DIARY OF EVENTS
The house was constructed by Countryside Properties during 2004-2005 just outside Cambridge using a timber framed system clad in brick and tile.
This diary of events outlines the Defects, the Developer and the Insurance Company’s responses and the inputs of the various agencies leading to the still un-rectified situation 5 years later in July 2011.
The reader will probably be shocked and dismayed by the lack of commitment to quality and unwillingness to right the wrongs shown by Countryside Properties & their construction warranty providers, Zurich Insurance and the total ineffectiveness of parties including Government Ministers that are supposed to protect the buyers of new homes.
Should the reader be considering buying such a new home just remember the stark warning from the National Consumer Council who famously stated that “a buyer has more rights when buying kettle than when buying a new home”. This - unfortunately for us - has proven to be very true.
The defects
By April 2007 the following list of defects could be arrived at:
The fire wall within the roof separating the dwelling from its neighbour was shoddily constructed and incomplete. The picture shows me reaching through into my neighbour’s roof loft, an open route for the spread of fire.
In addition, safety critical cavity fire stops had not been installed between the brick outer skin and the timber frames which would have resulted in a catastrophic spread of fire and the rapid destruction of the entire block of three houses should a fire have occurred within one of the homes.
The separating Party Wall had been left unfinished behind the fire-place leaving just a black polythene sheet between us and our neighbour creating further fire risks and unacceptably high acoustic transmissions, we could actually feel the vibration from and hear next door’s washing machine in our lounge.
The picture shows the potentially hot gas flue against the incomplete wall and polythene sheet within the living room chimney breast.
The roof timbers had been cut down after completion by Countryside Properties in order to install an air transfer unit thereby weakening the roof and putting it danger of collapse.
Later it was found that sections of the roof were not secured to the rest of the house and the entire roof was in danger of shifting sideways in high winds.
Roof gutters were continually overflowing causing severe black mould growths on the fascias.
It was found that not only were half of the rain down-pipes missing but as shown in this photograph, one of the few down-pipes simply terminated in the soil without a drain.
During windy weather the roof tiles could be heard lifting and rattling from within the house indicating possible incorrect loose fixing.
A drain pipe from the boiler had been incorrectly installed causing continuous boiler breakdowns during continuous running in the cold winter periods.
When floorboards were lifted to attempt a repair to the boiler drainage it was discovered that all of the acoustic insulation required by the Building Regulations had been completely omitted from the floors.
Over the coming few days and weeks, more of the full story will unfold ... visit again soon