Our experienced team will work with you to guide you through the purchase process. Whether this is your first move or your last, we will be with you each step of the way to ensure you feel comfortable and supported.
Reservation
Once you have decided on your new home, the first step will be to meet with your Customer Relationship Manager on site to sign the reservation agreement. You will also be given a copy of our Homebuyer Guide, and sign forms to show that you have also received copies of the Consumer Code for Home Builders, and information about safety on site.
Reservation fee
A reservation fee of 1% of the property price is payable when you sign the reservation agreement. It will be deducted from your 10% deposit when you exchange contracts. Please note that exchange of contracts must take place within 28 days of signing the reservation agreement, or it expires. In some cases, we can extend this period, but it is at our discretion.
Cooling-off and cancellations
There is a 24-hour cooling-off period after you have paid the reservation fee, during which you will receive a full refund if you change your mind. After that, we will retain 25% of the fee if you cancel the purchase before contracts are issued to the appointed solicitor, to cover our administrative costs. Once contracts have been issued, 50% of the reservation fee will be retained if you decide not to continue with the purchase of your new home.
Site visits
Naturally you will be excited to see how your new home is progressing. We can arrange two site visits for you, one during the structural work and another at the pre-decoration stage. During these site visits your safety is paramount and you will be provided with the appropriate protective clothing and accompanied by your Customer Relationship Manager. You will also be given a Safety On Site Notice to sign.
Personalising your home
We like to give customers the opportunity to personalise their home. Whenever possible we offer choices such as flooring and kitchen worktops, as well as the opportunity to select premium upgrades, all depending on the stage construction has reached. Your Customer Relationship Manager will talk you through these choices when you visit the site.
When will your home be ready?
The big question! At reservation, we will give you a build completion date. This is the physical completion of your home, not to be confused with legal completion. Please note that the date is only an estimate. We will of course do our best to meet it, but circumstances beyond our control, such as bad weather or material shortages, may lead to delays. When the build is complete, the directors will personally carry out the Plot Test to make sure the property complies with all building regulations, meets our stringent standards, and is ready for occupation.
Communication
Buying a home can be a long process, so we appreciate you will want to know how things are progressing. For this, we use a secure online portal called Spaciable, which is tailored to your home. You will have your own login for this. It contains key contact details, FAQs, helpful information, a digital version of your Homeowner’s Manual, and full details of what your new home includes. We can use Spaciable to communicate with you and you with us, both up to and beyond the purchase of your home.
Customer relationship manager
Your main point of contact will be your Customer Relationship Manager. They will guide you through specification choices and upgrades, accompany you on site visits, meet you pre-handover and at handover. It is their job to ensure the purchasing journey is as stress-free as possible.
Exchanging contracts
This is an exciting stage; you know your new home will soon be yours. It is also when you pay your full deposit and commit to buying. It must happen within 28 days of paying your reservation fee. Make sure you – and your solicitors – have everything ready in time for this important step. You will be asked for the deposit, which is 10% of the full purchase price, less the reservation fee you have already paid. Once the deposit is paid, your solicitors and ours sign and exchange the contracts, binding both parties to the purchase.
Home demonstration
This is a very useful opportunity for us to show you how everything in your new home works. It is also a chance for us to pick up on and deal with any final minor snagging that may need to be completed. It usually takes place seven days before legal completion and handover. We will arrange this meeting once we have issued the Notice To Complete.
Legal Completion
Once contracts have been exchanged, and the Plot Test has been signed off by the directors of Lockley Homes, we will give you a ten day Notice To Complete, allowing you ten working days to get ready for your move, and ensure the funds have been transferred to your solicitor. Once we have received the funds in full, you become the legal owner of the property.
Quality assurance
The directors of Lockley Homes will personally complete and sign off the Plot Test on your new home to ensure that it meets our quality standards. Once it has been signed off we will then invite you to a home demonstration meeting.
Handover day
Funds have been received, legal completion has taken place, and your new home is legally yours. We want you to enjoy your new home to the full, from the very first day, this is why your Customer Relationship Manager will run through the handover procedure with you.
It is a really important step as you will be able to confirm that any snagging issues revealed during the home demonstration have been attended to. You will have the opportunity to make a thorough inspection of the property, and if satisfied, sign off the snagging forms.
It is also an opportunity to ask questions, and for us to explain all you need to know about the property and how everything functions. We will even make sure the heating is turned on if you wish. Once you are completely satisfied, we hand over the keys and your Homeowner’s Manual ready for you to turn your house in to a home.
Homeowner’s manual
On handover day you will receive a comprehensive Homeowner’s Manual which contains instruction manuals and warranties combined with a description of the systems and services installed in your new home.
Settling in
A few days after handover, your Customer Relationship Manager will pay you a visit to check that you are settling in, note any minor snagging you may have noticed, and that you are clear about how your heating and appliances work.
How did we do?
We will carry out a telephone survey to ask your opinion about your customer journey with us.
Snagging
We aim for perfection – but there are occasionally minor problems, which you will only become aware of as you start living in your home. We find that most can be sorted out quickly and with minimum disruption to you. If you have noticed any issues, please let us know within 28 days, and we will rectify any defects ourselves.
Two years of customer care
Under the terms of the Premier Guarantee Warranty, we offer two years of customer care. It begins 28 days after you have moved into your home, when we will write to you to notify you that any future snagging must be reported via Spaciable using your personal login. Any snagging will be acknowledged within three days and rectified within three weeks, as long as it is within the finishes and tolerances guide covered by the Premier Guarantee Warranty, and if the issue is something we are responsible for.
If things cannot be resolved satisfactorily, under the Consumer Code for Home Builders you then have recourse to their Independent Dispute Resolution Scheme.
Ten year premier guarantee
We sincerely want you to be delighted with your new home and enjoy complete peace of mind. You will be pleased to know that your home is covered against structural defects by a ten year warranty provided by Premier Guarantee. During the first two years, the warranty is managed by us, and after that, by Premier Guarantee. We will write to you to notify you when the two year period ends. Full details of the warranty can be found in your Homeowner’s Manual.
Complaints procedure
We welcome fair and transparent feedback. In fact, honest feedback is very useful as it helps us to continually improve our product and our service. We operate a three stage formal complaints procedure, full details of which can be found in the Homeowner’s Manual.
Affordable luxury from Lockley Homes
We are passionate about our quality and we are driven by consummate craftsmanship and innovative design. Our homes combine traditional architecture with contemporary interiors and the latest technologies. Add to this an outstanding level of specification and attention to detail and you have some of the finest homes in Worcestershire and Warwickshire.