A HOUSE building firm has “apologised unreservedly” to home owners at a new Helensburgh estate after the Advertiser took up their complaints.

Taylor Wimpey is still constructing homes at the Hermitage Grange site, in Camis Eskan, where two couples have been experiencing severe drainage problems in their gardens since moving into semi-detached properties in November.

We reported concerns raised by Nicole Andrews, who bought a new build with her partner late in 2020 and quickly found out that water was pooling in her rear garden, suspected to be caused by ‘type 1’ road material from the old building site which had not been removed from under the soil.

Neighbour Gemma Mackay also noted similar issues, and both claimed that Taylor Wimpey were reluctant to sort the problems.

However, after the Advertiser contacted the company, they have now committed to resolving the issues this month.

READ MORE: Taylor Wimpey Hermitage Grange homeowners hit out at garden drainage issues

A spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey West Scotland said: “Following our site investigation we can confirm that some hardcore base that was used to establish loading bays within our construction area for Hermitage Grange has not been removed to the correct technical level, and we have apologised unreservedly to the small number of customers involved.

“Our customer relations manager for the development has contacted each customer and has agreed a programme of remediation work to resolve this matter for all parties.

“The approved remediation work also helps each customer in respect of landscaping plans they have for their rear garden, and our focus is to complete the agreed works for each customer as soon as is practically possible.

“Weather-permitting, we expect all work to be completed by mid-March 2021.”

Nicole, who previously told the Advertiser of her fear of potentially being left thousands of pounds out of pocket to fix the garden problems herself, said she was relieved at the latest update.

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She said: “I feel we’re due to be compensated further than just the issue being remediated as the whole process has been very stressful.

“I’m certain Taylor Wimpey would’ve kept fobbing me off if the Advertiser hadn’t approached them.

“I’d been telling them about the issue and had previously spoken to several people who all disregarded the issues I was raising since we moved in at the start of November.

“My advice for people buying a new home would be to do your research, know your facts and prepare yourself for a fight as it appears it’s a widespread issue in which builders feel they can get away with it because there’s no regulator and the NHBC (National House Building Council) can only do so much.”

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