". . . some homebuyers experience significant detriment, distress and inconvenience that comes with major, or many, faults in a new home"

That was the findings of an OFT (Office of Fair Trading) Review.

In a Telegraph Article - Housebuilders have accused the Office of Fair Trading of jumping on a well-worn bandwagon after the competition watchdog launched a "toothless" investigation into the £20bn industry. Questions were also raised about the merit of the inquiry by John White, chairman of Britain's largest housebuilder Persimmon, who said: "I don't understand why this is an OFT matter."

The later findings of the OFT - ". . . some homebuyers experience significant detriment, distress and inconvenience that comes with major, or many, faults in a new home" - does not begin to describe the experience we have had, and continue to have with Charles Church, part of the Persimmon Group plc (they also trade under the name of Persimmon Homes and Westbury Partnerships).

Nearly 4 years on, and still we get denials, delays and a lack of honest and professional behaviour from the builder. We struggle to tell the difference between the Cowboys one sees on TV programs (e.g. Rogue Traders) and Charles Church.

Residents of Persimmon Homes Developments, Complaints by Home Owners

Yet further information on Persimmon Homes Customer experiences. A development in Glasgow, converted by Persimmon Homes, has led to a residents association being formed.
This has also been done by Charles Church residents, such as those at Clearwater in Surrey.

The review center also has postings by Persimmon Homes customers. Many complaints and unhappy customers have posted their experience with Persimmon Homes. I would add, that not one of these reviews reflect how bad we felt the experience was with a Charles Church home, from the Persimmon Group plc. We feel most news paper stories make the problem sound a less trouble and stress that it was for us.

This newspaper story is interesting. I visited a Charles Church & Persimmon Development in Basingstoke a few years ago, and discovered more of the flooring issues being reported, similar to those that still effect our home to this day. Persimmon Homes may well discuss issues with home owners, and may have a customer service department in place to help . . . but alas I find our experience of Charles Church to be unwilling to discuss anything that causes them to admit fault or responsibility. I also find them unable to work in an open and transparent manner, nor have I found them to be honest and professional. Persimmon Homes customers report similar experiences to ones own.

Another Home Blog on Charles Church New Homes

Lots of details regarding Charles Church and floor issues (bouncy, noisy, unlevel) and the nearly 4 year fight just to get to the stage where builder agree those three issues should be fixed.

Common floor issues were found to be; noisy, bouncy and unlevel. Some might use other words to describe floor issues with new home, such as being; vibration, bouncey, bounce, noisey, noise, creaking, creeking, cracking, unlevel, not flat, poor, squeeky, squeaky, etc.

Floor problems (noisy, bouncy, unlevel) can be very expensive to correct according to the NHBC. We had estimates, depending on which problems were to be fixed, and extent of repair, from £30,000 to over £100,000.

More And More Persimmon Customers Complaining

Not happy with your Persimmon Home - whether bought from Persimmon Homes or Charles Church, both owned by Persimmon Group plc - then three suggestions spring to mind.

1) Document everything.
2) Research the bigger issues so you can hold your own in discussions.
3) Complain, Complain, Complain - to the builders, to the parent company, to the NHBC, to trading standards, to the office of fair trading.

Here are two new websites, for home owners wishing to learn and/or share knowledge and experience. http://www.persimmon-homes.info/ and http://www.charles-church-homes.info/.

Blogs can be one of the quickest and easiest ways to highlight and discuss your concerns with other home owners.

Not Happy with Police Fraud Investigations Reasons

Having read the attached articles and information, the reasons seem wrong for not pursuing the investigation with Persimmon Group plc.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article2283035.ece

http://coathamprotest.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-is-redcar-and-cleveland-borough.html

http://coathamprotest.blogspot.com/2009/10/and-still-leader-of-council-hasnt.html

Nearly 4 years on, and Charles Church, part of Persimmon Group plc, have agreed need to fix 14 homes on an estate with faulty floors - noisey, squeaky, bouncy, vibration, deflection, unlevel etc. They claimed last week, it would take another 14 months to complete them, allowing upto 2 months per home. However, I understand 16 homes are yet to be fixed, and two are in progress . . but one has had the ceilings down in one room since April 1st 2009 . . . at that rate I think to complete the others in 14 months is unlikely.

OFT (Office of Fair Trading) Review on House Builders

OFT started a review in 2007 into the home builds, and the UK building industry. However, here we are in 2009, about to start the new year (2010) and I don't see what's change. The new home owner still has the same limited rights. The new home purchase stills FAILS to come under the sale of goods act.

In a Telegraph Article, in 2007 - Questions were also raised about the merit of the inquiry by John White, chairman of Britain's largest housebuilder Persimmon, who said: "I don't understand why this is an OFT matter."

Perhaps the reported news regarding a Persimmon Homes property and the death of a four year old boy would be reason enough, details available from the Telegraph Article - A four-year-old boy was crushed to death when a stone mantelpiece collapsed in his parents' living room, an inquest has heard. A simple 'google' search on Persimmon Homes Complaints and/or Reviews will bring up what I consider to be worrying results.

For me, it's about time legislation was brought in to resolve the issues that new home owners face. The industry code of conduct (which NHBC has been failing to use) was alreay in place on a voluntary scheme by the NHBC, but with no knowledge within the NHBC. Complaints we failing to be addressed by the NHBC. Now they are implementing a compulsory code of conduct, I wonder whether it will have the same issues incorporated, that the NHBC and new builders (we bought from Charles Church, part of the Persimmon Group plc, that includes Persimmon Homes) already utilise to gain an unfair advantage over customers, and to delay and frustrate the home owner regarding the fixing of faults in new homes.

Come on Persimmon Group, Maybe You Can Persuade Charles Church to Honour Warranty

Charles Church still won't fix our leaks, or other reported problems. It's coming up to 4 years soon, and these are faults reported in the first year, many in the first few days of occupation, including the sub standard floor (a common fault with Charles Church Homes).

If your thinking of buying a new or second hand Charles Church home, try to check the upstairs flooring, and be cautious if they use JJI Joists, the semi-engineered type.