Furious residents in £300,000 new build homes 'living a nightmare' due to building blunders

Residents who paid up to £300,000 for new build homes say they are living “in a nightmare” following a catalogue of building mistakes.

Homeowners on the Broad Lea development in Worcester have complained about flooding, dodgy electrics, a foul smell coming from the drains, ill-fitting doors, windows and carpets, and crumbling brickwork.

Fed-up people who bought homes on the shared-ownership estate have set up an action group after saying their concerns have been ignored for two years.

The Broad Lea and Oldbury Road Residents Group is taking legal action against landowners Platform and developers United Living who opened the estate in 2021.

Both companies have said they are aware of the issues and have a plan in place to resolve them.

Pictures and videos have been catalogued by the residents of the 13 properties, showing a string of problems.

One clip shows water gushing from under the sink of one home which caused the entire ground floor to flood.

Another video allegedly shows a workman emptying a cement mixture down a drain – fuelling fears a foul sewage odour is caused by blockages.

Other pictures show a floor covered with a carpet that appears too short, exposing the sharp gripper rods.

Another snap also shows uneven brickwork outside and poorly fitted hinges on a garden gate.

Many residents say bad plumbing regularly causes their bathrooms to flood leaving them with damp patches on the ceilings downstairs.

They said bad drainage in the back gardens also means when it rains “craters” fill will water leading to lawns and flower beds flooding.

Watch: Furious residents who paid up to £300,000 for new homes 'living in nightmare'

Residents also say the roads outside their properties are unfinished and peppered with potholes.

Homeowner Shaun Barnes, 35, said: "We have been fobbed off at every turn after complying with everything they have asked for at every turn. It has been horrific.

"Every private home on the development is involved in this action and we want answers."

Another resident added: “Buying this property was the worst mistake of my life. I was sold a dream but I actually bought a nightmare."

The homeowners were given a 12-month defect period where they raised issues with the development.

They claim that barely anything was addressed in this time, and after a 24-month defect period, they are in the same situation.

Before legal action was sought, a formal complaint was submitted on behalf of the homeowners on 21 April.

Paula Heatley, new homes delivery director at Platform Housing Group, said: "A plan is already in place to complete the agreed outstanding work, which has been shared with our customers.”

A spokesperson for United Living added: "We are aware of the issues that have been raised by the residents and continue to work with our client, Platform, to resolve these issues."

What are your rights if you have problems in a new build home?

If you experience any problems with your new build home, you should report them to the builder straight away.

Most new build homes come with a warranty that usually covers defects in the structure, plumbing, heating, electrical systems and other key elements of the home.

If the builder fails to address the issues covered by the warranty, you may be able to take legal action to get them resolved.

Read more: My new-build home has problems, what are my rights? (Which?)

What happens during the defect liability period?

During the defect liability period, the contractor is responsible for fixing any defects or issues that arise in the construction project.

This period usually lasts for a set period of time (12 or 24 months) after the project is completed, as specified in the construction contract.

If any problems arise during this time, the contractor must address them and make any necessary repairs or replacements at no additional cost to the client.

Once the defect liability period ends, the responsibility for any further maintenance or repairs typically falls to the client or property owner.

Read more: The three minute guide: defects liability periods (HughJames.com)