Row over rotting windows on Telford housing estate

A number of residents of the sprawling Lawley Village development in Telford have complained about the standard of the windows there.

Robert Johnston, of Stainburn Road, said that some of the earliest homes in Lawley Village had “excellent” quality windows but after builder Barratt Homes changed suppliers, claimed standards slipped.

“Basically our windows do not have the required drip beads, pressure treated timber nor are they airtight, any one of these is a fail, the three together is a disaster,” he said.

Mark Whiting, who lives at Ashwicke Road, said: “I first reported rot to my living room window in March 2014, less than a year and a half after purchase. A repair was undertaken to the window but it continued to rot. The window was eventually replaced.

“In April 2017 and September 2017 I reported that further windows were rotting, resulting in the replacement of a further four windows. My remaining windows are also now rotting. I consider my remaining windows are not fit for purpose.”

But Barratt denied that it had installed windows that were not compliant.

A spokesperson for Barratt Homes West Midlands said: “We are aware of the issues raised by residents at Lawley Village and can confirm we have investigated these matters and carried out inspections on the windows at a number of properties.

“When the windows were originally installed, we took action to change our supplier following customer feedback regarding ventilation issues, meaning this was a decision based on design and not cost.

“After investigating claims and following inspections by ourselves and the National House Building Council, we can confirm all windows installed on this phase were compliant with the relevant specifications by a contractor who was a certified member of the British Woodwork Association and accredited to BM Trada.”