The Persimmon Group plc, sells homes under the branding of Persimmon Homes as well as Charles Church and Westbury. Whilst our experience with a new home from the Persimmon Group plc has been a very unpleasant one, in reading articles and talking to new residents on other estates it appears unhappyiness is not restricted to any one area or any one brand within the Persimmon Group plc.
One feels the need for public awareness concerning how these brands conduct their business, so buyers of new homes can make more informed decisions, and for those that have already bought so they can be a little more prepared and knowledgeable in understanding snagging, and in pursuing remedial works.
Plumbing, Heating, Roofing and Flooring problems are some of the more common complaints one finds using search engines to discover others experiences.
Charles Church is referred to as 'Our Premium Brand Business' by Persimmon Group plc, and as 'The Luxury Home Builder' within the Persimmon Group plc.
One sees all marketing from Persimmon Group plc as differentiating Charles Church as the best quality homes within the Group.
However, in searching on the internet, using www.google.com to find information on Charles Church Customer Complaints, or Persimmon Homes Customer Complaints, one finds the most concerning articles and information on Charles Church - if such information is a reflection of the best the Persimmon Group plc can do, then for me it is not a good omen for the standards within the rest of the group.
We have suffered for the worst part of four years now, years of misery, at the hands of one of Persimmon Group plc, trading company.
We still await investigations and remedial work to resolve major defects and other faults. We still suffer delays, denials and other tactics to avoid/delay costly repairs to our substandard home. And we, in researching Persimmon Homes, find our experience regarding workmanship, quality, specification and customer service to be similar as others have described. At the time we bought, a sales manager described the negative press PR as an over exaggeration - we now, having lived the (dream) experience, feel the negative press PR significantly plays down the stress and anxiety we have (and continue to) suffer.
For a small proportion of the information I'd read, please follow the links below to articles, information and opinions from pages on other sites.
Poorly Built Home Kills 4 Year Old Boy - http://www.brand-newhomes.co.uk/new_home_news.htm, Persimmon Homes
Four-year-old boy crushed to death by stone mantelpiece, inquest hears - Telegraph Online, Persimmon Homes
Persimmon Homes - Health and Safety, Statement in Article - http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Persimmon-Homes-calls-on-review.4810570.jp
The worse happened for one family in their new Persimmon Homes home when the fire place fell onto their son. The story was covered in most media, the BBC also have information regarding the 'accident' in the Persimmon Homes property. For me the OFT review did not go far enough to address quality and construction issues in new homes.
Call for buyers of new homes to be given better legal rights - http://property.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=483&id=1398162007
http://forum.snagging.org/persimmon-homes/
http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article1169162.ece
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/newhomes/3296030/Im-sorry-Ill-build-that-again-.-.-..html
Persimmon Homes Forum at Snagging.org - Quote from Forum . . "I have just found this forum. I wish I had found it nearly five years ago. Thats when the still unresolved problems started with our Persimmon home. Buyer beware is all you can say about this company.
Nearly 200 major defects, no insulation, no proper heating for four years. "
Couple’s new home nightmare - The Comet 24 - ONE of the UK's largest builders has apologised to a couple after they reported a catalogue of serious faults with their new home.
Persimmon Homes, Maple Lodge, Customer Complaints - "This is my story of the six years of hell I have had to put up with so far and dont expect the National House Building Council NHBC to be able to help you either."
Home Owners Forum for Charles Church and Persimmon Homes - be aware the fear of complaining by a home owner, in case of effecting home resale value or repurcussions from the builder.
An estate dating back to the late 1990's, with reports of noisy, bouncy and unlevel floors in a new Charles Church home - it feels like deja vue as we wait in 2010 for the builder to investigate and repair similar faults - where residents described having to push much harder than depicted in the article, in order to see Charles Church resolve the matters . . . one lady described the experience as 'five years of hell', and unfortunately described the difficulties as worse after the article was published, when a new company representative was brought in to control costs (the method and approach that person used sounded all too familiar to us). Persimmon Group plc, trades under various names including; Persimmon Homes, and Charles Church.
A future new home owner, delayed from moving in due to build, wants to cancel, unfortunately they report Persimmon Homes were not going to be how they wanted. Charles Church are also mentioned in the same forum thread, but thankfully the new buyers solictor won through for them.
Do Persimmon Homes care about the customer after they have received the money, read these forums for views.
Audi TT owners forum has topic on Charles Church since Persimmon Group plc ownership and on Persimmon Homes.
Clearwater Place, Charles Church, Noisy, Bouncy, Unlevel Floors, Persimmon Homes
Charles Church, Noisy, Bouncy & Unlevel Floors . . . I'm sorry, I'll build that again . . .
http://www.newbuildinspections.com/persimmon_homes.html
http://www.snagging.org/residents-threaten-legal-action-against-persimmon-homes-273/
http://forum.snagging.org/nhbc/540-nhbc-forum.html Fascinating information on builders delaying claims, for then a dispute regarding other identified faults during those delayed intrusional investigations, question is are those new issues now claimable, NHBC and builder view vary.
http://charles-church.org.uk/read.php?4,29
http://www.snagging.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1327 BBC TV CHALLENGES NHBC over foundataion failures, alarming information on NHBC warranty versus a guarantee.
Steve Watt, of City Developments, the Persimmon subsidiary responsible for Turks Head, has apologised for the “disruption to residents who rightly expected a better service”. He adds: “We know it is our responsibility to rectify matters swiftly ... we are well on the way to achieving that.”
“He produced a thick report,” says Flatters. “It found the flats were not even compliant with building regulations.”
“The last year and a half of my life has been hell,” she says, “dealing with fault after fault.” The final straw came when a section of the roof was blown off in a gale.
“Fourteen months after we moved in, Westbury Homes has nearly completed our house,” says Dale.
“I’ve seen people crying on the street, two relationships have broken up and one lady is on tranquillisers. It drives you crazy,” says Thompson.