A couple from Devon who bought a new-build home for £275,000 in 2018 say it is now valued at just £1 due to extensive defects. Dayle Dixon and Mark Lee claim the property in Ivybridge has over 500 snagging issues, including structural problems, damp, and a broken soil pipe, leaving them feeling 'utterly trapped'.
Dayle told The I paper: 'I still cry about it all the time as we were sold a dream that turned out to be nothing but a nightmare.' The couple, lifelong renters, used a £55,000 Help to Buy loan and an inheritance to purchase the three-bedroom home from Barratt. They first noticed a hairline crack in the hallway, which Barratt reportedly dismissed as 'settlement drying out'.
Further problems emerged, including water accumulation in walls and under the kitchen sink, traced to a broken soil pipe. Dayle says the damp-proof course was not properly installed, causing dampness that made her elderly parents ill during a visit. A recent surveyor valued the property at £330,000 but said it would only fetch £1 on the open market due to the defects.
The couple rejected Barratt's offer to buy back the home for £5,000, calling it insufficient. Dayle wants the company to purchase the house at market value and compensate for lost furniture and emotional distress. Barratt stated they have made multiple attempts to resolve the issues, including using independent surveyors, but have had no contact from the couple this year. They remain open to discussions.
