Claiming on decennal guarantee

[Brighton G]

Does anyone have experience of making a claim on their building "decennal" (10 year) guarantee? The plumbing on our new build has been so badly routed that it is almost impossible to drain the system down fully. And we need to make sure the house will be safe during the winter when we're not there. The builders agreed to send the plumbers back but have now backtracked.

[Le Plombier]

Generally it is almost impossible to completely drain the water system in any house completely

Even if you do the chauffe eau will still be full unless you open the groupe de security to drain this a well

All houses in France are direct mains supply with no separate cold water storage

Just turn of the water at the main when you leave, summer and winter and any leak will only mean the content of the pipework, a few litres, discharging in to your house

Unless you have a huge issue that you have not made clear in your posting you have a typical installation

Le Plombier

[BJSLIV]

I think you can forget any claims.

1 Was the requirement for a "100% drain down"  made  an explicit requirement when the house was ordered?

If the answer is yes

2 Was the failure to meet the specification pointed out at the time that the house was accepted?

The 10 year guarantee covers breakdowns, failures of workmanship etc  rather than non-deliverance of  the specified  design.

If it was so important for you to have  this feature, then you should have asked for a demonstration when the house was being handed over.