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Couple's disgust at house from hell
WHEN Jeff Hill and his partner bought a brand new house, they thought everything would be domestic bliss.
But their stay on Pleasant Close in Pontllanfraith was anything but pleasant, as a series of problems and defects blighted their lives for almost a year.
Mr Hill, 34, a supervisor at a food manufacturing factory, and his partner Libby Lewis, 26, a food technologist, moved in to their new £180,000 three-bedroom terraced town house exactly a year ago this week.
But soon after they arrived at the George Wimpey development at Nant y Llwyd, things started to go wrong.
First they discovered the kitchen had been measured up wrongly, and was not big enough to fit both a washing machine and dishwasher.
The shower was plumbed in incorrectly, with the hot and cold feeds the wrong way round, putting it out of use for four weeks.
The central heating valves were wired incorrectly, with the hot water timer switch controlling the radiators and vice versa.
A skirting board was nailed into a water-pipe, causing a huge water leak that flooded the living room and garage beneath.
The wall on the stairway was bowing due to the weight of one floor on top of another and had to be repaired.
Most of the windows had to be replaced because they were badly scratched, and the shower drainage pipe was fitted incorrectly, causing the shower tray to fill up with water.
Although George Wimpey fixed most of the problems relatively quickly, Mr Hill is angry that they happened in the first place.
He said: "You don't expect that amount of problems and that poor quality of workmanship on such a new development.
"It's very frustrating and disheartening.
"If the houses were inspected or audited prior to homebuyers moving in, all the inconvenience we have suffered could have been avoided.
"Some of the problems we have experienced have bordered on the comical.
"It's simple things that should have been sorted out."
A spokeswoman for George Wimpey South Wales said: "George Wimpey regrets that minor defects do sometimes occur with new homes, but is always focused in efficiently resolving any such matters in line with its customer charter and warranty commitments."
5:17pm Wednesday 12th December 2007
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CommentPosted by: JONATHAN1939, NEWPORT on 6:17pm Wed 12 Dec 07
Good Advert for George Wimpey.
Good Advert for George Wimpey.
Posted by: CliveAC on 6:37pm Wed 12 Dec 07
"A spokeswoman for George Wimpey....'George Wimpey regrets that minor defects do sometimes occur with new homes'" - claptrap.
"A spokeswoman for George Wimpey....'George Wimpey regrets that minor defects do sometimes occur with new homes'" - claptrap.
Posted by: Strongman, Newport on 7:25pm Wed 12 Dec 07
Shoddy workmanship.
Posted by: Owain Vaughan, Newport Monmouthshire on 7:53pm Wed 12 Dec 07
It's true - defects do occur with new homes - that's why they have a 10-year NHBC guarantee.
It's true - defects do occur with new homes - that's why they have a 10-year NHBC guarantee.
Posted by: oatley on 9:59pm Wed 12 Dec 07
The majority of new builds are bad, regardless of who the property developer is.
Yes the NHBC guarantee is given with the sale of the property but what has occured with this property is not problems that one should expect,and it's the property developer that is responsible for the first year not the NHBC guarantee.Purchasers would be shocked if they looked under the flooring of most new properties because you would discover old bottles/cans which workmen have been too lazy to place in a bin.Never ever buy a new house because they are glorified cardboard boxes.
The majority of new builds are bad, regardless of who the property developer is.
Yes the NHBC guarantee is given with the sale of the property but what has occured with this property is not problems that one should expect,and it's the property developer that is responsible for the first year not the NHBC guarantee.Purchasers would be shocked if they looked under the flooring of most new properties because you would discover old bottles/cans which workmen have been too lazy to place in a bin.Never ever buy a new house because they are glorified cardboard boxes.
Posted by: Ceri on 8:51am Thu 13 Dec 07
I personally do not like the new houses being built... I rented one back a few years ago and was not impressed ... and as Oatley has said, they are just glorified cardboard boxes!!!
Give me an old property anyday...
I personally do not like the new houses being built... I rented one back a few years ago and was not impressed ... and as Oatley has said, they are just glorified cardboard boxes!!!
Give me an old property anyday...
Posted by: Mandy, Newport on 11:03am Thu 13 Dec 07
A lot of the modern housing developers use cheap materials and cheap labour resulting in shoddy workmanship which results in the occupants having to put up with the faults afterwards. We've all seen how quickly these 'communal boxes' go up.....and it seems that they can just as quickly come down too !! My house has survived through two world wars, has high ceilings, original features and is stone-built. How many of today's developers can boost those attributes about their own properties?
A lot of the modern housing developers use cheap materials and cheap labour resulting in shoddy workmanship which results in the occupants having to put up with the faults afterwards. We've all seen how quickly these 'communal boxes' go up.....and it seems that they can just as quickly come down too !! My house has survived through two world wars, has high ceilings, original features and is stone-built. How many of today's developers can boost those attributes about their own properties?
Posted by: up, Newport on 10:36am Fri 14 Dec 07
I'd hardly class a bow as a minor defect.
I'd hardly class a bow as a minor defect.
Posted by: snagging.org, Bolton on 11:20pm Mon 7 Jan 08
It is not an uncommon problem see www.snagging.org. The Office of Fair Trading are investigating theindustry and will report back in the summer.
It is not an uncommon problem see www.snagging.org. The Office of Fair Trading are investigating theindustry and will report back in the summer.
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