A luxury estate of eco-friendly ‘net zero’ homes has been branded a ‘horror show’, with dismayed homeowners saying a plethora of faults have turned their £800,000 country piles into ‘death traps’.
Fuming neighbours living in Angmering’s exclusive Swallows Gate community in West Sussex have been embroiled in an exhausting two-year insurance battle to fix their lavish homes.
They have accused developers GD Homes of doing a ‘half-arsed’ job on the leafy village estate, with faults to their hi-tech heat exchange and ducting system as well as their insulation leading to serious issues.
‘We had to have a new heat pump installed because the one provided was a 4KW pump when the house, due to its size, required an 8KW pump. The builders just put the same one on every house, which is ridiculous.
‘None of us can sell our homes because the drainage system in the street doesn’t work and would come up on any conveyancing search. It’s just been a dreadful experience since we bought the property in 2022.’
It’s believed deadly black mould, caused by condensation build ups due to poorly fitted pipes and insulation, has started to ravage the properties, with residents fearing their homes could soon be rendered ‘uninhabitable’ by the toxic infestation.
A luxury estate of eco-friendly ‘net zero’ homes has been branded a ‘horror show’, with dismayed homeowners saying a plethora of faults have turned their £800,000 country piles into ‘death traps’
Fuming neighbours living in Angmering’s exclusive Swallows Gate community in West Sussex have been embroiled in an exhausting two-year insurance battle to fix their lavish homes
Steven Rixon (right) has been the driving force behind the battle to fix the homes and said he has been left broken by it. The 45-year-old IT manager, who moved into his £795,000 four-bedroom home in March 2022 with partner Jill (left), her 25-year-old son and 77-year-old mother, said: ‘The stress has been absolutely soul-destroying’
The 45-year-old IT manager, who moved into his £795,000 four-bedroom home in March 2022 with partner Jill, her 25-year-old son and 77-year-old mother, said: ‘The stress has been absolutely soul-destroying. It’s taken over my whole life.
‘It was meant to be this £800,000, pucker amazing house with oak doors and two-metre high ceilings. It was meant to be spot on and amazing – a dream home that’s sustainable. But it’s been anything but.
‘I’m past the breaking point. I have put holes in the wall with my fist because of the stress. The relationship between me and Jill has frayed and is damaged as all we’re doing is arguing about the home.
‘Her mum has had a stroke and is now living in the longue. We did not need this stress in our lives.’
The homes were inspired by the ‘Passive House’ standard in Sweden, which seeks to cut down energy use with top-notch insulation and heating systems.
But Mr Rixon, who drives an electric Cupra car and forked to fit his own 10.5 kilowatt solar array to help him and his family live a green, sustainable life, says he has been forced splash out hundreds of pounds a month to pay for heating.
Mr Rixon accused CVC Systems of ‘lying’ by claiming the ventilation system for his home had been correctly installed
The homes were inspired by the ‘Passive House’ standard in Sweden, which seeks to cut down energy use with top-notch insulation and heating systems
Developers of the estate have since gone bust, leaving locals battling ‘tooth and nail’ with insurers to try and get the problems fixed
It’s believed deadly black mould, caused by condensation build ups due to poorly fitted pipes and insulation, has started to ravage the properties, with residents fearing their homes could soon be rendered ‘uninhabitable’ by the toxic infestation
Another resident told MailOnline: ‘I wish I’d never bought the house. We were so looking forward to our new home but it has been the worst thing we ever did.
As well as the alleged faults, Mr Rixon also claims developers had not completed key works that formed part of their planning conditions for the estate
