Ten months after moving into their new-build property, a young couple in South Molton has put the house back on the market, slashing the original asking price by £50k. Johnathan and Jillian Widlake raised a number of complaints with the developer, Wain Homes, after suffering long delays, shoddy workmanship, poor customer service and ‘unkept promises’.
The couple and their ten year old child said they had dreamt of moving to the Devon countryside, but the dream soon became a nightmare that left them ‘in tears and unable to sleep at night’. After placing a £27,500 deposit on the £300,000 house, they were told they wouldn’t be able to move in for another nine months, to enable the builders to finish.
The family were told they could move into the new build home by June, but in May a family member reported that the house build had not progressed.
When the family arrived with all their possessions on the scheduled moving in day, they were asked if they could instead move in on the following day. However, when they were eventually given the keys and opened their new front door, they found workmen still inside tying up loose ends.
The Widlakes claim that the house was badly built, with leaky windows and garage, blocked drains, unpainted walls and uneven floors. They also found that a number of kitchen appliances didn’t work including the washing machine, dishwasher and fridge/freezer.
The issues have led them to now market the property on Facebook for £250,000.
Wain Homes said they take customer complaints ‘very seriously’ and had offered to discuss the issues with the couple to seek a resolution. Managing director, Alex Hugo, said: “We were disappointed to see the Facebook advert, having been in regular communication with the customer over recent months.
“We have visited the property several times to discuss concerns and have carried out a range of works, some over and above what is legally required, as a gesture of goodwill. We take customer complaints very seriously and, as such, have offered a meeting with our contracts manager and customer service manager to discuss any outstanding issues face-to-face. We are committed to ensuring any outstanding works are completed swiftly.”
The Widlakes say they will keep their home for sale on Facebook.
If you spot your ideal home on social media, in South Molton or elsewhere in Devon, England or Wales, make sure you ask an Independent Chartered Surveyor to carry out a building survey or home buyer survey before exchanging contracts.
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