's relevant should be the risk following development and any mitigation measures which were meant to form part of it. The planning conditions about SUDS etc - were those required to have been discharged before any properties were sold? If so, the solicitors ought to have checked for that at the very least.

InquiringJourno

Hi Nell42, I tried sending you a private message about this the other day but not sure if you've been notified. Just commenting here in case. Thank you!

user1977

InquiringJourno said:

Hi Nell42, I tried sending you a private message about this the other day but not sure if you've been notified. Just commenting here in case. Thank you!

As you'll see from their profile, the only day they've ever logged in here was 28 October 2024. You're probably better to start your own thread if you have a similar problem.

Yorkie1

user1977 said:

InquiringJourno said:

Hi Nell42, I tried sending you a private message about this the other day but not sure if you've been notified. Just commenting here in case. Thank you!

As you'll see from their profile, the only day they've ever logged in here was 28 October 2024. You're probably better to start your own thread if you have a similar problem.

Given the username, I suspect more likely to be a journalistic enquiry than a similar issue ...