David Wilson Homes, 'Where Quality Lives' apparently.......

[Hilly&Gilly]

If anybody out there is considering Buying a new home from this organization,please don't. If you have a deposit on one, get it back & find another builder in the area you are looking at.
They are finished to a very poor standard by the cheapest sub-contractors(site rates driven down by DWH) and they are poorly managed by incompetent, lying,conniving Site staff who will be unhelpful in the extreme.
You wouldn't expect 5 years of problems from a NHBC covered company but they are as useless as the builder as they are all in it together. The minute you have handed over the cash and moved in is when your problems begin, up until that point the sale staff won't leave you alone till they get the deal they want. BE WARNED.

 

[NewHomeExpert]

David Wilson Homes was acquired by Barratt for £2.7bn in April 2008. Before then they had a good reputation in the industry so I am surprised by your comments. Did you ever write to Mr David Wilson?

In a property market downturn quality often suffers as a result of the trades that actually build your home find their rates have been cut and have to complete the work even faster to maintain their income levels. In 2008, Wimpey Bristol cut all their sub contractors rates by 20% on a take it or never work for us again basis. If you had your wages reduced by a fifth would you care as much?

I am surprised by your comments about the site staff, which I presume you include the Site Manager. It is normally the site manager that arranges to get any problems fixed and he is usually keen to have satisfied customers and get others off his back – the “squeaky wheel gets the oil” principal.

On the other hand it is the senior managers and director of the national house builders that don’t care, as they always try to distance themselves form angry purchasers. A construction director once told me “give the bastards nothing” after I had agreed to some extra paving as a “goodwill gesture”

The NHBC are not in league with house builders whatever you may think. They are independent and set the standards for the house building industry and provide new homeowners with a warranty. Without the NHBC standards would be much much worse! If you have had genuine defects with your new home which have not been properly rectified after five years the NHBC will help you.

You need to write to the NHBC stating what is actually wrong with your home and refrain from “builder bashing” and unsubstantiated allegations.

 

[Hilly&Gilly]

Dear New Home Expert

Thanks for your reply, you have a cracking website btw that I would recommend to anyone buying a new home. I have now wrote a sizeable missive twice, only to be told by the end of it that I am not logged in. I've kept this short to test it. Speak to you soon.

 

[NewHomeExpert]

Thank you for your kind words about my website.
Please feel free to recommend it Facebook, Twitter, e mail whatever.
I can only hope that anyone considering buying a UK new home would want to make an INFORMED DECISION.

Regarding the "not logged in" thing it is very frustrating. It has happened to me quite a few times.
I think the trick is to 'cut and past' from Word if you have a long post
or: (what I do) highlight and right click 'copy' your post before clicking on "Submit reply" That way if you have to log in again at least you can re paste your hard work.

I think it logs you out if you don't do something for a while.

 

[horatio]

Hilly and Gilly hit the nail on the head

This thread sums up the DWH experience in a nut shell. We thought we were alone in our problems but at least there is someone else with the same thoughts.

The sales advisor does not tell the whole truth during the buying process, question can the sales advisor be legally sued??

 

[NewHomeExpert]

The sales advisor, the house builder, the sales literature and any of the builder's employees such as the site manager cannot make false reprentations about the property. Even if they don't know they are not allowed to guess. Ignorance is no defence.

Under the Property Misdescriptions Act 1992, it is an offence to make misleading or incorrect statements be they written, verbal or by pictures.
They cannot even say the house is a short walk to the shops or school. They need to state 300 yards or a mile.

Whilst there was no general requirement under the Act to disclose information to consumers, the new Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 now prohibit omitting material information from consumers, if that omission might cause the consumer to take a different decision.

Most house builder's brochures are written carefully to avoid false or misleading claims. However, they cannot control their sales advisiors. Most sales advisors should have received specific training and be aware of the Property Misdescriptions Act 1992. Sales advisors can be personally fined £5,000 per offence and would amost certainly lose their job.

If you believe a sales advisior has lied to you, you can make a complaint and report it to your local Trading Standards office.

It is vital you ask the right questions before buying a new home. and make your own enquiries and essential checks on the neighbourhood, flood risk, local crime rates and schools for example.

 

[dwhhomehell]

Check out my DWH issues

I have had nothing but problems with DWH