I’ve been sleeping on the SOFA for 5 months as my £250k Taylor Wimpey home’s bedroom is too cold – there’s no insulation

A TEACHER has been sleeping on the sofa to stay warm in her £250,000 dream home because the Taylor Wimpey new build has no insulation. 

Stacey Anne, 38, wears long pyjamas and covers herself and dog Chocco with two duvets because her bedroom gets too cold to sleep in.

She has not slept upstairs since Christmas and even kipped on the floor first after moving in while she waited to get a sofa. 

The cold is among 141 problems found in the private English tutor's first home - and builders’ teabags were even discovered to be blocking her loo. 

She has also had a wonky shower, a leaking bath and blocked drains since moving into the semi-detached two-bed house near Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, in November. 

Stacey told The Sun: "When I moved in the house was whistling - it was just freezing.

"I slept in my bed with a hot water bottle, a double duvet, long pyjamas and a robe - and I was still cold

"The upstairs just isn't fit for habitation."

An independent buildings expert found that rolls of insulation hadn't been properly laid, with some rolls still in their packaging in the loft.

And January's snagging report found five of the 141 issues needed urgent attention, but Stacey said Taylor Wimpey has not sorted them. 

They include a plug socket being dangerously close to her kitchen hob, which goes against guidance.

She was also left with a leak above a plug socket for four days.

Stacey added: “The house is dangerous. It's freezing. I can’t use 70 per cent of the house because it’s freezing and has other problems.

"This is the first home I've ever owned but it's been a nightmare from the moment I opened the front door.

"The whole accomplishment of saving so hard to buy a home for myself has just been tarnished.

"Taylor Wimpey couldn't do enough for me when I told them I wanted to buy. But as soon as they've had my money, they just couldn't care less.”

The tutor, who saved for years to get her first home on the Help to Buy scheme, had only lived in the property for a few weeks when her drains became blocked.

FRIGHTMOVE

Investigations revealed a waste pipe linked to a downstairs loo has become clogged with tea bags and paper towels. 

She said: "When I flushed the loo water started gushing out. The pipes were just caked in yellow sludge - it was just disgusting. 

"It seemed like the builders had just treated my house as a dump. I was mortified."

The semi-detached three-bed property was billed by homebuilder Taylor Wimpey as being part of a "stylish" collection of homes.

And the sales blurb said the company "pride ourselves in the quality of homes we build".

But Stacey said she has spoken with others on the estate who have dealt with similar issues.

Decorator Andrew Beck, 30, added he has been called out to multiple homes on the estate to fix poor workmanship.

The builders just treated my home like a dump... the pipes were clogged with teabags

And his own home with girlfriend Donna Egan, 28, and their three children, has not been spared.

The couple moved in in January 2021, where Donna raised exposed glass on a broken windowpane.

Andrew said: "It took a year before it was fixed. If any of the kids had run their fingers over it, they would have cut themselves.

"It was a clear hazard. It's just been one thing after another, really.

"You have to kick the patio door to open it, there's cracks in the plaster and stairs haven't been sanded.

"It's a good thing I'm a decorator, really.

"If anyone was to ask me, 'Would you recommend a Taylor Wimpey home', then I would absolutely say no.

HOUSE ABOUT THAT

"The customer service is terrible and the quality of the buildings is just naff."

A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: “We are sorry for the issues the customer has experienced with their home and are committed to fixing them.

"As soon as we were made aware, we took swift action to acknowledge the customer’s complaint and have provided a full schedule of works to resolve the issues identified.

"Taylor Wimpey is currently awaiting a response from the customer following an access request, and we are fully committed to undertaking the required works as soon as the customer enables us to gain access.

“Taylor Wimpey is committed to delivering homes of the highest standards and providing excellent customer service.

"We investigate every complaint brought to our attention to achieve a fair outcome for our residents."

The Sun this week revealed an entire estate has been riddled with issues, with bricks hanging off the wall, uneven flooring and flooding.

Stephanie Wilkinson, 31, and husband Matthew Stoves, 32, needed a new kitchen and had to rip out the bathroom to sort plumbing issues in Yarm, North Yorkshire. 

And last year dad Stephen Porritt, 47, blasted the house builders after finding 381 snags in his £270,000 home in Nottingham, including burnt grass and crooked windows.

How to avoid new-build problems and what to do about them

Here's how new-build buyers can avoid problems, and what they can do if they come across them.

Before you buy

New-build buyers should consider taking out a survey by an independent professional to check for any snags before buying. 

According to consumer body the HomeOwner's Alliance, a snagging survey should spot minor issues such as a door that’s misaligned and catching on the carpet as well as more serious structural issues. 

These reports typically cost between £300 and £600. Get quotes from local firms but ensure valuers are members of professional body RICS.  

New-build buyers are advised that solicitors should also check properties are fully signed off before completing the sale.

If they are not, then you should usually agree to some kind of retention with the builder. 

This means holding back a certain amount of the purchase price until the building work is complete.

Once you're in your new home

Most builders have a two-year warranty, so ask the building company to fix any issues within this window. 

After the two years, you may find some building policies still cover major issues so check with the building company. If not, you may have to rely on your home insurance.  

Where you're struggling to get your housebuilder to fix issues you could consider using a relevant alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme or taking the firm to court. 

See the  for more information on this.