Contract completion penalties

[philipnelson]

Hi,
We signed a contract with a developer last February 2006 who was building a development of houses.
The development was to have been completed in February 2007.
He is now almost 5 weeks over the contract completion date and a general enquiry with the auctioneer says it will be at least July before he finishes
What are our options to enforce penalties and what do these penalties include.
We are currently renting a house at €1200 a month.
Can we claim this from the developer?
Or what exactly do penalties include?
Have we any other options?
IS a 28 day notice a good idea or are we better negotiating with the builders solicitor on say a price reduction?
Or have we any rights?
Any advice appreciated.

Thanks
I will be seeing my solicitor next week so I am just looking for general information.
Google has drawn a blank.

 

[ciara_gmail]

I'm also in a similar position to yourself - signed contracts last May and was due for completion in November. We are still waiting and they say it will be the end of this month when we receive completion statements.

However, in the contract we signed, it was stated the builders can go anything up to 18 months after the contracts are signed. The completion date of November 06 was not in the contracts we signed.

 

[philipnelson]

Ciara,
Thanks for the reply.
My solicitor says he has never come across this before - it is usually the other way around.
I am looking at a few options now.
Anyone else any ideas?
The contract clearly statesthe completion date.
If it was the other way around the builder could keep my 10% deposit.
I find it hard to believe there is nothing I can do to enforce completion]
Philip