Welcome to your new home!

What is a defect?

A defect is a fault in the workmanship, installation or manufacture of items which form part of the construction.

Defects Liability Period

Newly built properties come with a defect liability period from the builder which runs for one year following handover of the properties to bdht.   This means that the builder is obliged to return to repair a variety of faults in the property, should they occur during this period.

Reporting defects:

Any repairs during the defects period should be reported to bdht on 0800 0850 160 or on mybdht and not directly to the builder.

The end of defects process:

The defects liability period begins from the date the property was handed over to bdht, not the date you move in.  Just before the expiry of the 12 months defects period you will receive notification of an end of defects inspection appointment.

Representatives from bdht and the developer will visit your home to identify any defects that may still be outstanding and require rectification. Your co-operation at this stage will be required and appreciated, attending this appointment is essential to get any necessary works complete. It is useful at the inspection to have prepared a list of any outstanding issues from the defects period to ensure that all items are addressed.

During construction your home will have absorbed moisture.  This is completely normal and will take approximately one year to dry out.  To avoid damp and prevent condensation and mould, your home needs to be ventilated properly.

It is very important that you help this drying out process by:

• Keeping trickle vents on the windows and doors open
• Opening your windows regularly, particularly when cooking and drying laundry

Do not turn off your bathroom extractor fans.  These are designed to reduce moisture build-up and only use a very small amount of electricity.

New buildings move and shrink, so as your home continues to settle and dry out, you’ll probably notice small cracks and gaps on the walls, ceilings and around woodwork, especially on the staircase. Don’t worry, these are normal and not classed as a defect unless you can fit a £1 coin in any gap.

To minimise cracks and gaps:

• Try to heat your home evenly – keep the heating turned on at a moderate temperature to avoid your home getting too hot or too cold
• Wait for at least 12 months before painting or decorating, so that your home has time to dry out.

It is your responsibility to maintain your garden in all weather conditions.  Looking after your new lawn is very important, all lawns require aftercare to keep them looking their best.

Any planting to the front of your property is normally included as part of the planning permission. If this planting is within the boundary of your property, you must ensure it is maintained. Should any planting perish due to lack of maintenance, we may ask you to replace it.  Lawns at the rear of properties are newly installed and require regular watering and maintenance until established.

bdht will not replace lawns that have not been maintained.

Watering your lawn

New turf must be watered regularly – we recommend regular watering until the turf has established into a lush green lawn. If the turf has not been watered properly gaps can appear in the turf joints and there can be yellowing.

• April – October – Water regularly
• October – March – Water as and when required or browning of the grass.

Lawn Maintenance

We advise following for maximum health of your lawn:

• Refrain from walking on the turf for a minimum of 3-4 weeks after it has been laid.
• The first few cuts should be at the highest setting on your lawnmower.
• Reduce the cutting height of your blades gradually
• Do not let the grass get too long
• Do not cut the grass too short (scalping)
• Aim to keep the grass at approximately 25mm

Help your soil breathe

It’s easy to introduce air holes in your lawn by using a garden fork or aeration shoes from a garden centre – just press the prongs into the turf. This ‘aeration’ process makes the lawn more tolerant to dryness and helps the turf become denser. We recommend aerating in spring (between March and May) and autumn (between August and November). It also encourages rooting and drainage; soil needs air or else it becomes too compacted and the grass will die.

Standing Water/Waterlogging

Heavy rain and poor lawn maintenance can make your lawn boggy and squelchy with water collecting on the surface.

This is called water-logging and it leads to grass wilting, turning yellow and dying. If your lawn becomes waterlogged, try these remedies to help save it and stop the same thing happening again in the future…

• Avoid walking on the grass when it is very wet.
• Try and gently brush excess water into a run-off area or down a drain using a soft-bristle brush, then spike the lawn as deeply as possible with a garden fork
• If your lawn stays wet for long periods, add a thin layer of top soil or sharp sand to affected areas to help draw out moisture and recover quickly. Ask a local garden centre for their advice.

The ground under your lawn will take up to 12-18 months to find its own natural drainage, so when water levels are at their highest there will be standing water or pooling.

Pets

If you have any pets, try not to let them run on the lawn until the turf is established, as this will make establishing your lawn more difficult.  The lawn will also be damaged if animals run on the lawn in periods of wetness.  Dog urine can leave scorched patches of grass due to its nitrogen content – apply water to any affected areas as soon as possible to avoid this.