Linden homes buried air bricks and say it is acceptable!

[NewHomeExpert]

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, this industry never fails to stoop to a new low!

One buyer has discovered that LINDEN HOMES have not only buried all the air bricks supposed to ventilate under the ground floor, Linden have told them that it is perfectly acceptable! Click here to read the full forum post

Linden say:

"Fred Champion Groundworks have advised that the air vents are in the correct position and do the job that they are required to do. The level of the path is in line with the plans provided by Linden Homes and is also in a position that poses no problems. It is not necessary that the air vents are above ground level as they do not go into the house, but they go into the ground, below the property. I have been advised that the vent is an “S” shape and bends down lower behind the wall.

The property has been constructed in accordance with NHBC regulations. Every stage of the construction has been inspected by the NHBC and the property has been signed off their area inspector.
The vents in question are to ventilate the air space beneath the property, the ground floor is of beam and block construction and is suspended and fully damp proof, therefore any moisture that naturally occurs in the ground, cannot penetrate your property."

Unbelievable! Both NHBC standards and Building Regulations regulations say that the DPC should be a minimum of 150mm above finished ground level and the NHBC standards do not say that air bricks can be buried! The whole point of an air brick is to pass air for ventilation!

So if you buy Linden you now know what to expect!

 

[Niall]

I am in dispute with Linden on a number of issues, some pretty major. I have come to expect nothing but false promises and, from time to time, downright lies from them. Is there an ombudsman for situations like this or should I be considering approaching a solicitor. If the later, what type of solicitor I should be considering or is there an organisation, private or governmental, of solictors/specialists I should be considering? Is there any point in raising these concerns with my MP? Thanks.

 

[NewHomeExpert]

I am in dispute with Linden on a number of issues, some pretty major. I have come to expect nothing but false promises and, from time to time, downright lies from them. Is there an ombudsman for situations like this or should I be considering approaching a solicitor. If the later, what type of solicitor I should be considering or is there an organisation, private or governmental, of solictors/specialists I should be considering? Is there any point in raising these concerns with my MP? Thanks.

No there is no Ombudsman for new homes! Something I have been campaigning for. (See the link) Please write to your MP and demand he raise the issue.
There is a property ombudsman but I am not sure how useful it will be with your Linden issues.

Your best course of action is the NHBC. Make a claim under the warranty. Be sure to put everything in writing too.
The NHBC can instruct Linden to act and if they don't, appoint another builder to fix the faults in your home.
Going down the legal route can be very time consuming and very expensive. Keep claims under £10,000 so you can use the Small Claims Track

 

[catgilly]

We bought our Linden homes 5 years ago and our kitchen is never warm. There was a draft from under the sink, making it virtually impossible to stand in bare feet on the tiled floorin winter. Still within our 2 year warranty we contacted Linden as the internal plaster board on the outside wall behind the sink/dishwasher unit was at 18 inches from the floor, no skirting boards either. The draft once the kick boards removed was horrendous. Lindens refused to do anything stating it was within NHBC regs, and if we were that bothered we could take out the air brick and replace it with a standard brick. Our reply was you're having a laugh, to which we got well just block it up you have another one at the other side. We reported this to NHBC and within days Linden contacted us to say they would look into the matter. There was a hole around the water inlet that came in behind the dishwasher!! They used expandable foam to fill the void between the bottom of the internal plasterboard and the floor. A little improvement but still not colder than it should be. On top of the 60+ snags we notified them, we would never buy a Linden/Galliford Try house again.

 

[NewHomeExpert]

I suspected a hole around the water main ducting pipe.
The plasterboard should be nearly at the floor not 18" above it!

As for suggesting the airbrick (an NHBC standard) is removed and bricked up, just shows you how little the housebuilders like LINDEN know about building homes!

What you should be saying is, you would never buy a new home again!