Countryside Customer Care

 

When you buy a Countryside home we want you to be confident you’ve made the right choice.

Our Customer Service team will get in touch shortly after you have moved in to see how you have settled in, and answer any questions you may have.

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Consumer Code

We want every stage of your customer experience with us to be a good one, starting from your initial enquiry right through to moving into and living in your new home. Buying a new home can seem a complicated process, but at Countryside Homes we aim to make it as simple and straightforward as possible.

We comply with the Consumer Code – Fourth Edition 2019 for Homebuilders. Consumer Code have recently made some changes to their requirements, with which we don’t currently comply, as we are in a transitionary period, leading to compliance in the second quarter of this year. This does not change your ability to refer any issues to them or make a complaint under the Consumer Code 2019.

A copy of the Code will be supplied to you through the conveyancing process and can be found at consumercode.co.uk

The Code does not apply to shared ownership properties.

Customer Satisfaction Survey

We pride ourselves in listening to our customers and their feedback is important to us. We want to make sure that everyone is completely satisfied with the way we’ve managed the process of building and selling our new homes.

We hope that your new Countryside home will not only meet, but better still, exceed expectations. However, if there are any aspects of your journey with us that have caused issues or difficulties, we’d like to know about it so that we can prevent them from happening again in the future.

The National House-Building Council (NHBC), on behalf of the House Building Federation (HBF), sends out a survey to all new homeowners 8 weeks after legal completion. Please take the time to fill it in, as we take your responses seriously and will incorporate everything we learn into the way we work and into our staff training.

The feedback we receive is analysed within the company and you can be assured all individual comments are taken on board. Constructive criticism, as well as positive feedback, are equally important to us.

Previous comments from customers have already led to significant changes to our procedures and we will continue to strive to constantly improve at what we do. We look forward to receiving your completed questionnaire and would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to complete it.

Two-Year Warranty

We’ll still be in touch once you have the keys to your new home to make sure that your experience of living in a new Countryside home is as everything you hoped for. If you need our help, we are only ever a phone call away.

While we work our hardest to ensure there will be no problems after you move into your new home, unfortunately issues do sometimes still arise.

You will be given details of the members of our Customer Services team so you know exactly who to speak to. If any remedial work is necessary, it will be attended to within the hours of 8.30am - 5.30pm, Monday - Friday. Details of an emergency service provider will also be given in the event anything should occur outside normal office working hours.

Non-emergency Service Calls

If any defects are identified we will aim to rectify them, subject to availability of materials and you being able to give us access within twenty-eight days thereafter.

Exclusions

Things we do not cover are:

  • Normal shrinkage cracking which can be reasonably expected during the drying out period of the property
  • Wear and tear through the use of your new home
  • Damage caused by neglect or failure to follow operating instructions, or lack of maintenance
  • Things which are normally covered by household insurance. You should approach your Insurer in the first instance
  • Please note: Matters related to communal areas are to be reported to the Management Company

Emergencies - these will be responded to within 24 hours.

These we define as problems which are, or seem to be, harmful to your health and safety or security or immediately harmful to your new home.

Emergency examples:

  • Uncontainable water leaks – drips are not considered an emergency
  • Total loss of water – if only affecting your property and not a street/community issue
  • Loss of power – if only affecting your property and not a street/ community issue and not caused by an appliance
  • No hot water or heating – check boiler pressure first and timer settings
  • Blocked drains causing overflowing waste
  • Toilet not flushing – if this is the only toilet in the property
  • Failure to external ground floor door locks – preventing the property from being secure
  • If you suspect a Gas leak – first call 0800 111 999 and then call our out of hours team

Customer Complaints Procedure

Step 1: If you have a complaint

If you have a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact the regional Customer Service team. Please click here to see a list of all the regional offices and the relevant email addresses. Alternatively, this information can be found in your online account at myhome.vistry.co.uk

If you are a customer who is yet to complete on the purchase of your new home, any queries should be directed to our sales teams at the appropriate development.

All complaints will be acknowledged within 4 days. Within 10 days of receipt, our team will either reply fully or advise you of the steps they are taking and give a date by which they will be able to respond in full.

Within 28 days a complaint assessment and full response will be provided.

We aim to resolve all complaints at step 1. However, we acknowledge that this may not always be possible.

We kindly request that if you remain unsatisfied with the outcome, that you inform us within 5 days so that we can escalate your complaint.

Step 2: What if I am not satisfied?

If you are still not satisfied then you should ask for your complaint to be referred to, or directly contact, the regional Sales or Customer Service Director depending on whether the complaint relates to a matter pre-completion or post-completion.

They will acknowledge all complaints within 4 days of escalation. Within 14 days of escalation, they will either reply fully or advise you of the steps they are taking and give a date by which they will be able to respond in full.

Step 3: What happens if the Director cannot resolve the matter?

If the regional Sales or Customer Service Director is unable to resolve matters to your satisfaction, then you should escalate this further to the regional Managing Director (based at the regional office that you have been dealing with).

They will review your complaint and determine the best course of action, acknowledging the complaint escalation within 4 days and responding in full within 10 days of escalation.

What happens if we are unable to resolve your complaint through these 3 steps?

We will always do our best to deal with our customers in a fair and responsible manner. If, however, after going through the steps outlined above, you are still unhappy with our response, you may wish to refer to your Home Warranty provider (NHBC) under their claims and dispute resolution service. The NHBC will then either deal with the complaint under the terms of the warranty policy or, if the complaint falls outside the NHBC warranty dispute resolution scheme, offer you the opportunity to refer your complaint to the Independent Disputes Resolution. Full details of this scheme and its provider are part of the Consumer Code for Home Builders document given to you at reservation. Full details of this Code can also be found by visiting: consumercode.co.uk

If you would like further details of the NHBC resolution services please visit: www.nhbc.co.uk/homeowners or call 0844 633 1000.

Using our formal complaints process, the Independent Dispute Resolution Scheme or Consumer Code does not affect your normal legal rights.

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References to “we”, “us” or “our” are to the part of the Vistry Group (including Linden Homes, Bovis Homes, Countryside Homes, Drew Smith, Vistry Ventures or one of Vistry’s joint venture companies) from which you are intending to purchase a new home. References to "you” and “your” are to the prospective buyer or buyers of a new home from us.

All images are used for illustrative purposes only and are representative only. They may not be the same as the actual home you purchase and the specification may differ. Images may be of a slightly different model of home and may include optional upgrades and extras which involve additional cost. Individual features such as windows, brick, carpets, paint and other material colours may vary and also the specification of fittings may vary. Any furnishings and furniture are not included in any sale. Please check with our sales consultants for details of the exact specifications available at the development(s) for each type of home and the associated prices.