Last October and November, people representing ITV got in touch.
They had seen and heard about our problems at Oxley Park and with the nature of this “prestige” and “award winning” development of eco homes, they were pretty keen to come and see us, and talk about featuring us on one of their “Problem Property”/”Homes from Hell” type programmes.
After a few email and telephone conversations we thought it all over and backed out of the situation.
Why?
Despite reassurances that people who feature on the show generally get a “good result” and positive response from their builder, we declined for a few main reasons.
Firstly, the “stigma” of appearing on the show, for the house, but also for the estate and development at large.
While more than happy to share our experiences online for current and potential owners of Oxley Woods eco homes on a blog, a blog that we believe reflects fairly our situation, life in the house, and experiences with Wood Newton and George Wimpey, this is a far cry from appearing on a TV show.
For a start, here we’re in control. We don’t want to sensationalise, we don’t want to exaggerate or play down the issues. We want to share our thoughts, our knowledge, and our views. We don’t want someone potentially twisting these words and experiences any which way that suits their editorial slant.
Secondly, while hundreds of people view this blog each month, finding it via google or simply being an interested neighbour (or employer of one of the companies concerned) that’s a far cry from thousands of people watching a short, possibly sensationalists piece on prime time ITV.
I can just imagine the “LEAKO HOMES” headlines and up-playing of the situation (if possible!) by the voice-over artist.
Another important part is the unusual nature of these houses. We honestly believed at the time that between them George Wimpey and Wood Newton had been trying, in their own, cumbersome and often painfully slow way, to get the main issue, our leaking windows and doors, sorted. They just don’t (or didn’t) know how.
This isn’t a case of “couple buy house, house is finished badly, builders apply standard fix, job done”. Or at least it doesn’t appear so. We would rather work with the builders than against them, we hope that through our patience and honesty, through all the problems and frustration and anger, that we’ll come to a proper solution that will help not only us, but our neighbours, present and future.
So why the question in the post title?
Because sometimes things just go so slow, so little seems to be being done, I wonder if a kick up the backside courtesy of an ITV production crew would have given the workforce and management the required stimulation.
But at what cost? Who knows. Which is why I sometimes wonder.
I also wonder if the infamy of being on TV would have seriously woken up Wood Newton and Taylor Wimpey. Given how much both companies are leveraging this development to win awards, and garner plaudits and new business for themselves, it does make you wonder if they need a wake up call to remind them there are real people living in these houses!.
I for one am pretty close to going round all the houses to do a survey on how many people have outstanding issues not resolved, and how long they have been waiting. Once I get a snapshot or overall picture of the type and extent of defects and outstanding issues, then I can get a true picture of common problems, which are occuring and reoccuring.
Once armed with this information, we might have to get together as a resident association and discuss how best to proceed and approach Wimpey to address these. My worry is that so far everything is done on a piece meal approach. Things are replaced only if you flag a problem, even if the problem is generic to every house!.
Certainly witnessing the episode with the sign in the kitchen window highlighting leaking windows, they are very keen to avoid negative publicity especially since they have quite a few more houses to sell. Once they have sold the last house, the incentive to come back will be very low, so it is in our interest to sort things out now, while we still have leverage.
I would welcome any comments from other residents regarding this idea.
Hi Paul,cant remember if I already told you this one,but when we moved into our new home the builders/council/MKDC had put some drainage into the football pitch next door.So the first heavy rain turned the front garden into a duckpond.We dont do ducks so we asked builders to fix it.After several meetings ,not their problem.Council/MKDC contacted and same result it was the builders problem.A game of tennis ensued twix builders and council.So I put in an application to have our rates reduced since I couldn’t fully enjoy the use of our property.Chap from Aylesbury Vale came,saw and got things moving. Pipe was connected to the mains drainage a few days later.I see that your issues are a bit more complex than that ,but sometimes bringing in another organisation can work.Plus you could’ve got yer face on the telly.I’m a celebrity now, fix my house.
seeya