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Charles Church amateur house builders
chris.lewis
Posts: 100 Forumite
My girlfriend yesterday completed on her new flat from Charles Church. However she cannot move in yet, basically CC wanted her money before there financial year end which was yesterday, they offered her £500 for this which she accepted and the solicitor has it in writing.
However the flat is in a shocking state. Its pretty much finished but not to a high standard, cupboard doors aren't on straight chips out of kitchen work surface, holes in floor, lock on main door broke, marks up the wall, door handles not on straight the list goes on and on. Now I know there would be snagging in any new build but I think three pages of defects on moving in day goes a little above a snagging list for a two bed flat.
Also they have failed to handover the flat properly, on their check list of twenty items of paper work to give to us only five have been ticked off, they advised us to look in the draws in the flat for the remaining paper work as the builders probably left them their. Also no home demo so we don't know how anything works!
Further to this they have made an absolute howler they have tiled the bathrooms incorrectly and put the tiles meant for the main bathroom in the en-suite and vice versa. However we think this looks better.
The advice i'm after is who do I complain too about the shocking level of service we have received and what level of compensation are we due if any?
Also I guess they must either have to put the bathroom tiling right or offer to compensate us for them as well?
Any help much appreciated
However the flat is in a shocking state. Its pretty much finished but not to a high standard, cupboard doors aren't on straight chips out of kitchen work surface, holes in floor, lock on main door broke, marks up the wall, door handles not on straight the list goes on and on. Now I know there would be snagging in any new build but I think three pages of defects on moving in day goes a little above a snagging list for a two bed flat.
Also they have failed to handover the flat properly, on their check list of twenty items of paper work to give to us only five have been ticked off, they advised us to look in the draws in the flat for the remaining paper work as the builders probably left them their. Also no home demo so we don't know how anything works!
Further to this they have made an absolute howler they have tiled the bathrooms incorrectly and put the tiles meant for the main bathroom in the en-suite and vice versa. However we think this looks better.
The advice i'm after is who do I complain too about the shocking level of service we have received and what level of compensation are we due if any?
Also I guess they must either have to put the bathroom tiling right or offer to compensate us for them as well?
Any help much appreciated
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Comments
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we have actually just completed and got our keys for our new build 2bedroom flat last Friday.
my partner has been picking up the smallest things for them to fix which they have all agreed to. i think they are about half way through our list at the moment. also the builders scratched our kitchen top, which they offered to fix, but my partner refused and asked them to replace. which they will, but will take a few weeks to order the top again and will lose the kitchen for 2 days for them to install again.
i guess you just have to make a list of things that you want them to fix. the developer kept telling us that we have 2 years of snagging period or something, so they will fix anything during this time.
oh and they did exactly the same thing to our main bathroom and en-suite too and we think they both look better because of the mistake, so no complaint there.
our developer is Barratts, and they have been great so far to all our queries.0 -
what level of compensation are we due if any?
One MILLION pounds.... Mwhahahahaha!
(Thanks to Dr Evil)0 -
Can't help, but honestly not surprised....
Our last house was a new build (Crest Nicholson) and was similar (maybe not quite as bad, but...). Many builders really do rush finishing new builds off and things can be very slap dash (paintwork, tilng done the wrong way etc).
I would be very surprised if you get ANY compensation and they will fix as little as they can get away with... When I pointed out the really sloppy painting, they said "that is to average standard and we only need to work to average standards" (a blind monkey could have painted better...)
put me off of another new build to be honest...0 -
The first house I bought was a new build, 21 years ago. I remember meeting the site manager about a week or so before exchange, and we both walked around the property, identifying faults that needed to be corrected. I say 'we', as he spotted things that needed correcting that I wouldn't even have considered as being defective. These were all put right prior to exchange, and I was taken around the property again by the site manager so I could check they had been corrected. I assume this sort of thing doesn't happen anymore??"You were only supposed to blow the bl**dy doors off!!"0
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No unfortunately not, i have a new build by Crest Nicholson and they were pretty good, however my GF apartment has over a hundred snagging items some pretty big ones too, is a shame as it ruins her first house buying experience. Surely there must be someone to complain to.0
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chris.lewis wrote: »Surely there must be someone to complain to.
The sales rep at the development?
Any other sales manager at the development?
CC's Customer Services Dept / Manager?
CC's Managing Director?
NHBC (if they are providing warranty....)?0 -
Your best bet is probably to complain to the site manager, and tell him what you're unhappy with and ask when you can expect it to be fixed. If you don't get a helpful response from him, ring the head office or customer service department. Did they give her a tour of the flat before she completed? I think most decent builders show you around before you complete so you can bring up any problems and be shown how everything works. Sounds like they're not decent builders though
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i won't buy new builds . built too fast, and no style, thin walls - oh the list could go onMy posts are just my opinions and are not offered as legal advice - though I consider them darn fine opinions none the less.:cool2:
My bad spelling...well I rush type these opinions on my own time, so sorry, but they are free.:o0 -
maninthestreet wrote: »The first house I bought was a new build, 21 years ago. I remember meeting the site manager about a week or so before exchange, and we both walked around the property, identifying faults that needed to be corrected. I say 'we', as he spotted things that needed correcting that I wouldn't even have considered as being defective. These were all put right prior to exchange, and I was taken around the property again by the site manager so I could check they had been corrected. I assume this sort of thing doesn't happen anymore??
yes, the bovis homes site manager did this with my new home - june 2010 - bovis have been fantastic, and am really pleased with my new build. the small amount of snags that i have picked have mostly been fixed - just one more to do now. couldnt be happier. and as for thin walls - i wouldnt even know i was in a terrace - not a peep from my neighbours. must be down to different developers, but as far as i'm concerned am really pleased with my bovis new home.0 -
Your best bet is probably to complain to the site manager, and tell him what you're unhappy with and ask when you can expect it to be fixed. If you don't get a helpful response from him, ring the head office or customer service department. Did they give her a tour of the flat before she completed? I think most decent builders show you around before you complete so you can bring up any problems and be shown how everything works. Sounds like they're not decent builders though
Nope no home demo they said maybe next week.
Also have tried complaining to sales rep she really isnt interested, site manager is no where to be seen, I will try head office now!0
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