Countryside Homes Home Counties South Paddock Wood reviews

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

My advice to all potential purchasers…

My advice to all potential purchasers is to do a lot of ground work before buying off this developer. Don’t rush and be sucked in by the glossy brochures the sales staff spiels and the promises of your perfect property. My experience is poorly trained sales staff, sales managers, that will mislead, and do anything to sell you the house to get their figures in for the month and gain their commission, and sell you a dream that doesn’t meet purchasers expectations. Items not on plans, drawings, and site plans in the sales office when you reserve your plot, then finding out when you are due to move in within a few weeks you find a Gas Governor right outside your lounge window on a patch of grassed area that the sales staff were advised was the occupiers. (Abington Place) Northampton. (Tried to cover this up)White goods missing from your properties as the management can’t decide who’s job it is to order them, whilst the customers face total turmoil when arriving to move in. Floors not level in a Bathroom and no one knows why, and we are told not to say anything hoping the purchasers won’t notice. (Eaton FIelds, Nuneaton). Doors not fitting properly, landscaping plans not adhering to drawings sales staff have in offices. Garage doors being painted on the day customers moving in wet paint everywhere then the rain falls all over it ruining the paintwork, making all the work to be done again. Customers waiting months for customer services to adhere to there commitment to warranty and not coping due to the amount of complaints. Leaks in purchasers rooms, plasterwork unfinished, alarms not working, a lot not even wired in, My advice to this company is to keep things simpler, don’t over complicate your properties and get your quality and standard of finish much better, and keep your purchasers happy with your product Customer satisfaction is the basic corner stone of every business. They make their properties look beautiful with their designs with extensions on the rear with velux windows, it all looks stunning in pictures and brochures and on the internet, but in reality, their quality of workmanship is extremely poor and customers are left devastated and unhappy.Once they have your money, they seem very reluctant to repair the issues they have created with any haste or speed. The industry needs a complete overhaul and quality assurance officers appointed to inspect every house before any purchasers are handed over any Keys. I am certain if all these chief executives, sales managers, sales directors bought new and expensive Range Rovers from a dealership they would be the first in the queue taking it back, complaining bitterly, and stamping their feet and authority to the dealership and to LandRover directly, either demanding their money back, or being compensated for the inconvenience of their time and trouble yet when you are buying a new home from Countryside they almost think it’s ok and acceptable. Trust me it’s not!!! It’s outrageous and should be stopped. Take my advice do your home work, when buying a new home, Ask specific questions, relating to your home, get everything at full reservation in writing ie: copies of drawings, site plans, take photos on your phone, refer back to them, and don’t take anything for granted. BEWARE !!!!! Read all the negative feedback as well as the good. And GOOD LUCK.

Lance · 28 January 2021

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Wilson Chase

The sales team has been amazing at Wilson Chase, Countryside. My friend was even asking for the company's name when she saw me picking up call from them to update me with the progress. The house design is very modern, good quality material and finish. Thank you!!!

Claire · 16 April 2021

★★★★★ 2/5

Trustpilot

Shocking Customer Service

After buying our Countryside Home in 2021, customer service is none existence. Communication is appalling. They send out shocking, unprofessional Subcontractors to sort out the snagging. Even before we moved in the snagging wasn't sorted. One guy even created a water leak that wasn't there before. Having many window issues, one guy didnt even bring ladders! I would not buy off them again.

Louisa · 5 May 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Ed and Louise at the Ashmere…

Ed and Louise at the Ashmere development have been nothing but helpful. We have asked many questions and requests and they have always been there to assist. We hope to secure our new home with them soon. Thanks both

Luke · 13 July 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

DRIVE THROUGH ON A “CLOSE.”

Rarely write a review and have a tendency to focus on the positives rather than the negatives. But this is a must. Did our research and purchased a 300k house in Birmingham on a private road, to be maintained by residents. Was told numerous times the end of the road will be blocked as as it’s called Cr*** Gr*** Close and sold as a “close” so non residents cannot use it as a short cut. Guess what? Now all properties have purchased and completed, they have dropped the kerb at the end, allowing non residents to drive through! Contacting solicitors first thing and residents are furious. Already contacted the media. Let the party start Countryside.

Nel · 21 November 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

They have caused damage to my property…

They have caused damage to my property and have said they will monitor it i am disabled O A P and connot afford to pay to have damage repaired already £280 out of pocket

GILDA · 5 January 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Excellent customer service

Excellent customer service and can't do enough for you at Dutton Fields. Annabel always makes you feel welcome and will go above an beyond for you to give you the perfect home. Can’t stress enough how easy the whole process was from the day we put a reservation fee down.

David · 13 March 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Countryside Property Scandal

Countryside Property marketing blurb:We believe that where we live matters. We're passionate about creating places where people love to live, that deliver enduring value and where people feel a true sense of belonging. From the character of the homes we build to the planning of environments and considerate use of materials, our creative approach to placemaking ensures we have a positive impact on all those who live in and around our developments. With over 60 years’ experience we have a reputation for high quality design and build, sound governance and good management practices. Our expertise has been recognised with numerous awards, including Large Housebuilder of the year (2017) at the Housebuilder awards. We create places people love.My experience with Countryside:“Creating places with enduring value”, The Countryside Development I now live in is valued at 0 because of the materials they chose for our balconies.“Creating places where people feel a true sense of belonging”, The only feeling I have at the moment is a sense of fear for living in an unsafe building that Countryside refuses to make safe again.“Considerate use of materials”, Clearly not, given the mess we are now in because of our timber balconies.“Sound Governance and good management practices”, Many developers, like Countryside, have been caught in this on-going cladding scandal. However, unlike some developers who, as responsible and ethical builders, have agreed to fund any necessary remediation to make their development safe, Countryside, as far as I know, is not interested in taking any responsibility. This is just one example of my experience with Countryside. There are many other negative ones (including but not limited to the Ground Rent scandal which other reviewers have mentioned).I believe those 5 stars customers will quickly realise who they are dealing with. It is only a matter of time.

Customer- · 1 October 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Disgusting Company - hopefully karma will come back to haunt them

Sold a fire trap of a flat. Bit of style, absolutely no substance. Use cheap materials that will cost you much more in the long run.All flats in the building have failed an EWS1 fire safety inspection which means all flats in the building cannot be sold or remortgaged and are facing thousands of pounds in bills to put right fire safety issues that we had no say in designing or constructing. Can't make it up.Obviously Countryside are being no help and the warranty doesn't mean anything. We're all having to spend hours, days, weeks, months writing to various departments, councils, government etc etc to try get a resolution.To sum up - AVOID AT ALL COSTS - life is way too short to be dealing with types like these.

Mehmood · 30 September 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Do not make this mistake!

I can honestly say I will never repeat the mistake of purchasing a property from Countryside! Our Countryside block of flats -Silverpoint - has failed an EWS1 fire safety inspection which means we cannot sell, cannot remortgage and are facing thousands of pounds in bills to put right fire safety issues that we had no say in designing or constructing.Countryside has been very quick to wash their hands of this issue and the NHBC warranty is proving to be useless - we've been left to fend for ourselves and face bills of around £10,000 each to put this right.Do Not fall for their luxurious showrooms! We’ve also had issues with ground rents and now the building is unsafe!

Geraldine · 27 September 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Countryside flats - failed ESW1

Our five year old Countryside Properties block of flats Silverpoint N18 has just failed an EWS1 fire safety inspection - this means we cannot sell, cannot remortgage and are facing thousands of pounds in bills to put right fire safety issues that we had no say in designing or constructing.Countryside tell us they aren't responsible and the NHBC warranty is proving to be useless. We’ve had nothing but grief here, first we were caught up in doubling ground rents that we had to battle to resolve. And now we’re stuck in homes with balconies with unsafe cladding and face bills of around £10,000 each to put right. Buyer beware - despite all the shiny showrooms, reassuring words about how good new builds are and friendly salespeople, you could be in my shoes, five short years after the biggest purchase of your life.

Ms · 27 September 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

We bought a 2 bed flat from Countryside…

We bought a 2 bed flat from Countryside Properties in 2015 (N18 - Silverpoint North London) and during this time we've had issues with regards to doubling Ground Rents and now our building has failed an EWS1 fire safety inspection. It's one nightmare scenario after the other and now we face bills up to £10000 per flat to remedy our balconies which have been considered unsafe as per the inspections report. Countryside properties have distanced themselves from this issue and are not prepared to provide us with any financial support. We don't have enough savings to foot this bill and without this remedial work, we cannot sell or remortgage, so basically our property is of no value.We regret having invested our hard earned money buying this property. I would advise anyone who are looking at buying a property from Countryside properties to be very vigilant, they will entice you into buying and then within a couple of years you will find yourself in situations which you could not have foreseen and they will distance themselves from the issue, bearing in mind it's a property which they designed and built and it's not even safe to live in as per the fire inspection report. They are not even worth 1 star for this review, no stars for me. Be careful everyone.

Nikhilesh · 27 September 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Don’t touch with a barge pole - or you’ll pay the price like I am...

Where to begin. I was an eager first time buyer back in 2015. Eager and naive. A countryside salespersons’ dream - they saw me coming a mile off pressuring me that if I didn’t put the deposit down soon the apartment I wanted (and had mentally moved in to already) would get snapped up. They glossed over the issues around doubling ground rent that would bite me and my neighbours on the butt in years to come, and told me I had to use their approved solicitors and their approved mortgage lenders. The former of which failed to explain the ground rent situation. Huge conflict of interest of course, but I was blind. And now I’m paying the price. When we as a building realised that we were locked into unsellable homes (literally - mortgage lenders would not lend against our properties) because our ground rent would eventually cost home owners over £6,000 a YEAR, guess what? Countryside didn’t want to know. They’d already cashed out and sold our freehold on to a third party who was collecting ground rent, our hard earned money, year after year, and for nothing. Countryside were in fact exploiting loopholes in the law in order to sell the freehold on from under our noses. But they shrugged their shoulders and carried on selling leaseholds on other properties, fleecing hard working folks who just wanted a home to call their own. Getting us out of that situation took 18 months and thousands of pounds to resolve. Not to mention the stress. And Countryside? Washed their hands of the entire thing. And now? We’ve failed our fire safety certificate as a building - we have wooden balconies (surely it would be obvious that that wouldn’t be safe on a 7 storey building...?!) and once again, our homes are unsellable. And once again countryside don’t want to know. Again they have washed their hands of everything. They are too busy moving onto the next cash cow. Meanwhile we’re set to pay tens of thousands of pounds (per household) to fix another one of Countryside’s messes. Don’t go down the road we all did. Don’t fall for the marketing spin and the sales patter. Don’t be duped into thinking they care about you and helping you secure your dream home. It will soon become your living nightmare.

Sarah · 27 September 2020

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Nice countryside developments.

Sudhir · 26 November 2025

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Countryside Properties are currently under investigation by the CMA

PLEASE BEWARE! I bought an apartment from Countryside Properties which has doubling ground rent and may now be unmortgageable because of this. The freehold of the property was sold on without first offering it to the leaseholders - maybe a legal loophole (??) but, in my opinion, leaseholders should have been made aware this is what would happen before agreeing to purchase. The property lease has been drafted to benefit the freeholder rather than the leaseholder, on whom it may in fact have a negative impact and fail to provide the enduring value that Countryside Properties claims their developments have. The CMA is launching enforcement action involving Countryside Properties, a company which it believes may have "broken consumer protection law in relation to leasehold homes" (3 other developers are also under investigation). "The CMA uncovered troubling evidence of potentially unfair terms concerning ground rents in leasehold contracts and potential mis-selling." It is "concerned that leasehold homeowners may have been unfairly treated and that buyers may have been misled by this developer." (Quotes from the government press release). I appreciate developers are in the business of making profits but this should not be by using what may be considered as unfair practices and mis-selling.

MC · 12 September 2020

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

We have recently reserved a property…

We have recently reserved a property with countryside, We are first time buyers and we have been lucky enough to have Angie help us through this whole process! She has been there to answer all questions and has talked us through each step! She’s been great! Would highly recommend!

Jamie-lee · 13 May 2020

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Excellent Customer Service

We would like to thank countryside and the whole team for our wonderfully built new home, we received excellent customer service from Annabel at Abbotsfield, nothing to much trouble for her. Such a lovely person Thank youMr and Mrs Hughes 😁

Caz · 30 January 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

I regret buying my first home from this developer

My experience with customer service is terrible. I have sent multiple requests to repair a leak in the water drain and no one responded. The wall is damaged due to the water leakage. I have sent pictures to the customer service team.

Win · 21 July 2024

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Dreadful at every stage

Dreadful at every stage! The finish on our house is appalling and there are major issues with things that aren't identifiable until they have gone wrong but they won't take any responsibility for it at all. Avoid at all costs!!

Joseph · 21 February 2022

★★★★★ 4/5

Trustpilot

We are happy with the excellent…

We are happy with the excellent services from Lisa & Penny, good communication and quick reply always! So that we can get the opportunity to brought a ideal home in here. Thank you so much! We will recommend Countryside to our friends

Natty · 28 September 2021

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

First class reception from Sian…

First class reception from Sian Robert’s when Visiting this development on the 29 April 2021. Answered all our questions without difficulty putting my wife and I at ease making this visit pleasant and informative an excellent employee to represent your business.Henry & Lesley Dellett

Henry · 3 May 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Do not buy a house from these gang of…

Do not buy a house from these gang of absolute gobshites...I've got the most unfathomable contract; not due to the lack of grammar(diabolical). Due to the fact I apparently don't own my home. Leasehold-dirty rats I was a first time buyer- and they knew it.Took the proverbial Steer clear.

Wookie · 4 February 2024

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

AMAZING SERVICE!

Steven and Lindsay have been absolutely amazing from when I came to view the property in August right through to completion. I don’t think they’re enough words to reflect my gratitude for everything they have done. Susan, Deseree and Richard have also been brilliant.

Joely · 12 March 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

POOR BUILT, AVOID!!!!!!!

I would give it 0 star if I could.The entire property was flooded on the first night we moved in, due to a not connected waste pipe in the en-suite shower. Carpets had to be replaced, ceiling repaired, damaged wardrobes, walls repainted. We endured months of hassle and having to chase Countryside to fix the issues which are not even fully resolved yet (we bough property in July). Most recently (September) we had a blocked sewer pipe leading to a flood in the property again! The pipe was full stuffed of bricks, stones and insulating wool. Our kitchen ceiling was damaged again and is not yet repaired as well as we are awaiting entire ground floor flooring to be changed due to damage caused by the initial flooding. The post sales customer "care" are shockingly bad and we are yet to be told when they will fix the remaining issues. We have been ignored for months now. AVOID!!!!!!

Alina · 21 December 2019