Dozens of Defects in Over 100 Million Yen Home…Contractor Accuses Sumitomo Forestry of Betrayal

More than 30 repairs

Mr. A. said, “I hired Sumitomo Forestry because I thought they were a major builder, so I felt safe, but what I got was a house that was full of defects. There were 19 areas identified as defective by an outside investigation company, including flooding under the floor and damaged insulation. The cost of the upper floors alone was 130 million yen, and we took out a not-so-cheap loan based on our trust in the largest house builder. Now I feel betrayed.

Mr. A, a 50-something resident of Osaka City, says that his dream-filled three-story, four-bedroom design house had been plagued with problems from the moment it was delivered to him in November 2010.

Normally, the entire house is washed before delivery, but this was inadequate,” said Mr. A. “The ceiling and toilets were left dirty from the work. There were still stains from the work on the ceiling and in the toilets, and when we wiped them off with a towel, they turned black. We contacted the person in charge at Sumitomo Forestry and asked him to redo the ‘washing.

After the cleaning was completed, however, a more serious problem was found. The wood of the ceiling had shifted, creating steps on either side, and the washbasin in the toilet was installed at an angle. ……

Whenever we found a problem, we contacted Sumitomo Forestry to have it repaired. The decisive factor was the elevator installed in the house. During the manufacturer’s periodic inspection, it was discovered that the elevator had flooded under the floor. A component had rusted. When we investigated the cause, we found that the drain (a component that prevents rainwater from entering the home’s foundation) was not functioning.”

In September 2012, Mr. A, filled with disbelief, asked an outside investigation company to check the house, and they found 19 defects in addition to the 30 that had been repaired, including missing screws, cracks in the concrete under the floor, and water leaking from a faucet in the sink.

The staircase was slanted and out of alignment on both sides, and the insulation in the attic was randomly placed as if it had been tossed about. The surveyor was surprised, saying, ‘I’ve never seen a house with this many defects.

There is still some money left on the loan.

Mr. A is currently negotiating with Sumitomo Forestry through his lawyer, with a view to rebuilding the house.

Although it was the subcontractor that actually built the house, Sumitomo Forestry is responsible for the supervision. What in the world was the person in charge of the site doing? I thought I could rely on a major builder, but I can’t believe it. I am still living with my family in a house that still has defects.

Is it true that more than 30 repairs were made? What were the causes? What is Sumitomo Forestry’s response to FRIDAY Digital’s inquiry?

In an interview with FRIDAY Digital, Sumitomo Forestry responded, “We will refrain from responding to individual customers. If a problem should arise with a customer, we will discuss it with the customer individually and deal with it in good faith.

The subcontractor that actually undertook the construction responded to FRIDAY Digital as follows.

Since Sumitomo Forestry is involved with this property, we have no comment to make.”

The loan will continue even after Mr. A is over 75 years old. ……