'My new-build hell got so bad plumber told me to keep my shower on at all times'

16 August 2023 , 10:58

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Julia Myers claims she has had problems with her flat since she moved in (Image: Liverpool Echo)

Several homeowners who expected their "dream" properties on a new-build estate claim to have faced multiple issues - from flooding to problems with kitchen appliances.

Families living in part of Southport, Merseyside, have complained over problems which they say have arisen in their properties. Work on the estate, now in its final stages of development, began in 2015.

Claims include issues over gardens and roads flooding, problems with kitchen appliances and the standard of finish in some homes. Other residents said they were happy with their properties overall, while the developers said they were working with those affected by issues to resolve them.

The properties are new buildings in Southport, Merseyside (Liverpool echo)

Julia Myers moved to the estate in 2021 to be closer to her daughter. She told Liverpool Echo her flat has been plagued with problems since the start, and says she has been waiting for two years to have them fixed. "It has been one thing on top of another here. The doors and windows never fit properly and there has been a draught since I moved in. They have used a cheap pull cord for the showers and they stop working after you have pulled them a few times," Julia said.

"There is nothing wrong with the shower but I am waiting for somebody to replace the cord. I had a plumber come over to fix it and just told me to just keep my shower on all the time.” The developers, Barratt and David Wilson, are part of the same company. Today the firm said it is committed to working with residents to "fix any outstanding issues as soon as possible."

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When Liverpool Echo visited the street many said they were happy with their homes. However, Julia said it was luck of the draw and quality could vary greatly depending on which contractors worked on the buildings. One couple moved to the estate at the start of June and as first-time buyers had dreamed of owning their home. However, after a report on the house was carried out they said over 120 problems were found, which they claim have not been fixed.

They said: “We have paid a high price to have a new build home and it was sold to us as a dream home and it is not a dream home. The quality is appalling. On our first day the dishwasher was not connected - they left the transport bolts in which meant we could not do any washing for 10 days. It felt like we had gone into a rental home with a landlord that could not care less. We have burn marks up our wall from where pipes have been welded.”

The estate was built on a wetland and many people on the estate told the ECHO that they had experienced flooding in their back garden and on the roads. One woman said she had to pay herself to temper the flooding in her garden even though she claimed it was the responsibility of the developers to get it fixed.

Abbey moved into her home in March with her daughter and partner. They are first-time buyers, and like many on the estate said they had run into problems from the beginning. The 25-year-old mum said: “We paid an extra £4,000 for an integrated kitchen.

"We have had four kitchen cupboards replaced already and the rest are starting to drop so they are not level. I have had the floor replaced in the kitchen because they missed a section of flooring so they had to come out and redo the whole thing. (We needed) A new bathroom sink because there was a big chip on the bottom so it is just little things. They class themselves as five stars but I would not go that far.”

A spokesperson for Barratt and David Wilson Homes North West said: “We are aware of an issue with surface water pooling on land behind homes at Pavilion Gardens. This is due to works taking place on this land, which is owned by another party. We have asked the landowner to carry out immediate works to prevent further problems with water pooling and running into the gardens of our homeowners. We have also asked for a meeting at the development with the landowner and the local authority. As a five-star housebuilder, we are committed to the highest standard of customer care and when we get things wrong, we try to put them right. We will continue to work with customers to fix any outstanding issues as soon as possible.”

James McNeill