Justin Lee Anderson was shocked to find a Costa coffee cup used to fill a hole in the wall of his brand new home in East Lothian, Scotland. This discovery was just one of many issues he encountered after purchasing the £270,000 property from national home builders Persimmon in 2019. In addition to the coffee cup, Justin found that his heating system was incorrectly installed, with thermostats not controlling the correct floors, and his bathroom extractor fan was not properly connected. He described the ordeal of dealing with these building problems as a “terrible experience,” and claimed that his issues were not unique to his property.
According to Justin, the issues he faced were a result of contractors being given too many houses to cover in a day, leading to rushed and incompetent work. He expressed frustration at the lack of real consequences for builders who deliver poor standards of work, and highlighted the lack of proper inspection of construction work. Justin also criticized the planning process which allows builders to continue receiving planning permission despite a record of incompetence. He called for the Scottish government to give homeowners the right to demand higher standards and ensure that developers are held accountable for their mistakes.
In response to the issues faced by Justin and other homeowners, the Scottish Greens party has included a motion in their policy to support the creation of a housebuilding ombudsman. This ombudsman would help hold developers accountable for their mistakes and give planning committees the power to reject applications from builders with a history of poor quality work. Musselburgh councillor Shona McIntosh emphasized the need for better protections for home buyers and called on the Scottish government to work with the UK government to establish an ombudsman as a first step towards improving standards in the construction industry.
To address building work problems, Citizens Advice recommends taking up the issue with the trader who arranged the work, gathering paperwork and receipts, taking photos as evidence, and making notes of what has happened. If an agreement cannot be reached, alternative dispute resolution can be used to resolve disagreements without going to court. Justin hopes that these measures will be put in place to ensure that more affordable housing is built to a decent standard. He stressed the importance of homebuyers receiving support and protection from the government in order to prevent situations like the one he experienced with his new home.
In response to Justin’s complaints, a spokesperson for Persimmon expressed disappointment at the level of service he received and apologized for any inconvenience he experienced. While they claimed to have not been made aware of any issues with the property since 2022, they stated that they are committed to addressing any concerns brought to their attention. Despite this, Justin continues to fight for changes in the industry to ensure that homeowners are protected and that builders are held accountable for their work.
