Linden Homes North East Bishop Auckland reviews

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Traveller site included in planning permission!

Our initial dealings with Bovis / Linden homes was good. The sales team were helpful although reluctant to always provide spec info as they said it was subject to change or confidential! However, after joining a local Facebook group, a couple of weeks before we were due to exchange contracts I was made aware of the plans to build a permanent traveller settlement on the Hounsome-Fields site! We raised this with the sales team who confirmed this shocking news, the traveller site was part of their planning permission from the start and they tried their best to play down the situation to us! Conveniently this information was left out of the points of interest in the surrounding area reeled off to us by the sales during our site visit! Due to the uncertainty of how big the site may become and the detrimental effect this could have when we came to sell in the future we decided to pull out. In all fairness to Bovis we were given back our deposit with no fuss. We were lucky that we found this out before we spent lots of money on fees etc.

Michaela · 10 February 2022

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Kirkleatham Green site

Kirkleatham Green site. Jack and Ben have been nothing but a pleasure to deal with. They have made our house purchase smooth and as stress free as possible. Their customer service has been second to none. Always kept in touch with us and made sure we were updated when necessary. Both very friendly and welcoming and couldn't do anything more to help us. We are very grateful for all their help. Thank you both so much! Danielle, Liam and MeilaPs if we could give them a pay rise or bonus we would😁

Danielle · 10 February 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Wont give money back!

I woudnt ever by a home from them! We reserved a plot back in November, but pulled out as we found out there was a quarry proposed in the next field . They forgot to mention that, and we found out for ourselves.We have been waiting over a month for our refund on the reservation, and had so many delaying tactics from all the sales people. We were meant to have it back in 14 days.Would not recommend! Awful customer service!

Pearl · 8 February 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

AVOID, AVOID, AVOID!!!Linden Homes exploit young first time buyers! I used to read reviews and think people just liked to complain, however please read my review carefully so this doesn’t happen to you! We purchased our home on the Ashfield Park site. Once we exchanged contracts with the builder, all communication stopped. We had no updates throughout the build process, regardless of how many times we asked. If we were to get a response it was a week later. The condition of our home on completion day was abysmal! We had walls that had been filled and not painted over, lights hanging from ceilings, loose bath panels, unsealed kitchen counters and every room required filling and painting to cover the dents in the walls. The home had not been cleaned and the man doing the mastic (on completion day) has attached all the dirt and dust from the uncleaned house to the skirting boards, of which we will be replacing at our own expense. Our back french doors did not lock and the site manager advised ‘just don’t open them’. These doors are in fact a fire exit and we had to wait 6 days for someone to even come and look at them, after chasing 3 times!! On top of all this, our living room is larger at one end to the other as our wall is wonky. We had no handover, signed for no keys and did not have any paper work until last week. After reporting the issues with site, we were informed by site that it was ‘news to them’ and that we had signed to say ‘we love our home’ which was not the case. We have still not signed for anything, not even our keys. Our signature has been fraudulently added to paperwork held by site. The overall experience for a young couple moving into their brand new, forever home has been ruined by what can only be described, as poor workmanship, poor management and poor sales consultation. We would never buy a new build property again, nor would be ever recommend Linden Homes!Linden Homes took advantage of a young couple who were desperate to buy their brand new forever home. They over promised, under deliverable and treat us appallingly in the process! I sincerely hope that no one else lives the nightmare we have been living for the last 4 months!

Sophie · 7 February 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Avoid If Possible!

First time buyer here! Bought my house in June 2019 . . . Sales team were great and really friendly. Super helpful, chatty and built a good relationship with them . . . that's where the positives stop.Linden's quality of workmanship is poor (putting it politely) . . . My house 'feels' like it was a training exercise for a work experience project. I raised over 100 snags of which some are STILL outstanding. As soon as they've got your NHBC survey they essentially wash their hands of you, unless you keep up enough of a fuss. I felt like I had to really fight and work for my snags to be reviewed and rectified. It was knackering. The qualified contractor / site manager should have had higher standards . . . they are the experts after all . . . not me! I feel like there is a lot of responsibility for the new owner to know what is and isn't acceptable without a construction background.So many details around the house were poorly finished! Paint on switches, missing screws, chips and dents in door frames, grout and mortar ALL over the place . . . It really has tarnished my first home buying experience.I don't expect to buy a brand new car with it's wing mirror hanging off, so why is it acceptable to buy a brand new house with all these defects . . . Its now been 2 years with other snags that i've found which are really unacceptable and they've washed their hands of me. I'm now left to fix these issues at my own expense.New homes are always marketed to people as 'Cheaper than buying used' . . . I think not considering the amount of time, energy, stress and own money to try and fix their incompetence.Avoid if possible! But I know with help to buy schemes, people are really restricted to new builds and stock.

Mr · 28 January 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Please do not purchase a house from…

Please do not purchase a house from Linden as they not only wait 4 years to fix something but then actually make out that you are a liar and tell you that they never did intend to fix the issue.

Sue · 26 November 2024

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Needed some info on a block of flats…

Needed some info on a block of flats they built over 20 years ago. They went through their archive and emailed me what i needed. Was nothing in it for them but they took time out to help me.

Emma · 5 December 2024

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE BUYING

PLEASE READ THISLinden Homes are a terrible organisation. I really, really, really wish I had read the reviews before going through part-exchange with them. I am going to go into more detail in the future but I am sorting legal action first and I have been advised not to give details. But basically they kept asking for money from us, we sold our house to them, they sold it to a buyer and then they delayed our new house build. The buyer then pulled out as she needed a house quicker but with the delay from Linden they couldn't wait.Linden continued to ask for money, including getting daily house views whilst we dealt with a new born baby. After the market went quiet they started to withdraw without telling us and our solicitors nothing. They said they needed new paperwork (We and the solicitors provided everything they asked in the first 3 months). After our solicitors proved legally we didn't need the paperwork that was over 20 years old and sorted generations before us, they pulled out without telling us a thing. Our estate agency told us and apologised for how terrible Linden had been, and said that we had been pulled from the market. One month later and they still have not acknowledged us or paid us a penny back to which they said they owe. ABSOLUTE JOKE. Please on your life, don't use LINDEN. Read the reviews here, believe the stories of the people. There are many good alternatives, don't be drawn in.

Jack · 27 November 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

AVOID freeholders trapped with managements fees

Do not buy a new linden home property or anyThey trap you and sign you up to first port the worst company imaginable to manage cutting the grass They said it was no charge until they completed the whole estate. They then changed that and split the estate in to phases. First port and linden then made up fees one example is the £15000 management fees then another £7000 for the actual cutting of the grass. Totalling £24000 for phase 1 for cutting the grass They do not finish works the estate is a tip, so much mix matched tarmac from shoddy workmanship having to be done then redone Lights don’t work and haven’t since instal Lies lies lies when chasing them blaming anyone they can but not doing the work AVOID at all costs were selling and will never use linden vistry or whatever their name currently is

Mark · 15 November 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

We purchased two homes as investment…

We purchased two homes as investment properties off Linden Homes. They are like chalk and cheese, one house is fine the other is riddled with latent defects latest ones is an unsealed concrete base allowing damp through. The customer service is the very very worst in the house building industry time and time again issues are fibbed off and excuses made. Do not expect any kind of customer care from what is a bunch of cowboy builders and believe me I can justify this bold statement. From rats getting through uncapped mains water pipe runs to damp concrete to at least fours water pipeLeaks and poor electrics. Only cconsistantancy is the woeful customer care team who really should be ashamed of thier replies

Mark · 5 November 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Deceitful, lack of ethics and incompetent. Linden have cost me £2500. AVOID AVOID AVOID

Where do you start with this deceitful company. We reserved a property on their Seamer site near Scarborough and proceeded towards exchange. A property reservation fee of £500 and £700 of legal fees later my solicitor discovered a public right of way running immediately at the back and the side of the property which wasn't on any site plans displayed in the sales office, wasn't on any plans supplied to us and wasn't once mentioned to us by sales staff. Indeed the right of way was located on land misleadingly shown as belonging to our property and the neighbouring property on the sales brochure and our supplied details. Further, on our home demonstration we asked the site manager the location of our boundaries and he was extremely economical with the truth on two separate occasions as to the location of the boundaries and again didn't make us aware of the public right of way. Thankfully our solicitor was doing her job but at that stage we were £1300 out of pocket. We had to pull out of the purchase but agreed to reserve a different property with Linden on the Heartlands site in Driffield transferring the resevation as we were worried about losing our sale. We managed to keep our buyer sweet and were assured of a September completion in writing for the new reservation (agreed verbally by the site manager and in writing by the site sales team). However, we should have learnt from the previous reservation that Linden could not be trusted. Two weeks before the agreed completion date and despite a month of desperately chasing Linden to confirm the date officially to our buyer's solicitor only to be greeted with complete silence, we were dropped the bombshell with absolutely no valid reason that the completion date was now October. Not only did this mean that both me and my buyer now had to pay stamp duty it also meant my buyer finallly lost patience and pulled out of my sale. This was despite the Linden house being finished! After a formal complaint to Linden they then mysteriously agreed an end of September completion knowing that my sale had fallen through! We were promised that Linden would be patient and wait within reason for us to find a new buyer given the appalling way they had behaved so far on both plots. But lo and behold just 10 days past the original agreed completion date the house was put back on the open market without even telling us or our solicitor! We found out when we visited the property and the sold signs had been replaced with For Sale signs! I am now out of pocket by a further £600 giving a total loss of around £2500 counting cost accrued on my abortive sale so far. Both purchases fell through solely as a result of Linden's deceit, lack of ethics and total incompetence. I haven't even been offered my reservation fee back! I will now have to take legal action against this appalling company at further cost. Please please do not deal with this shocking company. Just read some of the reviews. I have purchased 3 new builds with various builders and I have never dealt with a company as bad as Linden. AVOID AVOID AVOID.

Jes · 15 October 2021

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Brilliant

We have just completed on our home on Kirkleatham Green, Redcar. Ben and Jack are both so friendly, attentive and helpful, and nothing is ever too much for them. I personally felt like they treat our home as their own; they do genuinely want it to be perfect for you. They kept us well informed with progress, and what we needed to do next. We’re really pleased with our home and the service provided!

Paige · 14 August 2022

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Love my new home and thank you to the site team!

Only been in my home for 2 months or so at bracken grange but can’t fault the build and the after sales team. Some minor cosmetic snags but to be expected and these issues were dealt with quickly. Garry and Anth the site manager and assistant manager are always friendly and checking in to make sure no more issues have arisen and the same for the sales girls Danielle and Charlotte that have went above and beyond helping out with unrelated issues that they didn’t have to.

Liam · 1 October 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Linden homes is racist they Treat…

Linden homes is racist they Treat people with ethnic minority backgrounds and disability is differently they pulled out of a contract for no reason when we were just about to exchange they have been ignoring calls and treat people like they are worthless they made people cry suicidal and hospitalised because of the stress and the bullying that Linden homes have put people through Do not buy with them you will not be happy Linden homes or a curse you will never be happy in a home of London because it feels like it is cursed with a bad luck

Lola · 24 September 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

STILL WAITING

My integrated dishwasher was not installed correctly. After chasing they sent someone out to fix it. He came with no tools or materials and just said yep - it needs fixing but I have nothing with me🤦‍♀️After pursuing linden for a year they sent another guy out - he had 50 percent of what he needed. He came with the tools and materials to fix the left hand side of the dishwasher!! Strangely enough that destabilised the dishwasher and now it’s collapsed into the unit. Nearly 1.5 years later I’m still waiting for repair refund and compensation. This is after another repair job had to be done twice as wasn’t done properly the first time. Still waiting Linden....

Customer2018 · 9 September 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

YOU HAVE TO COMPLAIN EVERYDAY TO GET RESPONSE

We are really disappointed with the management of the issues of our new build house. When we moved in, we had a faulty fridge, a leaking shower and (what we think are) plumbing faults which have been ignored (and other "smaller" issues which we have basically had to ignore as the bigger issues haven't been dealt with!!!). We simply do not have time to chase up everything everyday 2-3 times a day, these should be managed by the company itself. We knew companies were adjusting to the lockdown period when we moved in, but now we have been told our warranty ran out is very disappointing and we are considering lawyers! Buying a brand new house should surely be easier than this.Our issues included: faulty fridge, leakage- shower and radiator, blocked toilet and flushing reduces water in other toilets in the house, heating- too cold in some and too hot in other rooms, carpet not fitted properly to carpet bars at doors, fire alarm keeps going off very loud, shower had part missing, flooring damaged... After 1,5 years only the leakage has been fixed and we are waiting for heating to be changed! Not forgetting that we will now need to buy our own fridge as the warranty ran out and hoping the plumbing is checked soon!NB- When they do fix, they did a very good and professional job but we had to wait 1,5 years for this!

Z · 28 August 2021

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

No complaints - and some really helpful staff

We have owned a Linden home for nearly five years in Devon. I have to say they have always been very fair and good. The reported snags were dealt with and our customer service contact, Barry, was truly excellent. We later had some paperwork issues in conveyancing and I cannot praise the Exeter office staff enough, especially a brilliant lady called Karen. They understood our difficulties and helped us sort them out really quickly. So I have no complaints- and the people we dealt with were always really helpful.

Mark · 27 August 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Bought a new build in Washington 5…

Bought a new build in Washington 5 weeks ago put us under great pressure to get the completion completed threatened us with taking the deposit contribution when it was out of control. Completed the exchange on the 15th of July had problems from day one with carpets, snagging issues that have still yet to be completed, the quality of the finish is very poor. Once they get the money off you they are not bothered and don’t care afterwards. I would avoid buying from this company if you can.

Ross · 26 August 2021

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Fantastic experience - trust your seller and builder more than the bad reviews

We’ve had an amazing experience with Linden homes. Ignore the reviews if you’re worried, reviews will be hugely conditional on which site you choose as with all building companies. Lynne who sold us the home has really gone above and beyond the entire time and we’ve felt really supported. She didn’t pressure us to buy but was really responsive to our haggling, and she’s been just as angry at the problem as us when we’ve had any issues so has been very quick to solve things! Really feels like they are all on our side and not just bothered about money alone. We had a snagging surveyor come round and he was impressed there were around half the usual snags in a new build - and we’ve had builders/painters/cleaners come by left right and centre to try and fix the tiny snags as soon as possible. Linden even helped us out with a dongle when we had no WiFi at first, and offered to pay for our pizza takeaway when we didn’t have the oven in time for move in. Our house is also way bigger and better laid out than the Barrett homes ones up the road that we looked at (and the sales pitch there didn’t really appeal to who we are, the sales associate seemed quite elitist about the sort of people who lived there. she definitely didn’t read the room as we were after a much more down-to-earth and friendly development) and the site is much nicer. I also felt like linden were much more transparent about what was included in the house than Barrett, who got annoyed when we mentioned upgrades (even ones they said they were giving out on the site!) We almost didn’t go with linden because of their reviews but tbh trust your sales associate and building manager more - at the end of the day they are who you will be interacting with. To be fair I’m quite a hands on and pushy person when it comes to getting responses and clear answers, but honestly I have no doubt in my mind that they will continue to support us as they have done over the past 6 months.Also, believe it or not their recommended solicitor and brokers were absolutely fantastic - I know everyone warns you not to go with the recommended ones but as first time buyers we weren’t sure … thank god because they were literally both SO fast and at doing their jobs.

Maddy · 24 August 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Awful company - avoid at all costs

Awful company. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!Gave us 6 weeks to exchange via 'smooth move'. We sorted our side, the buyer (arranged via their broker Movewithus and via their appointed agents) lagged a little with the admin so they pulled our sale, and sold immediately to someone else. All without any communication at all before it was too late for us. We are now £1000's out of pocket. Their management is faceless, no communication. Utter money grabbing morons.

Robin · 11 February 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

2 weeks later I've still not heard back about my offer

linden homes. bovis homes. vistry. they're all the same owners and merged into one big mess.bovis homes, vistry. they're all the same. I gave an offer for an apartment at brunel street works in canning town and it took a week of chasing to hear back with a counteroffer. Within 30 minutes I replied - this was 1 week ago. How pathetically lazy do staff need to be? and how useless are the people employed here that this is how they act when they are trying to sell a property...NOT a property they've sold and now don't care about. This is them not caring about selling the property in the first place. Talk about a red flag. If this is the pathetic level of service when selling imagine what it would be like in the aftersales.I've had to chase these clowns and no one came back to me. No one chased. No one bothered. Then 1 girl responded saying she'll chase up an answer on Monday - it's now Monday evening. I don't know who the bigger fools are - the staff or the people running it but it's clear the employees just scroll on Instagram and pass time until they can go to the pub. hands down the biggest disgrace I've come across in property and customer service

Ali · 9 August 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Dowlights become Extra if you pay LEDs

I pay extra to include LEDs, then Linden Homes/ Vistry said: (quoted as below)“As previously advised in our email a downlight is an extra and not fitted as additional light fitting.We would be unable to comment on a conversation you have had with our Sales/Site team as we were not privy to the conversation, however if you have any documentation which states you were to keep the pendant lights please forward this across to Customer care and we will look into this for you.”unquoted

WHT · 9 August 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Linden make poor business choices in using First Port!

We moved into our house in Oct 2018. We were full of praise for them getting us in so quickly with very little hassle. However, things since then have gone downhill. For one the property management company that has been used, First Port are beyond awful. Have charged us extortionate rates for very little maintenance. Two weeks after moving in the pavement slabs outside the house were broken and have never been replaced. The groundwork only seems to be a half-hearted tick box exercise and play parks never created. When called they never ring back! The house itself is what you expect from a new build with cracks emerging everywhere and doors and windows that are becoming increasingly difficult to open and close. When called to discuss this, was told this is due to the weather. Last time i checked we live in England and temperatures especially in Cornwall move very little. Poor!Linden, you should be ashamed.

Sophie · 30 July 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Linden Homes made our experience awful

Linden Homes offered to buy our house when our chain fell through to complete the chain. It was discussed with us as an easy option and we decided to go with it. From the start it was just a terrible experience. They never communicated anything with us, they were unhelpful when we tried to contact them and it felt like they did everything they could to make the process more stressful.They messed us around the whole way through and made the process last longer than it should have done. Even on the day of exchange they suddenly disclosed new information which meant exchange had to be delayed further. if they offer to help you out by buying your house please think carefully before saying yes

Jackson · 28 July 2021