Customer Care Procedures
Customer Viewing/Welcome Meeting
Once habitation has been granted by the local authority and the NHBC (or other warranty provider) has certificated your plot, you will be given the opportunity to inspect the property. This inspection normally takes place between one and two weeks before you are due to move in and it usually takes the form of a demonstration by one of our site staff and the sales adviser.
In your home, we will demonstrate the workings of the windows, heating and hot water, shower and kitchen appliances. Our site representative will also show you the electrical consumer unit and the position of services stopcocks or other features that will be useful to you.
You will then be asked to confirm that you have found your home to be in the condition you expected it to be.
The checklist used for this inspection is a Welcome Meeting Form. This form will be completed by the sales adviser, who will note any items that need to be attended to. This will then be handed over for the attention of the site manager, who will endeavour to rectify any items, where possible, before you move in.
The following information will be provided to you by the sales adviser:-
- Introduction to Your New Home leaflet - a guide on how to look after your new home.
- Customer Care Guidance Notes – which identify what we are responsible for and the level of customer service you can expect under given circumstances.
Settlement Day
On settlement day you will be accompanied to your plot by the sales adviser and will be given the opportunity to walk around your home, checking any items you noted on the Welcome Meeting Form. Any items that have not been remedied will be added to a Customer Settlement Inspection Form, which is completed by the sales adviser and which you will be asked to sign. A copy will then be issued to the site manager who will make arrangements for any outstanding items to be completed. You will also receive a Customer Service Record Form for completion when you have settled into your new home.
Customer Care After Settlement
One month after settlement you should complete the Customer Service Record Form to report any new or outstanding remedial items that need to be rectified. Please refer to the Customer Care Guidance Notes for advice on what is covered under the terms of our customer care charter and ensure that the Customer Service Record Form is returned to Cruden Homes within the required timescale. Thereafter you will be contacted directly by a site representative, who will make arrangements for the works to be completed. Please note, if you do not submit a Customer Service Record Form we will assume that you do not have any issues to report. Please also be aware that Cruden Homes will not accept liability for cosmetic or decorative issues that are not reported, at the latest, on the Customer Service Record Form.
Any new issues arising after you have completed and returned your Customer Service Record Form should be reported in writing or by email to Cruden Homes or, for emergency situations, by telephone. The sales adviser will provide you with the relevant contact details.
If, within the 2 year defect liability period, you are unhappy with Cruden Homes’ handling of a customer care issue, you may contact your warranty provider and request the use of their dispute resolution service. For technical matters, and if deemed appropriate, the warranty provider may arrange a dispute resolution meeting or investigation. For non-technical matters, and under the terms of the Consumer Code for Homebuilders, they may refer you to an independent dispute resolution scheme. If this is necessary you will be provided with the adjudication scheme rules and an application form. Please contact your warranty provider for further details of this service.