FAQs

Just ask...

With buying a new home come lots of questions so we’ve pulled together a list of the ones our customers ask most often - with the answers we’ve given. Of course, if there’s anything we haven’t managed to cover, please just ask us! We’re here to help.

Legal and Financial

What is a valuation survey?
What are Local Authority Search Fees?
What is the difference between Leasehold and Freehold?
I need a solicitor. Where do I start?
When does the sale of the house become legally binding?
I need a mortgage. Where do I start?
What is Stamp Duty?
What are Land Registry Fees?
How much can I afford to spend on a home?

House Buying Process

Do I need to make an appointment to visit the Sales centre?
How do I reserve a new home?
How much money is required as a reservation fee?
Is my reservation fee refundable?
What is the earliest date you can reserve a property? 
Can we reserve a property before it is released for sale?
Do we need to sell our house before we can reserve a Gleeson Home?
Is there a waiting list for each plot / development?
When do I officially own my new home?
Do you have any special deals for first time buyers?
What is a SAP rating?

After Sales

What maintenance is required to the outside of my home? 
Is there anything I can do to speed up the repairs?
What do I do about reporting faults?
How do I look after my new home?
Is there insulation in the loft?
Will Gleeson keep in contact with me?
When decorating my new home, what do I need to know?
What do I do if there is an emergency in my new home?
What is classed as an emergency with my new home?
Can you tell me about the NHBC Buildmark policy?
 

 

Legal and Financial

“What's a valuation survey?” 
This is something your lender needs to have before they’ll part with any cash in the form of your mortgage. They need to be satisfied that the price you’re paying for your home is fair and that they aren’t lending you money on a property that’s worth less than the asking price. The value the lender puts on the property is a valuation for loan purposes and may not reflect the open market value of the house. A small fee is normally payable for the valuation.

“What are Local Authority Search Fees?”
These establish if your new home is likely to be affected by any planning decisions or other proposals. For example, if you’re buying a home because it has a rural view you don’t want to find out that a supermarket chain has already ear-marked the land just as you’ve purchased it!

“What is Leasehold, what is Freehold and what's the difference?”
 Leasehold is land held under a lease for a specified number of years on which a ground rent (usually a nominal sum) is paid. Many apartments are leasehold because the land on which they stand is common to the whole block. Freehold is the full ownership of both the property and the land on which it stands. Most houses are freehold.

“Why do I need a solicitor and how do I find a one?”
Your solicitor ensures a smooth legal transfer of the property you wish to purchase. He or she makes sure that when the sale goes through, you have full legal ownership. You can use your own solicitor but if you are unsure, Gleeson do have a nominated panel that you can choose from. 
Solicitor charges can vary so get a written estimate of all fees (including VAT) and details of all extras that have to be paid through them such as Local Authority searches, Land Registry fees and Stamp Duty (if applicable).

“At which point does the property sale become legally binding?”
Your solicitor will arrange for you to sign something called a binding purchase contract. This is when you’ll need to pay your agreed deposit. We will sign our copy of the contract and send it to our solicitors then, once contracts are exchanged, the transaction becomes legally binding.  If you’re selling a home, the timing of the exchange of contracts is very important and your solicitor makes sure that both sets of contracts - the sale of your existing home and the purchase of your new one - are exchanged at the same time to avoid leaving you without a home!

If it’s not possible to co-ordinate the sale of your existing property and the completion on your new Gleeson Home for the same day, you may want to consider staying with family or living in rented accommodation until your Gleeson Home is ready.

“How do I go about getting a mortgage?”
Phew! There are so many different types of mortgages available from a variety of lenders so it’s worth searching with the help of a financial advisor. They can look at your personal financial circumstances, your needs and lifestyle and match that with what’s on offer before making recommendations. All financial representatives are bound by law to give the best advice for your needs. They must operate within the terms of the Financial Services Act (FSA). If you are uncertain where to go, we do have a nominated independant financial advisor who can help you.

 
“What is Stamp Duty?”
Stamp Duty is a form of Government tax you pay when you buy a property. It is payable on all homes with a purchase price of over £125,000. The amount you have to pay will be based on the selling price of your home. Currently the charges are as follows:

up to £125,000	0%
£125,001 - £250,000	1%
£250,001 - £500,000	3%
£500,001 or more	4%

NB - these figures are set by the Government, and are subject to change.

“What are Land Registry Fees?”
This payment registers your ownership of your property with the Land Registry. The fees are set by the Government.

“How much can I afford to spend?”
This is entirely down to individual circumstance, and you should always talk to a financial advisor to see how much you can afford. If you need to borrow money for your home - which most people do - the amount you can borrow is down to your mortgage lender, but is typically three times the main household income, plus one times the second income. Some lenders will lend more than others so make sure you shop around. 

House Buying Process

“How do I view one of your homes?”
Please just call in. We’ll always be happy to see you and show you our properties so long as it is safe to do so. If you want to spend a little time with the sales representative it’s a good idea to make an appointment, just in case the sales centre is busy.

“How do I reserve a new home?”
Just visit your chosen development and speak to the sales representative. He or she will confirm the price of the property you like, confirm its availability and show you around. You will also be asked a few questions to ensure you’re ready to go ahead with the purchase. A reservation fee will reserve your new home at the price it is on that day and take it off the market. You should then proceed with the exchange of contracts and aim to exchange within 28 days after reservation. The reservation fee is deducted from the price of your home. Please let us know immediately if you have any problems meeting deadlines. We will try our very best to help, put in some cases we may have to put your chosen home back on the market.

“How much is the reservation fee?”
 The reservation fee is typically £200, but can vary between developments. Please ask at your chosen development. 

“Is my reservation fee refundable?”
 The reservation fee is refundable however, should the reservation be cancelled, Gleeson will retain £100 for administration charges.

“What is the earliest date you can reserve a property?”
The earliest date you can reserve a property is when it is first released for sale. The on site sales representative can keep you informed of plot release dates.

“Can we reserve a property before it is released for sale?”
No, you cannot reserve a property before it’s released for sale. Please keep in touch with our sales teams so you can be among the first to know when your preferred plot is released for sale.

“Do we need to sell our house before we can reserve a Gleeson Home?”
Unless you’re buying a second property, it’s advisable to have sold your current property to make sure contracts can be exchanged 28 days after reservation. However we do offer the Advance Scheme on selected plots where we will help you sell your current home.

“Is there a waiting list for each plots or developments?”
Yes, the on-site sales representative usually holds a list of customers who are interested in particular plots so they can be contacted when plots are released for sale.

“When do I officially own my new home?”
Legal completion is the actual moment when you become the legal owner of your new home. At legal completion your mortgage advance is transferred to Gleeson's solicitor and your solicitor receives the title deeds to your new property. These are then forwarded to your mortgage lender.

“Do you have any special deals for first time buyers?”
Yes, we offer the Aspire scheme for first time buyers please ask in the sales office for further details.

“What is a SAP rating?”
A SAP rating is based on an estimate of the annual heating and hot water costs per square metre of the home. The SAP value results from a calculation that estimates how much energy will be used by the home; the more efficient the heating and hot water system and the better the insulation, the higher the SAP value will be. The SAP scale runs from 1 to 120, with most new homes achieving a rating of between 75 and 100. The national average for all homes is only 43.

After Sales

“What do I need to do to maintain my home externally?” 
Roofs and gutters:
If you need to carry out work on the roof of your home always use a roof ladder to protect the tiles or slates, and for your own safety.  Gutters and any gullies should be checked and cleared of leaves and other debris. Take care not to lean ladders against plastic guttering. When using ladders make sure the foot is on level ground and an adult is holding the base.

Damp Proof Courses and Air Bricks:
Please make sure no garden debris or soil covers the damp proof course and airbricks. Soil and paving or patio areas should be kept 150mm (6 inches) below the damp proof course.

“Is there anything I can do to speed up the repairs?”

Help us meet our service standards by noting the following:
- We can only work in your home if we are allowed access to it.
- If an appointment has been made to visit your home and you can’t keep to the
 date or time please call the customer service department as soon as you can.

“What do I do about reporting faults?”

If you have any problems with your new home, you will need to notify us in writing. This complies with NHBC requirements so that we can collate any reported items to help us build better homes in the future. You can report any problems to Gleeson Homes, Sandringham House, Hollinsbrook Park, Little 66 (off Roach Bank Road), Bury, BL9 8RN or email customercare@mjgleeson.com

“How do I look after my new home?”

What are those small cracks in the walls? Don’t panic! During construction your new home absorbs water - it can’t be avoided and it’s quite normal. We are not responsible for attending to normal shrinkage cracks (unless you can fit a £1 coin into the crack). We also do not carry out routine maintenance or repair damage caused by the occupier.

To help 'run in' your new home, you can:

-  Re-decorate to cover any cosmetic cracks.
- Keep your central heating down to a comfortable level and use it sparingly
during the first few weeks to avoid your home heating up too quickly causing cracks to appear.
- Keep doors, windows and trickle vents open whenever you can to ventilate your home.
- Read your Home Owners Manual and NHBC literature! Here you will find more advice on how to look after your new home.

“Is the loft insulated?”
Your loft is insulated to help keep your home warm but it is also designedto be draughty. Please make a note of the following:

- Don’t obstruct the ventilation provided as this may cause condensation. 
- Items stored in the roof space may become damaged by moisture or temperature changes.
- If you have to carry out any work in the loft please make sure you walk
  on the joist timbers.

“Will Gleeson stay in touch with me?”

 

“What do I need to know when I’m decorating my new home?”
New woodwork absorbs a lot of paint or stain so the finish you get the first time you decorate might not be as good as the one you get in the future.

The exterior of your home should be regularly re-painted using a good quality paint or stain.

Use emulsion paints on inside walls. Further coats of emulsion and oil-based paints or wallpaper can be used for later re-decorations after a drying out period (normally 9 to 12 months).

Never paint on wet wood. External paintwork is best done in the summer or early autumn. You can make good interior cracks on walls and woodwork with filler.

When re-decorating, aertex ceilings or other similar plastic compound finishes should never be sanded or washed with water as this can spoil the texture. Instead, lightly brush these surfaces before applying one or two coats of emulsion.

When fixing items to walls (i.e. curtains, pictures etc), please call the Customer Service Department who will advise you on the wall structure.

We suggest you buy a pipe/cable locator before fixing items to walls.

Fixing to a dry-lined wall is done in much the same way as fixing to a solid wall, but the fixing device must cross the small cavity behind the plasterboard and penetrate well into the solid wall behind. Suitable propriety fixings are available from most D.I.Y. stores.

With other partitions where no solid masonry walls are available you must use one of the wide range of fixtures that are on sale at most D.I.Y. stores. For medium weights use a toggle bolt fixing.

Ceilings are similar. If possible locate the joists and fix to them, if not use toggle bolts. Again, if in doubt, ask at your local D.I.Y. store.

“Help! What do I do if there‘s an emergency in my new home?”

 

“What is classed as an emergency?”

An 'emergency' is something that prevents you from occupying your house in safety and reasonable comfort. For instance, if your heating fails in the summer, it is unlikely to be an emergency, but if it fails in the midle of winter, it is

 Before reporting an emergency please make sure that the problem isn’t caused
  by a general electrical or gas failure in your area

“Can you tell me about the NHBC Buildmark policy?”

Your new home will be covered by NHBC Buildmark. Complete details of Buildmark will be found in the NHBC's Buildmark booklet. Your solicitor will provide this document. Please ensure that your solicitor passes it to you.

As a Gleeson customer buying a brand new property you should pay particular attention to the differences between the first two years of cover and the cover from years three to ten.

You must read the NHBC's documentation for a full explanation.