Comment: Redrow Homes Defect Woes by Livid

[Tony]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about the problems you have all experienced. Thought I’d share mine…

Briefly, I bought a new build mid 2008, first home, what I thought was my dream home…I am unsure if I can name the developer if I’m starting court proceedings against them? (It’s not Redrow).

Shortly after completion (during Oct 08 to Feb 09) I noticed damp patches around the ceiling and wall junctions in various rooms of the property. All were reported to the site manager and head office and of course in exchange I was given pathetic excuses such as excess rain water. I was assured that remedial work had been undertaken on the roof and that I would have no further problems.

In February 2009 I started to notice tiny black beetles in every room of the property. It started off as a few in each room but this got progressively worse…by the beginning of March my property was suffering from a full blown infestation which had affected every single room. The beetles were dropping through the light fittings, dropping out of the plug sockets and had infested all my furniture; bed, sofa, carpets, rugs, cupboards, etc. It was a living nightmare and was totally out of my control. Environmental Health paid me a visit and the beetles were identified as plaster beetles.
I was told that plaster beetles thrive in any building where there is a water leak, poor ventilation or other sources of moisture that permit the development of molds inside walls or other voids. I was told by EH to check my loft for damp….

I vacated my property immediately, leaving everything behind. I was put in a hotel for a few weeks by the developer….. however, this was something I really had to fight for.

I appointed a Chartered Surveyor to visit my property who sure enough found many, many faults on the roof and also in the loft area (vents blocked, insufficient number of vents, tears in the roof material, pools of water, mould on the timber from old leaks, as well as thousands of plaster beetles crawling in the insulation in the loft. All has been documented in an Expert Witness report.

The developer (who say they are not liable for the infestation as a consequence of the defective property) paid thousands of pounds for a heat treatment company to carry out a ‘thermal disinfection’ on my property in an attempt to eradicate the infestation and dry my property out, however, the heat treatment proved to be too intense and my kitchen cupboard units bowed and melted, my laminate floor buckled, walls cracked, tiles cracked and all my brand new furniture cracked and melted. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the treatment proved to be pointless as the beetles survived the treatment. They also survived a spray treatment a few weeks later.

I have filed a claim with the NHBC. They have been no use whatsoever. They refused to sign off the property in 2009 due to all the defects on the roof and in the loft…..but how was it passed in the first place in order to be sold to me in 2008?? I have asked this on many occasions but they will not give me an answer. The NHBC said that all the property needed was extra vents in the loft area. This was done by the developer, however, the problems still remain and are getting worse.

It’s now been just shy of a year since I had to move out. The developer ended my stay at the hotel after only 6 weeks and I had to seek alternative accomodation which I am having to pay for on top of my mortgage on the property and council tax! The infestation is still in the property and the damp/condensation patches are still appearing in various rooms of the property and are getting increasingly worse…. And the NHBC say that no further work needs to be undertaken!

I am at my wits end but I refuse to give up. I cannot wait for the day till I can name and shame the developer and would love the opportunity to do this on national T.V. From the very beginning of my ordeal I started a photographic diary as well as a written diary. I would encourage anyone else to do the same as my solicitor has said it is invaluable as everything must be backed up with evidence.

I am a 25 year old woman who has saved since I was 17 for a deposit for my first home. I have had to deal with bullish builders, site managers and construction directors who have all patronised me and fobbed me off with excuses and lies. I am disgusted at how they have spoken to me and how they have treated me and am saddened to read that others are going through the same battle with other developers. They have ruined my experience of my buying my first home. I never thought that buying a brand new home would bring so much stress and upset.

Miss JC.



Redrow Homes Defect Woes by Livid