House-builders Persimmon claim to be committed to the highest standards of design, construction and service. However complaints from their customers who have contacted Watchdog have shown that they don’t always live up to those big claims.

Totley Hall Drive sounds charming and looks immaculate. But beneath the surface, things aren't quite as perfect as they seem. The estate in Sheffield was built in 2000 by Westbury Homes, a company that's now part of Persimmon Homes - the UK's biggest house builder.

The Bannings were approaching retirement and had saved for years to buy their home. Dianne Banning told Watchdog, "We now face the prospect of our nest-egg being swallowed up with all the problems. The rendering on the front of the house has cracked and it's going to be a destructive and expensive process to investigate what has happened.

Many people elect to buy new-build houses so they won't inherit other home owner's problems. We have received over 200 emails from people who bought new-build houses from Westbury Homes. They have inherited more problems than they bargained for.

The nation's biggest home builder also has the biggest house-building complaints file on the Watchdog database.

Seventeen residents who bought their properties from Persimmon Homes have an exclusive no-one would want - that they prefer their water in bottles!