Cringleford Mum Freezing Cold in Big Sky Living New Build

A mother of three has been battling for years to get the heating in her new build home fixed. Melissa Self, 33, says the radiators in her three-bedroom house are inadequate for the size of the property, and the lack of warmth has caused mould and damp issues throughout her home. She moved into the property in the St Giles Park development in Cringleford in 2021 and was the first person to live in the home.

"It's been absolutely hell," Melissa, a medical secretary, said. "We are the first people to have lived in this property since it was built and there's always been a massive problem with condensation and mould. My children are constantly falling ill with colds, coughs and chest infections because it's so damp and poorly heated."

The situation has become particularly challenging with rising energy costs. "Sometimes I have to run the heating from 8am to 4pm and it still isn't warm enough. How is a working single mum supposed to afford this?" she added.

Melissa first raised a complaint with her housing association, Places for People, in 2021. An assessor's inspection revealed the property was severely lacking in radiators, which were also too small to adequately heat the space. The situation was exacerbated by moisture appearing through cracks throughout the home, forming mould in her bathroom and on furniture.

Despite multiple repair attempts over two years, the mould persisted. "I've spent the last three years fighting this," Melissa said. "I even approached the housing standards association to complain. The cost is becoming too much just to heat the place a small amount and with the cost of living crisis it is just getting worse."

Earlier this year, Places for People and the developer, Big Sky Living, promised to resolve the situation by autumn. However, with winter approaching, Melissa fears for her children, aged 14, 11, and three. "Two of my kids have disabilities and are constantly saying 'Mummy, why is it so cold?'" she explained.

A Places for People spokeswoman responded: "We are sorry for the time it has taken to put this right. We treat every complaint from every customer with the utmost seriousness and our priority is always their safety and wellbeing. We are actively liaising with our contractors to resolve the issues our customer has been experiencing as soon as possible."

While just over 200 homes have been built in St Giles Park so far, Big Sky Living maintains that Melissa is the only occupant to raise a complaint about dampness. A spokesman stated: "The property was awarded an EPC (energy performance certificate) rating of B with the heating and insulation elements of the property being rated as good or very good when it was completed."

"Although the house has been built by the required specifications and regulations, as a gesture of goodwill, Big Sky has been working with Places for People to carry out additional works to address the issues raised by their tenant. These works are to be carried out this month."

Industry experts recommend that new build homeowners conduct thorough snagging inspections before moving in to identify potential issues early. Professional snagging surveys can help identify problems with heating systems, insulation, and other critical elements of new build properties before they develop into more serious issues.