On this page, you will find details of the buying experience you can expect to receive from Lockley, with the following stages outlining our commitment to you as a customer.
Once you have chosen your new Lockley home, the first step is to meet with our selling agent, either on site or at their office, to complete the reservation agreement. At this stage, you will also receive a copy of the plans for your home, our Customer Charter, and the Consumer Code for Home Builders.
Our team will then be introduced as your main point of contact moving forward, ensuring you feel fully supported and informed throughout your journey with Lockley Homes.
Once you have completed the reservation process, your property will be reserved for a period of 28 days. During this period, and providing your circumstances don’t change, the price will be fixed and we will not enter into a new reservation agreement with another customer on the same property. 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 the legal pack being issued to your solicitor. In some cases, we can extend this period, but it is at our discretion.
In line with the Consumer Code for Home Builders, you will have a 14-day cooling-off period following payment of the 1% reservation fee. During this time, if you change your mind, your reservation fee will be refunded in full. If you choose not to proceed after the 14-day cooling-off period and do not exchange contracts within the agreed timeframe, 50% of the reservation fee will be retained to cover abortive administrative costs
When you reserve a Lockley home you will have a dedicated point of contact who will assist you from reservation through to home demonstration. Your contact will guide you through any specification choices and premium upgrades and keep you regularly informed on the progress of your new home.
They will also accompany you on site visits. The first, before your new home is plastered and the second, while it is being decorated.
The specification for your home is set out within the specification section of the sales brochure. Subject to the build stage there will be the opportunity for you to personalise your new home with choices from our specification range. Alternative upgrade packages will be made available to further enhance your property.
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.
Access to areas of construction is prohibited without prior authorisation, you are required to be accompanied by Lockley personnel and wear suitable protection.
Compliance with all Health & Safety policy is the responsibility of the individual.
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.
Once your property has achieved the Lockley quality benchmark, our legal team will contact your solicitor and serve notice for completion. Completion will happen ten working days after notice is served.
Please be aware that any completion dates discussed prior to this will be provisional.
Once your home meets the standards of the Lockley quality benchmark , you will be invited to a demonstration of your property.
This will include a complete walk around and a demonstration of the appliances, heating and hot water systems. You will also be given the opportunity to inspect cosmetic finishes including kitchens, work surfaces, sanitaryware, glass and flooring.
We will meet you at your new home on the day of completion.
Once our solicitors are in receipt of the completion funds a member of the Lockley team, together with the Site Manager, will meet you at your new home and hand you your keys.
Within a week of moving in, a member of our team will make contact with you to ensure that you are settling into your new home. This is an opportunity for you to raise any immediate concerns you may have, or ask any questions regarding your property.
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.
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.
Your new property benefits from a two-year Homeowner Warranty and a 10-year structural warranty.
For the first two years of the warranty, Lockley will attend to any issues in line with the finishes and tolerances guide of the NHBC, Premier or Build-Zone Warranty.
Full details of the 10-year structural warranty can be found in your Homeowner’s Manual.
If any matters cannot be resolved satisfactorily, the Consumer Code for Home Builders gives you recourse to their Independent Dispute Resolution Scheme.
If, at any point, you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from Lockley Homes, you may wish to raise a formal complaint in line with our complaints process. Read about our complaints process.
At every Lockley Homes development, a dedicated Management Company is established to oversee and maintain the communal areas. This ensures that shared spaces are cared for to the highest standard and continue to complement the quality of your new home. Until the formal handover to the Management Company takes place, Lockley Homes will remain responsible for their upkeep. As part of the conveyancing process, you will be provided with full details about the communal areas, budgets, and scope of works. We will also confirm when the formal handover from Lockley Homes to the Management Company has been completed and advise you on the next steps.
