New Kent Road

Thank you for your question. The area in question is the commercial unit. We are in negotiations with Safestore, who have made an offer. This offer is subject to planning approval and requires further discussion. We estimate the sale approval will take 4-5 months. Subsequently, Safestore would need to undertake a fit-out of the unit, which is currently in shell and core condition.  

Thank you for your question.  The timeframe for confirmation of registration is beyond our direct control, however we have registered other buildings and have received confirmation of registration within a much shorter time frame.  To minimise potential delays, we have established a dedicated building safety team to thoroughly review all documents before submission, aiming to minimise any potential for further questions or errors.  The process requires us to submit key data to the Building Safety Regulator to obtain permission to occupy the building. Once this is done, the Regulator can request a Building Safety Case Report at any time. This report must provide clear evidence that the building is safe. Failure to present this could result in a heavy fine (or imprisonment / decantation in worst case scenarios). Therefore, it is Southern Housing’s policy that we will not submit the building for registration until we have assurance that we have all the information we need to create our Safety Case Reports.

Thank you for your question.  The fire curtains are being fabricated and once they arrive on site will be installed.  These homes are not yet in the ownership of Southern Housing and the supplier is contracted by HG construction, but all developments are overseen by our Director of delivery and our Executive Director of development.  We do not underestimate the impact that the delays have on our customers, we must make sure that all items are closed out before we agree to take practical completion.  We will continue to keep you updated on progress.

Thank you for your question.  There is a contract in place with the contractor and they are working within that contract, it is not unusual for material changes to happen during the construction process, therefore we are unable to pursue them for compensation. 

Southern Housing do have a compensation budget, but this is for current residents and is not available for us to offer to those that are not yet a Southern Housing resident.  These homes are not yet in the ownership of Southern Housing and there has not been a service failure or breach of contract by the contractor or by Southern Housing in relation to the sale.  You have signed a lease/contract for the purchase of your property which includes a long stop date, this gives you the right to withdrawal from the purchase where you will have your reservation fee and exchange deposit returned to you if we do not provide your home for occupation within this time.

On behalf of Southern Housing and my team, I am sorry for the ongoing delays, we do not underestimate the impact these delays have on our customers, but we must ensure that all items are closed out by the contractors before we agree to practical completion and with the additional need to register the building with the building safety regulator, we must make sure that all paperwork is in place to build the building safety case report.

Thank you for your question.  The documentation required for the building safety registration comes in at different stages along the build process.  There will be some documentation that we only receive upon practical completion.  There are over 2000 documents required for registration, each document must be checked and put into the correct format.  We aim to be in a position to submit the registration soon after achieving practical completion, the timeframe for confirmation of registration from the regulator is beyond our direct control. To minimise potential delays, we have established a dedicated building safety team to thoroughly review all documents before submission, aiming to minimise any potential for further questions or errors.  We still anticipate receiving registration to allow occupation in April.

Thank you for your email.  The longstop date is there to protect the buyer, once exceeded it allows the buyer to rescind without penalty, you should speak to your solicitor who will explain the option to rescind, and any entitlements should you choose to do so. Southern Housing does not intend to rescind contracts, rent, values and service charge will be honoured for everyone who has exchanged.  We will continue to keep you updated with progress.

Thank you for your question.  The preparation for Building Safety Registration (BSR) is currently ongoing, we expect to achieve practical completion in February, at which point we will receive the final documents required for BSR.

These documents will then undergo a thorough review and approval process by our internal building safety team before submission to the regulator. While the BSR process can potentially be completed within 15 days, this timeframe is subject to the regulator not raising any further questions and approving the documents provided to them.   As BSR are a third party, the timeframe for them to confirm registration is not within our direct control.  We have established a dedicated building safety team to rigorously review all documents before submission to mitigate any potential for delays due to BSR raising additional questions or document errors.  The estimated practical completion date is end of February allowing for registration and expected occupation in late March/April.

The building warranties become effective from the date of practical completion, allowing you time to report any defects after you move in. Guarantees for any appliances in the property will commence from your move-in date.

Once we achieve practical completion, we will arrange for you to view your home.  We do not accept independent snagging reports, as the freeholder we arrange for the properties to go through rigorous snagging and de-snagging by our dedicated quality team, who are fully qualified to conduct such inspections in line with NHBC guidelines.  We can provide you with a de-snag list upon completion, which will detail any defects that have been reported to the contractor under the defect liability period.

We will continue to provide you with regular updates on our progress.

Thank you for your question.  Due to changes in regulations pertaining to building safety many of the requirements fall outside the scope of our original contract with HG Construction.  As a result we have had to make additional requests of HG and in some cases instruct works directly to meet these obligations.  Furthermore the information we need to submit for registration must be in a specific format in order to be accepted by the Building Safety Regulator, as these requirements came in to place after construction had begun some of the documents need to be reissued in the required format.

All information provided to customers is done so in good faith based on information provided to Southern Housing from the building contractor and our employers agents.   Whilst we understand that delays to handovers are frustrating and stressful, it is important to note that handover dates for all off-plan homes are always estimated and can move for a variety of reasons. 

We are currently very close to achieving practical completion. Once this milestone is reached, we will be able to thoroughly review the final paperwork required for building safety registration and submit it to our internal building safety team for approval before we submit to BSR.  Until Southern Housing takes practical completion of New Kent Road we do not own the homes to be in a position to register them and advise on occupation.

With regards to compensation, we are not in a position to offer compensation for handover delays, and there is a long stop date built into the sales contract to allow for such delays.   If the delays go beyond the long stop date within your contract, you are able to withdraw and at that point your solicitor will advise what you are entitled to.   Southern Housing is a not for profit organisation with charitable status, we do not have a compensation contingency budget, and any surplus made is recycled towards building more homes.  

We will continue to provide you with regular updates on progress to help you make informed decisions around your current circumstances.

Thank you for your question.  We understand the frustration and stress these delays are causing, and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience. Unforeseen issues, like the recent need to install fire safety curtains in the bin store, can arise during construction. We're working hard to resolve these and achieve practical completion as quickly as possible. We'll continue to keep you updated on our progress.

Thank you for your question.  We are sorry for the inconvenience and understand the frustration and stress the delays cause. Unforeseen issues can arise during construction, such as the recent discovery of the need to install fire safety curtains to the bin store. As a social housing charity, our primary focus is on providing safe and secure homes for our residents. We do not offer compensation for construction delays, as these are not within our control and can significantly impact our ability to deliver affordable housing.  Your solicitor will explain in more detail what you are entitled to should the development completion go beyond the long stop date.  We are working hard to resolve these outstanding issues and achieve practical completion as soon as possible. We will continue to provide regular updates on our progress.