A married couple were ‘shocked beyond belief’ after they found an incredible 197 faults in their new-build home.
Tony and Rachel Kenny had initially agreed to purchase their detached five-bedroom home in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, for £425k back in May 2022.
However, ongoing delays meant they didn’t step foot in the house as homeowners until June 2023 – seven weeks after their son, Caleb, was born.
Not long after moving in, Tony noticed several issues with his new home, which was built by Taylor Wimpey, one of the UK’s leading and largest construction companies.
Speaking on the most recent episode of Rip Off Britain, which was aired on May 28, he said: “We were ecstatic when we were able to secure this home as our own and we couldn’t wait to move in.
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“It ticked every box that we wanted.
“But we saw that an upstairs shower had been put in the wrong way round making it inaccessible and every single tap in the house leaked.”
This then got worse for the Kenny clan, as they began to spot problems in the kitchen, which they wanted to replace.
After they took some of the skirting boards off, they noticed mould had infested large sections of their cooking space.
It had also spread to the top floor of the house.
He continued: “We took the kickboards off all the way around and there was mould all over the base of the wall and in the cupboards.
“We then mould in the upstairs wardrobe and bathrooms – there was mould everywhere.
“It was shocking beyond belief.
“We felt so broken as it caused so much stress and anxiety over the whole move.
“It has left my wife and I completely deflated.
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“It felt like an absolute sucker punch.
“We had waited so long that we assumed it had taken so long that they were doing things properly and that everything was getting done correctly.
“The house was a complete building site and it was heartbreaking to see my kid surrounded by dust and building waste.”
Taylor Wimpey told the programme that they put the family in temporary accommodation for three weeks as they conducted the repairs, whilst revealing that they had been in ‘close communication with Tony throughout the build’.
Regarding the mould, the company said it was ‘exacerbated by a prolonged period of adverse weather conditions’ and that they had ‘acted quickly to resolve the issue’.
The firm reimbursed the families’ out-of-pocket expenses and paid compensation which was ‘well above the typical level for a situation like this’.
Taylor Wimpey added to The Sun: “Taylor Wimpey is firmly committed to doing the right thing across our business, especially in the way we serve our customers.
“We acknowledge that Mr Kenny’s property was not completed within the initially stated completion window. However, we remained in close communication with him throughout the build process regarding the unforeseen delays, which were due to extenuating factors beyond our control – such as materials shortages.
“We recognise Mr Kenny’s concerns regarding mould, which we believe was exacerbated by a prolonged period of adverse weather conditions. Consistent with our policies, we moved quickly to resolve this and issued compensation for the damage incurred.
“As a gesture of goodwill, we have offered compensation well above the typical level for a situation like this. We take our duty to do the right thing extremely seriously and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure we uphold the values and track record upon which our success is built.”
