Customer Charter

1. Our customer charter is important in setting out our commitments to you. We will publish our charter in our sales offices and a copy is available on our website.


2. We have systems and procedures to help ensure that:
   
   
• We can give you the information and service to enable you to make a well informed and enjoyable purchase
• We can deliver an unparallelled level of after sales service

We will provide you with a flow of information as the purchase proceeds. Upon reservation you will receive an information pack which will include:


• Estimated entry date
• Technical floor plans
• Suppliers sheet
• Colour chart
• Tiling layouts
• Optional additional extra costs sheet

We will also meet you at various stages to explain this process and the details of your new home.

3. Our staff are responsible for dealing with any questions you may have at any stage when buying the property and afterwards. They have been trained to understand their personal responsibilities to you, the company’s main legal responsibilities to you, and the commitments we have made to you under our customer charter.
   
   If you need to talk to us, please contact:
   
   Sales - Joyce Napier on 01343 552550 or 07775 866272
   Sales – Cisca Cameron on 01343 552550 or 07917 132593
   After Sales – Ann Wojcik on 01343 552550 or 07876 618332
   Legal Information – Heather Henderson on 01343 552550
   

4. We will give you the name and contact details of our staff who will be responsible for helping you during the buying process.

5. We will let you know about the health and safety precautions that you and we must take before you visit a development site, and if you are living on a development where construction work is continuing.
   
   We appreciate that you may want to look at your home while we are building it.
   However, building sites are dangerous and are defined in law as workplaces. We are legally responsible for the site where work is taking place and we must not, by law, allow public access.
   
   For your own safety, you must never go on to the development site without our prior agreement. We may not always be able to give this agreement. However, when we can, we will make arrangements and provide the protective clothing, footwear or other equipment you may need. You must use it while on our development site.

6. We will make sure all of our marketing literature and advertisements comply with relevant laws and advertising codes.

7. The Builders Missives terms and conditions that we enter into with you will be clear and fair. They will comply with the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999.

8. We will give you clear and accurate information in the Builders Missives so that you can understand any cancellation rights relating to your purchase.

9. Your new home will benefit from the 10-Year Warranty cover provided by NHBC or Premier Guarantee. This is included in the purchase price of the property. The cover is described below in general terms only. You should always refer to the policy for full details.
   
   Before the date of entry the Warranty cover provides protection in the unlikely event that the home builder becomes insolvent. In the first two years after completion it says that the home builder must repair defects. Over the following eight years, the Warranty provides cover against the cost (subject to the minimum claim value and exclusions and limitations shown in the policy document) of putting right any significant damage to the load-bearing structure and certain parts of the home that first appeared during this period. The Warranty does not cover wear and tear or lack of maintenance.
   
   You will find details of the cover in your own Warranty document, which you will receive from us through your solicitor. You should read it carefully and ask your solicitor to explain anything you do not understand.

10. Once you have reserved your property, we will contact you to keep you informed of construction progress. We will give you information about when we expect the construction of the property to be completed, which will become more definite as the building work nears completion.
    
    We will keep you regularly informed as the property nears completion. The date of entry will be agreed with you to fall within the notice period already agreed with you in the builders missives.
    
    We will give you an information pack about your home at or just before we hand over the property to you. We will also offer to meet you at the property, at an agreed time, to allow you to carry out a pre-inspection of the property. You will be given the keys to the property when your solicitor has paid us on the date of entry.
    
    Information Pack
    
    At or just before handover, we will give you an information pack about your home. This will contain:
    
    
    • Product information including instructions for the central heating boiler
    • Guidance on any items that need servicing and maintenance
    • An explanation of our after sales procedures
    • A copy of any guide documents by the warranty provider
    • An explanation of the warranty cover including what we are responsible for
    • Details of when the warranty cover comes to an end
    
    Handover
    
    When your solicitor has paid the money due to us on the date of entry, we will give the keys to you. This legal formality must take place to protect your and our position. To avoid delay and disappointment, please make sure that your solicitor and any mortgage lender are fully aware of your timetable and arrangements.
    
    We will arrange with you for a member of our staff to be available and make sure that your home is clean and that there is safe and clear access.

11. Springfield makes every effort possible to ensure that there will be no problems after you have moved into your new home, but our commitment to you continues after the sale has been completed.
    
    We will give you details of the person to contact about any requests for non-urgent service calls or emergencies. We will make sure that you know what to do if you need a non-urgent service call or if there is an emergency.
    
    We will repair defects in your home under the terms of the warranty providers cover. However, we are not responsible for issues caused by wear and tear, decoration and routine maintenance. You as the homeowner are responsible for these items.
    
    Emergencies
    
    By emergency we mean a problem that is, or seems to be, an immediate danger to your property or to health, safety or security. This does not include:
    
    
    • Anything caused by failing to follow operation instructions or take reasonable precautions
    • Fair wear and tear
    • Events such as storm damage that are outside the home builders control and normally covered by household insurance