We moved into our dream bungalow – but it’s been ruined by towering newbuilds… we have no privacy & can’t use hot tub
A FUMING couple have slammed “eyesore” newbuilds that “ruined” their dream home – they can’t even use their garden.
Maureen and Dave King, who hail from Broad Oak, near Canterbury, are devastated after new houses destroyed their view and homeowners peer into their bedroom.
The couple slammed developer Barratt David Wilson Homes, and alleged no-one was informed how high the newbuilds would be – until construction was underway.
Maureen told KentOnline: “It was our dream home – but that dream has been taken away from us.”
The pair had already forked out thousands renovating the property but now “just want to get out” and fear they will be trapped forever.
“I was given a hot tub as a gift, but I won’t use it now if people are looking into my garden,” added Maureen.
The couple also expressed concerns about the safety of their nine grandchildren, as neighbours can peer straight into the kitchen, bedroom and outdoor space.
Maureen blasted the “eyesore” development and claimed their “main issue” was the height.
“We’ve got 16-plus windows overlooking us. They can look into our garden and our home,” she said.
The distressed homeowner also alleged their neighbours haven’t been able to sell their place – with it sitting on the market for six months already.
“The price of ours must have plummeted,” she added.
Meanwhile, her husband is so desperate to leave, he has offered the developer his land to build on.
“I already suffer from depression and am losing sleep over the stress of it all,” said the 72-year-old former builder.
The couple also alleged the building site has been plagued by a “catalogue of disasters”.
Dirt even caked their home and Dave’s precious classic car collection, they claimed.
Meanwhile, more recently sewage backed up and overflowed into their garden after pipe work on a nearby construction site went drastically wrong.
The local farm shop has also suffered as a result of long-lasting road works.
A spokesman for Barratt David Wilson Homes said: “All of the designs for homes at our The Woodlands development were approved by Canterbury City Council following an extensive consultation process.
“The new homes that are being built adjacent to existing properties are offset by more than 28 metres and were assessed in the planning process to have no adverse impact on existing residents.
“We work really hard to minimise the impact from construction with daily road sweepings to clean mud and in the summer months spray water to limit dust.
“If any resident has any concerns, please get in touch with us and we will do whatever we can to help.”
This comes as other families across the UK have battled with their own newbuild nightmares.
Raging neighbours living on an “unbelievably claustrophobic” estate have slammed a developer after homes were “built 2m too high”.
Residents on Lyndbrook Close, in Sittingbourne, are outraged after being told construction would last 18 months – but five years later properties are still unfinished.
Meanwhile, The Cooks, from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, say their £345,000 forever home has turned into a house from hell.
And, in Nottinghamshire, homeowners have claimed their dream newbuilds have become a nightmare as plans to build a warehouse and car park nearby have been put forward.
Plus, residents who were promised “stunning” £400k homes in a housing development have been left fuming.
What are your rights?
If you believe your developer has not shared relevant information with you or sold a property under false pretences, you can take them to court for property misrepresentation.
If successful, you can claim for the amount that your home has decreased in value, as determined by the court.
Other faults with homes, like issues with fixtures or fittings, or complaints that building work has not finished on time are usually covered by the developers’ code of conduct.
Issues can be resolved privately with the developer and insurers.
If they are not dealt with to your satisfaction, you can elevate the complaint to the independent Housing Ombudsman