A couple who bought a new-build home in Devon for nearly £275,000 say it is now worth just £1 due to extensive defects. Dayle Dixon, 53, and Mark Lee, 59, purchased the three-bedroom Barratt house in Ivybridge in 2018, using part of the government's help-to-buy scheme. Independent chartered surveyors valued the property at £1 last year, stating it would have been worth £330,000 without the problems.
The couple reported issues before moving in, including a hairline crack in the floor. Over time, they discovered a broken soil pipe, inadequate damp proofing, water ingress, and damaged structural floor beams. Surveyors said the ground floor would need to be stripped back to the shell stage, with sections of walls and floors removed. The couple say repairs carried out by the developer have been inadequate.
Dixon says she has developed post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety due to the ongoing problems. 'We are living in a house that is a complete mess,' she said. The couple have an extensive paper trail of complaints and are taking Barratt to the small claims court over damage to items during repairs. Barratt declined to comment, citing the legal action.
The couple want Barratt to buy back the house at its market value of around £350,000. 'We've had enough of having our lives wasted and being treated like idiots,' Dixon said. Other residents on the estate have also reported problems but declined to speak publicly due to ongoing legal disputes.
