Other Useful Information

As you have purchased a newly built, hand-crafted home, there are a few things that will happen to your property over the first few months. Please rest assured that these are all completely normal and there are a number of things you can do to minimise the risk of any problems.

Efflorescence

A consequence of the drying out process may be the appearance of white deposits on walls, known as efflorescence. It is caused by natural salts coming out of the wall materials and is not harmful, usually disappearing over time. If efflorescence occurs on internal walls, it can be wiped or brushed away. If it persists internally, it could indicate a water leak, in which case you should contact our Customer Aftercare team.

You can hire a professional to clean efflorescence, however we would advise that you wait until you have been in your home for 18-24 months to allow your home to dry out, otherwise it may reappear.

Condensation

Construction materials absorb water during the build process, which then need to dry out. Once the building materials have dried out, you should no longer experience significant condensation. However, normal daily activities produce a great deal of water vapour, which may cause condensation. Here are our top tips to help reduce condensation:

Produce less moisture

• Cover pans when cooking to reduce steam
• Avoid drying clothes indoors over radiators
• If you use a tumble dryer, make sure that it is vented to the outside air (unless it is a self-condensing type)

Ventilate your home

• The trickle vents in the window frames are intended to provide constant background ventilation and should be left open when rooms are occupied
• If your home has a ventilation system fitted, this should not be switched off
• Use extractor fans and keep the doors and windows closed when cooking, washing, bathing and drying clothes indoors

Provide even heating

• It is best to leave the heating on throughout the course of the day to maintain an even temperature
• The temperature can be set a few degrees lower when you are out and turned up when you return

Pests

Pests such as leather jackets, wasps and mice are a natural occurrence. They are not covered under warranty and are the responsibility of the homeowner to address.

Please remember that Story Homes is not liable for every issue that may occur; you are obliged to carry out regular maintenance on your home and garden to minimise the occurrence of issues. Failure to do so may invalidate your warranty.

Change requests

The transfer deed/covenant may stipulate that homeowners must consult our technical team for any alterations affecting the external view or footprint of the property. To streamline this process, we have created a Change Request Form for your convenience. Kindly complete and return the form to service@storyhomes.co.uk with as much detail as possible. Our technical team will review and respond to all requests within one calendar month, provided comprehensive information has been provided. Please note that permission must be sought via the legal owner of the property.

Covenant breaches

In the event of a suspected breach of your covenant, we recommend contacting your solicitor to enforce the covenant on your behalf. For specific information, homeowners are encouraged to consult their original conveyancer, who can provide guidance based on the details outlined in the specific deeds/covenant.

Limitations on Story Homes involvement

Story Homes may not be able to intervene with certain development-related matters on your behalf. Instances such as road use fall outside of our remit, and some matters are considered neighbourly disputes, where Story Homes cannot directly participate. In such cases, reporting incidents to the appropriate authorities, such as the Police, Highways Agency, or Local Authorities, may be necessary.

We appreciate your co-operation and understanding in adhering to these processes. Should you have any questions or require further clarification, feel free to reach out to us.

Whilst it is important that you take care of your new home, it is also vital that you do this safely; there are some tasks which you should take care when carrying out, and some which you should not carry out yourself.

Gas

The gas cut off valve is located within the gas meter box which is on the outside of your property; if you need to isolate your gas supply, you will need access to this cabinet. If you suspect a gas leak:

• Turn off the gas at the meter box
• Open the doors and windows
• Contact the Gas Emergency Helpline on 0800 111 999 and/or emergency services
• Do not operate any electrical appliances or switches
• Where practical, leave the property

If your home is outside of the 2-year warranty period, please ensure that you use an engineer who is on the Gas Safe Register. Please note you should not restrict the air supply to any gas appliance by closing or blocking ventilators.

Electricity

If you suspect a power failure, check with your neighbours to give you an idea of whether the fault is with your home, or whether it could be a localised power cut. If you think that the power failure is occurring in your home only, check your consumer unit to see if the circuit breakers are on (also known as a fuse box). If one is down you should check for damage and if it is not damaged, reset it:

• If the circuit breaks again then unplug or turn off all appliances and reset the circuit breaker
• If it trips again, you probably have a short circuit and will require professional help
• If it did not trip, test all your appliances individually until you find the one that is faulty

Roofs

Tiles on sloping roofs are brittle and easily cracked; they are not designed to take a person’s weight. You should not access the roof yourself and anyone who does should ensure that suitable access equipment is used.

Storing items in your roof space is not recommended as it increases the risk of condensation and mould. Loft spaces are not load bearing; you may find that the ceiling acquires a dip from anything heavy placed in the roof space. The loft space should only be accessible for maintenance and please note that only the roof trusses are load bearing. Always walk on the bottom cord of a truss and do not disturb the insulation as it will create dust; wear a mask if you are there for any length of time. Please note that adding boarding to, or storing items in, the loft space will invalidate your warranty.

Garage space

The garage is not considered to be a dry space and can be exposed to the elements when the weather conditions are poor.

Any items stored in garages could be subjected to condensation and mould and are stored there at the homeowner’s own risk.

Personal safety

You should exercise caution when doing the following:

• Drilling (or nailing to) walls – there may be buried services behind the walls in your property. A cable detector must be used to help locate any services. If in doubt, please speak to a professional electrician to seek their advice
• Take care when doing any task which creates heat, for example, using a hot air paint stripper. Do not use blow lamps near combustible materials

As you have purchased a home on a new build development, it is likely that some building work will be ongoing once you move in. It is important that you consider your own personal safety, along with the safety of any dependants and visitors.

Weather and materials can create dirt, dust and noise but we aim to keep the development clean and tidy, and ensure you have unrestricted access to your home while we work. Please note that Story Homes is not responsible for cleaning vehicles, or the exterior of your home should any dust from site gather.

Some of the main things that you should be aware of are:

Additional/specialised traffic

Most machinery movements will be kept to a restricted area but may also need to travel through the occupied development. This may cause a hazard for pedestrians so

please remain vigilant. If you see anyone who you believe is driving outside of the traffic management rules, for example speeding, or driving via the wrong entrance or agreed route, please report this to your Site Manager.

Safety on site

If there are ongoing building works on your development, at no time should you access the restricted construction areas. If you need to access these areas, please speak to your Site Manager.

Children

We would like to remind you to warn the children in your family, or coming to visit you, about the dangers of playing on or near building sites. Please be mindful of children’s whereabouts at all times.

Trip hazards

Before the roads and pavements are surfaced there may be possible trip hazards due to the uneven surface. We aim to keep such hazards to a minimum by putting temporary measures in place however, you need to be aware of such hazards to ensure the safety of your family and any visitors.

Finishing the roads

We work with our subcontractors to construct the roads to a base course level before any residents move in. This is one level below the finished surface, for example block paving or wearing course tarmac. The roads are completed, or topped off, on a phased basis as we complete various sections of the development. These phases are determined on a site-by site basis, usually to avoid finished surfaces becoming damaged by construction traffic. The completion and adoption of these areas rely on third parties, such as the local authority, to be in agreement. While we strive to complete these areas as soon as possible, it is not always possible for Story Homes to do so, and it may be a number of years after the final plot completion date. We understand that this may be inconvenient, but we can assure you that the roads are always in a suitable condition for residents to use them at their base course level. Residents and visitors should drive with extreme care on the development to avoid any damage and generally keeping other road users safe. Any issues with streetlights or other services should also be reported to Story Homes until the Local Authority adopts the roads. Grit bins will be provided and managed, only where deemed necessary.

Landscaping design

In the creation of your development, Story Homes adheres to planning obligations set by the local authority, focusing on landscaping and open space. The landscaping design, including considerations for biodiversity net gain, is integral to our commitment to leaving the natural environment in an enhanced state. Unfortunately, we are unable to modify landscaping designs. If you have enquiries about tree removal within your deed lines, consult your local authority or conveyancer to avoid breaching planning conditions.

Maintenance of public open space

Story Homes oversees the maintenance of public open spaces until they are ready for use. Subsequently, a Professional Managing Agent, appointed by the Management Company, takes over maintenance responsibilities. Both Story Homes and the Managing Agent will inform you of the maintenance transfer, providing details on the estimated annual variable estate charge for the upcoming year. Any future queries about public open space maintenance should be directed to the Managing Agent for your development. Planting completion may experience seasonal delays, particularly for trees in the winter months (November to March). If you have questions about specific areas adjacent to your property, consult your conveyancer for guidance on deed lines and maintenance responsibilities.

Adoption works to roads and sewers

Adoption works, essential for the handover to the Highways Authority and utilities companies, occur on a phased basis. While precise timescales are challenging due to external inspections and local authority processes, we strive for timely completion across the site. Ongoing maintenance is then managed at varying intervals around the development.

Story Homes will maintain areas of public open space until they are ready to be used, at which point a Professional Managing Agent will be hired by the Management Company to maintain the areas.

Both Story Homes and the Professional Managing Agent will contact you when maintenance of the areas is transferred to the agent. They will provide you with the estimated annual variable estate charge payable for the year ahead.

The Professional Managing Agent will also contact you when the Management Company is able to take over the legal ownership of the public open space areas. At this stage, you will be issued with your membership certificate and asked if you wish to become a director of the Management Company. If enough resident directors are appointed, Story Homes personnel will resign as directors and hand the Management Company over to residents to operate.

The Professional Managing Agents will also deal with queries relating to restriction consents and notices.

Drain locations

Story Homes is unable to provide specific advice on the exact location of drainage systems, as drawings may be indicative, and locations may vary based on the surrounding environment. It is strongly recommended to engage professional tradespeople who can offer expert advice when undertaking any drainage works at your property.

Issues with drainage

Indicators of Drainage Issues:

• Unpleasant odour in the bathroom with closed windows
• Elevated water level in the toilet
• Flushing the toilet causes water to rise in the shower
• Running taps result in water rising in the toilet
• Gurgling drains
• Slow drainage of water

Once your two-year warranty period with Story Homes has elapsed, the responsibility for drains within your deed line shifts to the homeowner. In such cases, it is incumbent upon you to engage a plumber or drainage company to investigate and address any concerns. If your contractors identify an issue on the main sewer line outside your property, please contact the Story Homes Aftercare team or your utilities company if the sewers have been adopted.

Blockages

Tips to Prevent Blocked Drains:

• Regularly clean shower hair traps and use drain unblockers
• Use a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar for maintenance
• Properly dispose of food waste and sanitary items
• Regularly check and clear gutters and surrounding drains of debris

Reporting Blockages:

• Issues within the two-year builder warranty period should be reported to our Aftercare team.
• Emergency situations such as blocked drains risking floods or overflow should be immediately reported to our office Aftercare team or the out-of-hours team.

We must emphasise the importance of not flushing wipes or other inappropriate materials down the toilet, as this can lead to blockages. If attendance to a blockage reveals that it resulted from inappropriate material rather than a defect, groundworkers may impose a call-out charge, which will be passed onto you. For detailed guidance on waste disposal, please refer to our waste disposal leaflet.

Adoptions

In terms of adoption work, site adoption activities preceding handover to the Highways Agency and utilities companies are conducted on a phase-by-phase basis. Unfortunately, we cannot always provide precise timescales for completion, as they depend on meetings, inspections with external bodies, and coordination with local authorities. Our commitment is to finalise all areas as promptly as possible to ensure their correctness for the ongoing adoption process, where maintenance is conducted at various intervals around the site.

Site Drainage

Some developments feature Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) ponds managed by the Management Company. For further guidance, homeowners should refer to their Home Information File and consult professional advice as needed.

Your new home comes complete with a variety of products, some of which have their own manufacturer’s warranty. You should take time to read through the product manuals provided to you when you moved in.

With many products, the owner must take responsibility for registering the product to gain warranty cover, and we cannot do this on your behalf. It is also important that you understand the maintenance you are responsible for to ensure that any product warranties remain valid, for example, an annual boiler and water cylinder/tank service (if applicable). Failure to undertake regular maintenance or general day-to-day care of the product may result in the warranty becoming invalid.

Some of the key items which may have a manufacturer’s warranty in your new home include:

• Boilers
• Ventilation systems (PIV Units)
• Windows and doors
• Retaining structures
• Appliances
• Light fittings
• Extractor fans

Please check your paperwork once you move in to confirm which products benefit from their own warranty.

Registering appliances

The appliances in your home must be registered by you to ensure that you are kept informed about any product and safety related information.

You can do this at registermyappliance.org.uk. You will need to provide the appliance purchase place and date; use your legal completion day as the purchase date and Story Homes as the place where it was purchased from. It is important that you do this as it will:

• Activate the appliance warranty
• Keep you informed about any product and safety related information (if the product needs to be recalled you will be contacted directly)

You may be contacted when your warranty is coming to an end and may be offered the option to extend the cover.

As there is a manufacturer’s warranty for each of your appliances you should contact the manufacturer or the manufacturer’s warranty provider directly during their normal opening hours to report any issues. They will organise for an engineer to come and review the fault and either repair or replace the item, subject to warranty.

Your new residence may feature a service strip located outside its premises—an essential space facilitating access to mains services such as electricity ducts. While these service strips might visually blend with your home’s boundary, it’s crucial to note that they are not encompassed within the property limits and must remain accessible at all times.

These strips can be situated in various areas around your property, including grassed zones surrounding your home, footpaths, and the entrance of your driveway. In most cases, the responsibility for maintaining these areas falls upon you. It’s imperative to refrain from any unauthorised planting or alterations within the service strip zones, as such actions will result in removal, with the area promptly reinstated.

Modifying service strip areas can have ramifications on the adoption of the roads by the Highways Authority. Hence, it is of utmost importance not to alter these areas. During your Home Demonstration, your Site Manager will pinpoint the specific service strip locations. You can also identify them by following the footpath and drive crossing lines.

For any queries, your conveyancer is the right point of contact. Once these areas are adopted by the Highways Agency, maintenance-related enquiries should be directed to them. While the Highways Authority may not conduct regular attendance, homeowners have the option to, for instance, manage the grassed area by cutting it themselves if they choose to do so.

A stopcock, or stop tap, is a crucial component for regulating and controlling the flow of mains water. Knowing its location is essential for responding promptly in cases of flooding or burst pipes.

Location

The internal stopcock is usually found under a kitchen or utility room sink, in a downstairs WC, or in the garage (often on the wall opposite the outside tap). It appears like a spoutless tap or lever, situated between two pipe lengths, acting as a connector.

The external stopcock (water toby) is located outside, typically in your driveway or on a path near the boundary of your property. The water supplier is responsible for its maintenance and repairs.

Operation

To shut off the water supply, turn the internal or external stopcock in a clockwise direction.

To restore the water supply, turn the stopcock in an anti-clockwise direction.

Usage tips:

• Familiarise yourself with the location of both internal and external stopcocks.
• Regularly check the functionality of the stopcocks to ensure they operate smoothly.
• In emergencies, shut off the internal stopcock first to contain the issue before accessing the external stopcock if necessary.

Understanding and being prepared to use stopcocks is a proactive measure for safeguarding your home from potential water-related issues. For further information on the internal and external stopcock, please watch the short video below.

Your Story home comes with a warranty, ensuring you have peace of mind should anything go wrong.

Like any insurance policy, your warranty is in place to protect you, but also has some exclusions. The warranty is not affected if you sell or let your new home. If you sell your home whilst it is still within warranty, the cover will automatically transfer to the new owners; you should pass on the warranty details so that they understand what is covered.

Please remember that any damages, chips or scratches must be reported as soon as you become aware of them upon handover of your new home. These should have been reported directly to your Site Manager, no later than seven days after your legal completion. Any damage reported after this time will not be covered by the new home warranty.

Your new home warranty covers you for 10 years. In years 0-2 this includes a builder warranty, where Story Homes will cover any issues caused by product failure or poor workmanship that is not to warranty standards. From exchange of contracts until completion, your warranty protects your contract deposit in the event of Story Homes insolvency.

During the period from years 3 to 10 following legal completion, the warranty provider will cover your property for structural defects and any remedial works arising from such, that qualify under their policy terms. Specific information about other benefits of the new home warranty can be found on the provider’s website. You must refer to your own documents for specific information as some property types will differ (for example an apartment is different from a detached home).

It is the responsibility of your conveyancer to provide the information regarding your policy, including your policy number.

What is excluded from your new home warranty?

The below list highlights some of the exclusions which are not covered by your new home warranty:

• Anything resulting from, or caused by, the alteration or extension of your home
• The effects of wear and tear, neglect, or failure to do appropriate homeowner maintenance
• The effects of dampness, condensation or shrinkage not resulting from a defect
• Any reduction in the value of a home
• Any loss of enjoyment, loss of use, loss of income or business opportunity, inconvenience or distress, or any loss arising, or cost incurred (or both) indirectly, as a result of the events or circumstances that led to your claim or complaint
• The cost of replacing an undamaged item because another item of a similar nature has to be replaced and the replacement item does not match the undamaged item in appearance
• Any cost, loss or damage resulting from flooding, a change in the water table level, from fire or from storm force (normal building and contents insurance should cover these)
• Cracking, spalling or mortar erosion which does not impair the structural stability or protection from weather
• Damage to roof covering, unless the damage results in entry of water into the home
• Changes in colour, texture or staining of external finishes, including roof tiles
• Paintwork – a base layer has been provided for you to decorate over time
• Any damage caused by storm damage or accidental negligence
• Issues arising with fitted furniture/kitchens due to the homeowner’s failure to make adjustments as part of normal maintenance

There may be an excess to pay and a minimum claim value with your 10-year build warranty. Not everything in your home is covered, and both Story Homes and the warranty provider require reasonable access during normal working hours to rectify any defects.

Any work which homeowners choose to rectify themselves in their own time or to their own style will not be reimbursed by Story Homes. Any alteration or extension you make to your home following legal completion may adversely affect all, or part, of your warranty. Please liaise with the Customer Aftercare team if you plan to alter or extend your home so you can understand what effect it may have.

For homes purchased on our developments in England, the transfer deed or lease for your new Story home imposes covenants which govern what you can and cannot do (in Scotland, the deed transferring title of your new Story home to you incorporates reference to a Deed of Conditions which contains similar restrictions, known as real burdens). You should make yourself familiar with the terms of the covenants (restrictions in Scotland) as they affect how you use your home, what changes you can and cannot make to it and whether the prior consent of Story Homes and/or anyone else is required. Your conveyancer should have provided you with a copy of the transfer deed or lease, or Deed of Conditions in Scotland, and brought the terms of the covenants to your attention. This warranty does not affect your statutory rights.