Dream home has turned into ‘living hell’ for owner

Yvette Davis, 51, bought her newly-built home in Sarisbury Green last July for £309.950 off Linden Homes.

On moving into the home, she then discovered 127 defects in the property which ranged from scuff marks to green gunge coming out of a bathroom tap.

An inspector from the National House Building Council (NHBC) then revealed in December that her water contained pseudomonas aeruginosa - a common bacteria - leading Linden to request her to move out in January.

Miss Davis stayed for three months in a hotel before moving into temporary accommodation in Southampton.

She is still awaiting to move back in with Linden Homes ‘extensive’ investigation into the contamination yet to discover its root cause.

Yvette told The News: ‘I’ve been in a living hell for a year now.

‘The whole situation could not have gone more spectacularly worse.

‘I’ve been having panic attacks, had a nervous breakdown the other week and I’ve constantly got myself into a frenzy, as I feel stress the whole time.’

The executive assistant is now taking anti-depressants, has been signed off sick from work until September and is now on statutory sick pay from work.

She is also having to pay more than £1,200 per month for her mortgage and fears that her absence from work will lead to her losing her job.

Yvette added: ‘I’ve lost a year of my life. This was supposed to be my dream home. Now I cry all the time about it as I just think it is so cruel what has happened to me.

‘I almost feel that Linden Homes have a vendetta against me.’

Yvette says that despite her leaving the property in January, it took Linden Homes’ contractor three months to change the supply pipe to her home in April.

The flexi hoses and three sink taps were then changed this June while chemical flushing of the property continued.

According to Yvette, the company have said that they are now going to remove walls, ceilings in the home to replace the boiler, water cylinder and shower save unit.

She added: ‘Surely nothing should take this long? I have not lived in my home for eight months. It’s just disgraceful and I feel at the end of my tether about it.

‘My head is just all over the place.’

Linden Homes say that a scope of works has been drawn up with Miss Davis but that this has yet to be carried out and no date for completion has been given.

A spokesperson for the housebuilder said: ‘Despite prolonged and extensive investigations on Ms Davis’ property and consultation with third-party bodies, we have been collectively unable to ascertain the source of any contamination.

‘We have diligently tested other surrounding properties to ensure the contamination is not extended into other homes, results from which have been negative.

‘The problem is not one we have encountered before, on this or any other development.’

They added that they have reimbursed Miss Davis for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and that they are ‘committed’ to identifying a fast solution but will not buy back the property.

Sean Woodward, Fareham borough councillor for Sarisbury added: ‘I think this is a very serious issue and I have urged Linden Homes to sort out the contamination as quickly as possible.’