AN angry homeowner has hit out at the National House Building Council after suffering months of misery in a brand new house.

Luke Mahon bought the £582,000 house in Bluebell Close, Woodley, in September last year but has faced a catalogue of disasters ever since.

The roof was not adequately weathertight, so a heavy storm in February caused 3mm of water to leak into the house, soaking the rooms underneath.

Builders Taylor Wimpey are currently into the 12th week of remedial work and, after months of having builders tramping through the house, the roof is now fully sealed — but Mr Mahon says the house still has wobbly walls, broken floor and wall tiles, damaged doors, and a carpet which doesn’t reach the walls.

Now Mr Mahon, 41, a marketing director who works from home, has hit out at the NHBC for signing off the property before it was sold, saying it should never have been put on the market in that condition.

He added: “ The fact that the NHBC signed off my house is shocking. When I spoke to them, the impression I got is that they go on Taylor Wimpey’s word. It seems Taylor Wimpey can build whatever they want as long as they assure the NHBC it meets their requirements.

“Imagine going to your local council and telling them you’re building an extension and it fits requirements? They wouldn’t just dish out planning permits.

“I have asked for compensation. Taylor Wimpey’s stance is they will cover us for out-of-pocket expenses such as damage to furniture, however, they won’t discuss compensation until after remedial work has finished. I am not hopeful.”

He said that it isn’t just he and his wife who are struggling to cope with the ongoing disaster. “It’s affecting our cat now,” he added. “She has been very poorly with cystitis, which is stress-related for cats.”

A spokesman for the NHBC said its inspectors only had a brief idea of the condition of the home.

She said: “Our inspections provide a visual ‘snap shot’ of the build at each particular key stage. Our inspectors do not remain on site at all times and therefore are unable to see every element of construction.

“However, it is ultimately the builder’s responsibility to ensure that homes conform to the building regulations and NHBC’s technical standards and to ensure that they have adequate supervision and quality control measures in place to achieve that.”

Phil Chapman, managing director of Taylor Wimpey West

London, said: “We sincerely regret that a number of residents at Loddon Park have reported issues with their properties and apologise for the inconvenience that

has been caused.

“Following consultation with the homeowners, a programme of remedial works is now under way and we will complete this as soon as practically possible.”