Buying from us

Customer care

Committed to our customers

Westminster City Council is committed to ensuring that our customers receive a high level of service and information when purchasing a new home. The following Charter sets out our commitment:

  • We have adopted the Consumer Code for Home Builders.
  • Our sales agent and/or sales consultant will provide you with detailed information about the property you are buying and the development prior to purchase.
  • Our sales agent and/or sales consultant will provide you with Health and Safety advice to minimise the risk of danger during construction and following occupation of the property.
  • Our sales agent and/or sales consultant will regularly update you on the construction progress of your new home.
  • Our sales agent and/or sales consultant will provide you with reliable information about the NHBC Buildmark
  • Warranty and any other guarantees associated with the property from which you will benefit.
  • Our Contract of Sale terms and conditions will be clear and fair and in compliance with the Consumer Code for Home Builders.
  • An aftercare consultant appointed by Westminster City Council will carry out a full demonstration of the functions and facilities of your new home.
  • Upon completion you will be provided with a Home Owner Manual with instructions on running in and maintaining your new home.

New Build Warranty

A 10-year warranty for your new home

All Westminster Living homes come with the security of at least a 10-year warranty provided by the NHBC. This guarantees that your new home complies with the strict technical requirements of the whole development process including home design, materials and workmanship.

By being registered with one of these warranty providers, Westminster Living ensures your new property benefits from:

  • At least a 10-year structural warranty: this covers the costs of fixing any damage that results from structural or weatherproofing failures in your new home.
  • A 2-year fixtures and fittings warranty: this means you have the added reassurance that if something covered by the policy goes wrong within your home, Westminster Living will put it right.

And if you sell or rent  your new home while it is still in warranty, the new owners or tenants will inherit the same benefits.

For more information about your warranty provider and the cover, please consult your sales advisor.

Download Customer Charter

Emergency Cover

We’re at hand to help around the clock

Westminster Living work with specialist customer experience consultants to manage all of our customer care requirements. These are tendered for each development to ensure best practice and that the best service provider is selected on a development by development basis. This provision includes both working hours and out of hours services, and you will be advised of the chosen operator upon move in as part of the home demonstration and home user guide.

The selected service provider should be contacted immediately if you have:

  • Complete failure of the heating and/or hot water system.
  • Complete loss of water or gas supply (please check with relevant authority/supplier that the problem is not being caused by a temporary interruption to supply).
  • A water leak or flooding that cannot be contained, or which is penetrating an electrical fitting.
  • Gas leaks (you should also call out your Emergency Gas Service immediately, who will isolate the leak and have your home made safe).
  • Loss of electricity supply. You must check first with your supplier to ascertain whether there has been an interruption, such as a local power failure, to the supply (please first check your trip switch on the fuse board hasn’t been activated by a domestic appliance fault).
  • Flooding caused by blocked drains that threatens to enter the home.
  • A blockage in the underground drainage system, causing water to back up in WCs.
  • A failure of locks to a window or external door on the ground floor, causing a loss of security.

 

The Consumer Code for New Homes

Setting standards in customer service

Westminster Living complies with the Requirements of the Consumer Code for New Homes. This Code is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute and was established to ensure best practice is followed by developers in respect of the marketing and selling of New Homes, including the expected standards for after-sales service.

Consumer Code

Pre contract stage

Ensuring high standards of customer service, fair and clear documentation, and adequate information provision, to ensure consumers are able to make an informed decision about buying a New Home before they enter into Contract with a Developer.

Contract exchange stage

Governing the Contract of Sale, requiring minimum standards for fair and transparent contracts, accurate information about when the property will be ready, termination rights, changes to New Homes after Contract, and protecting deposits & pre-payments.

Legal completion

Providing minimum standards for what must be done, the stage the New Home must have reached and what information must have been provided before Legal Completion can take place, ensuring consumers’ health & safety and providing the opportunity for a Pre-Completion Inspection.

After occupation starts

Setting minimum standards for the After-Sales Service which Buyers should expect to receive, and ensuring they have suitable information for maintaining and living in the New Home.

Complaints and disputes

Setting minimum requirements for Complaints Procedures and giving consumers access to clear, speedy and free cost Independent Dispute Resolution if things don’t go according to plan.

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