Customers of Felmeri Homes details years of financial stress caused by delays with new home builds

More fed up customers have come forward over their treatment from an Adelaide home builder. The state’s consumer watchdog is on the case.

Owning a first home is every young adult’s dream, but for Jessica Harrison, a nightmare three-year build has cost her tens of thousands of dollars.

The 31-year-old is among dozens that have been left in the lurch by Adelaide building company Felmeri Homes, which is now being investigated by Consumer and Business Services South Australia.

Ms Harrison says she signed a build contract with the company in June 2020.

But almost three years on she still hasn’t been handed the keys to her first home in O’Halloran Hill.

Jessica Harrison signed a contract to have her first home built by Felmeri Homes in 2020. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“My house is pretty well complete, but the roadway into the estate isn’t, so there are no services into the estate,” she said.

“That’s the builders responsibility to do the road, because it’s essentially a driveway, but there is no real end in sight for when that will be done.”

Ms Harrison said the delays and a rise in cost-of-living pressures had created a perfect storm.

“I’ve been paying nearly $2200 a month on my mortgage alone on top of my own rental payments and then we have council rates, body corporate fees, water and emergency services levy, for a house we can’t live in,” she said.

“My savings are tied up into this home, the list of issues is never-ending and I’m scared I’ll lose everything. I was forced to move back in with my parents in March to relieve some of the financial stress.”

Ms Harrison said the project had been at a standstill since December 2021.

The under-fire company blamed labour and supply shortages for the delays to its projects when speaking to The Advertiser about other client complaints on Thursday.

Calls to the company’s Wayville office were not answered on Friday.

“We’ve been given every possible excuse from Felmeri that you can think of and I’m well aware that we are not the only ones to experience this,” Ms Harrison said.

“There’s been so many broken promises, they plan meetings and then don’t attend … there’s no regard and no apology for our time.”

Clients have claimed the issues extend to a number of suburbs including in Plympton, Hackham and Mansfield Park.

The driveway to the O'Halloran Hill estate. Picture: Supplied

A shattered window at Jarrod Wissell's unfinished build. Picture: Supplied

Another customer Jarrod Wissell said he signed his contract for a build at Mansfield Park in September 2019 and was still yet to move in.

He claimed he had found at least 12 defects.

“On the top floor, they didn’t put a sliding door in and I told them if there is water damage, they would be fixing it,” he said.

“Despite constant requests to have a door fitted, they didn’t for several months.”

And once they finally did, Mr Wissell said it was too small.

“It wouldn’t even close – I contacted them about it and they said my door must have been stolen, which is just ridiculous,” he said.

Mr Wissell said he refused to pay a ninth invoice on the property until issues with the home were rectified.

“They got a debt collector onto me and at that point I was just willing to go to court,” he said.

“Fortunately I was able to meet with the debt collector and once I told them my story they left me alone.”

He claimed the company breached several sections of his contract.

“There has to be some sort of compensation and some stricter rules put in place,” he said.

“Everyone that’s been impacted are all looking out for each other, we’re banding together to stop it happening again.”

According to a staff member at Felmeri Homes, who did not wish to be named, the company has 43 outstanding client contracts.

CBS has imposed restrictions on the business’ building licence prohibiting it from entering into any new building contracts and requiring regular updates on current builds.

Previous Google reviews for the company disappeared this week.

But a series of scathing pieces of feedback were posted on the search engine on Friday.

“I can tell you with the utmost confidence that I am so far away from being a satisfied customer that if I was a planet, Elon Musk would try to colonise me,” one person posted.

“Please do the right thing for you and your family. Avoid Felmeri Homes at every cost.”

Originally published as Customers of Felmeri Homes details years of financial stress caused by delays with new home builds