At first instance, you should always contact your service provider first. Your service provider (eg BT, Sky) will be able to diognose where the problem lies.

Your local authority decides your council tax band. find out more infomation on the governments website.

At Cripps Developments we understand your garden is an important part of your lifestyle and also a very personal feature of your property.

Caring for your lawn

Your new home may have the benefit of a garden with grass. This needs care to allow it to bed in and become an established lawn. This can take up to two years to fully establish, we recommend:

• Please stay off newly laid turf for at least four to six weeks, especially if it’s been laid in wet conditions or in the winter.

• If your lawn was laid in dry conditions, keep it well watered. Water in the morning or evening to avoid it drying out in the sun.

• Wait until roots stabilise the soil before mowing. New turf takes at least one season to settle properly. When you do mow it, do not cut your grass too short.

• Feed the lawn each spring (after the last frost) and throughout the summer.

• During the autumn, aerate the lawn with a garden fork, helping healthy root growth and drainage. This can also help prevent leatherjackets (crane fly larvae), which feed on grass roots and stem bases.

• Shrinkage may appear where turf joins. The care tips above will help prevent this; it is not uncommon. 

Waterlogging

When it comes to waterlogging, we install drainage systems to clear surface water from roads and pavements. It is normal for some areas to be waterlogged in extreme conditions.

• This is not a construction defect

• We recommend waiting g a few days to see if the water drains away on its own accord.

• Water pooling more that 3m away from your home is not covered by you warranty.

• If your garden is waterlogged within 3m of your home and doesn’t drain away in a reasonable time. If the area is against your home or you experience prolonged flooding please contact us immediately.

• After each bath and shower we recommend that you wipe any excess moisture down. The reason for this is to maintain its appearance and prevents any  dirt build up.

• if any mildew appears this should be cleaned with a suitable cleaning product.

• To prevent any water getting behind the grout/mastic you should regularly check your mastic/grout for any damages and repair these straight away.

• Avoid picking or applying too much pressure to the mastic, as this can damage the seal of the shower.

These are completely normal for a new build. During the build process some of the materials used are water-based products. And with the combination of heating and shut windows, these will naturally dry and shrink. This can cause cracks in the plaster and woodwork. 

You can minimise these effects by keeping the house ventilated and not overheating it for at least 15 months. The faster the plaster and wood dries out the more pronounced the effects of shrinkage will be.

If the cracks are wider than 2mm and 4mm on staircases please contact our customer care team, as this may be covered in your warranty.

If the crack width is smaller than 2mm these will be classed standard home maintenance and would not be covered in your warranty.

To fill these, you will need:

- Small filling knife

- Stanley knife

- Powder based filler

- 80 grit sandpaper

- Paint (same colour as the wall)

- Paint brushes 

1. Lay a dust sheet down directly below the crack you are repairing, covering the floor and surrounding area.

2. User the corner of the filling knife or Stanley knife to widen the cracks you wish to fill. (Almost create a V-shaped groove). Creating a deeper edge for the filler to be pushed into. Run a paintbrush along the crack (or hoover) to make sure no loose plaster or dust obstructing the filler.

3. Mix up some filler using the manufacturer’s instructions. And wipe the crack with a damp cloth in order to help the filler bond to the surface.

4. Use the filler knife gently push filler into the groove making sure it has gone right to the bottom. Next flatten and remove the excess and then (Slightly proud of the crack) Leave this to dry once flush.

5. Once dry, rub the area down with medium-grade sandpaper until flush, then lightly with fine-grade paper before decorating.

6. Wipe with a damp cloth and once dry paint the area to match the wall.

Following the move in of your new home, the drying out process can take up to 5 months to two years. During this time your home is more vulnerable to condensation, which can cause mould and staining.

Our recommendations to prevent this from happening are as follows:

Open your doors and windows as much as possible

Keep your trickle vents (in your windows) open.

Maintain good ventilation (do not cover extractors)

Use the extractor/open windows when showering

If condensation is formed wipe this off immediately, in order to prevent any further damage.

You should start by checking the thermostatic valves are set correctly.

Please see our guide in the handover pack to see how to do this. If there is cold spots on the radiator, especially at the top, it is likely that there is trapped air in the system and the radiators need to be bled.

you will need:

• Radiator valve key or screwdriver
• Old cloth
• Once you have these items you will have to turn off the heating and allow the radiators to cool down.
• Use your radiator key to turn the valve at the top of the radiator, turn this slowly anticlockwise, you should hear a hissing sound, this is the trapped air escaping. Use the old cloth to catch any excess water which escapes.
• Once you hear the hissing stop and gurgling/liquid is coming out, re tighten the valvue. Do this quickly to prevent too much water escaping.
• Turn the heating back on and keep an eye on the pressure gage on your boiler. The pressue may drop. and might need to be repressurised..