Dream plot, but TAFF house - first mistake already made

So, for us TAFF is now definitely done.

Despite everything, we did not let ourselves be discouraged from the plot, because it was perfectly tailored to our needs. So we signed the contract despite the many vague formulations and points of criticism, since the plot was assured to us by TAFF. Even the three builders I asked, who built with Allegro, were quite satisfied with it, which reassured me a bit.

However, the expert from the Association of Private Builders strongly advised me against it in every way, as the work contract was "absolute rubbish" (quote) that no builder should ever voluntarily tie themselves to. There are many points where the builder (i.e., me) has to provide a lot, many risks are shifted to the builder, and with the mentioned formulations, it seems that a pretty tough legal battle lies ahead if it comes to that.

I then noted around 60 questions about the scope of services / terms and conditions / trades / etc., and was able to clarify some with TAFF, but they did not want to give me the answers in writing, let alone with a signature. Some critical things, such as a contractually fixed end date for the construction work (like "12 months after the start of construction excluding weather-related delays" or something similar), they neither wanted nor could orally assure me. A skeptic might think the worst. Another point is a warranty on the windows that only exists if you sign a maintenance contract – none of my contacts at TAFF knew what that was supposed to mean, and there was also no template for such a maintenance contract.

Since we really wanted the plot and have one or two lawyers in our circle of friends, we signed anyway as mentioned. The expert from the Association of Private Builders even said the contract was written so unfavorably for customers that certain clauses or even the entire contract could be invalid and could be challenged with considerable perseverance.

After signing the contract, the long wait began. We were already surprised because they had pressed very hard to sign initially, and TAFF suddenly stopped responding. When I tried to reach someone at TAFF about two weeks later, no one answered, even though I called every few hours over two days. Then I tried in the evening with a different number – lo and behold, suddenly reachable. Allegedly they were on vacation and then sick. Then they said the plot was already gone – although it had been assured to us... we were accordingly annoyed and contacted the broker. He suddenly said the owner would decide who gets the plot, and the owner had not yet decided. But in my call with the owner, he said he had already sold the plot to the broker (??), and he didn't care at all who got the plot. So everything was pretty strange and all parties contradicted themselves. By then we clearly knew something was fishy.

In the following days, we were constantly strung along. Allegedly because the notary was overloaded and the drafts of the purchase contracts were not yet available. I don't understand what is so drastically different in this purchase contract that a draft takes several weeks, or why a draft contract would influence the decision for a buyer at all, but okay. I think someone else offered more or had the right contacts, and the broker was just waiting for the financing confirmation. After all, it was hinted several times that there are also people who offer more money, and as we found out later, apparently someone from the broker's family ended up getting the deal.

In the end, the owner allegedly chose someone else. I, however, am quite sure that the broker, as a former managing director of TAFF-Haus, had much more influence behind the scenes than he constantly claimed. He said he knew nothing about any house contract and that he was not interested at all, after all, he was just the broker... and meanwhile the TAFF seller told us: Contact the broker, he decides. Riiight.

During this whole time, both the "broker" and TAFF were generally very hard to reach. The TAFF seller apparently still reports to the broker, who was the managing director of TAFF until recently, and accordingly, his assurance was worthless. The broker, in turn, constantly dodges concrete questions, talks you into the ground, and constantly contradicts himself. Behind the professional friendliness, unfortunately, there is no friendly professionalism... different things are always claimed and promised. The same with the TAFF seller: As with the other interested party, we were promised several times appointments with companies for ventilation and heating systems, but they were never kept. Emails were generally never answered. And the work contract we signed was supposedly supposed to land with us again after a week – we only received it several weeks later, when the decision had long since been made. And that despite the agreed termination clause having already occurred because we could not acquire the plot. At some point, the seller called us again to ask about the status, whether we had acquired the plot now (???). But he also said he had another comparable plot and asked if he could give out my number. It speaks for itself that we were never called.

When we terminated the work contract, we had to inquire again until it was confirmed.

All in all, a very shady and insecure experience. We will definitely not build with TAFF, not even on any other plot. It may be that the product is okay, but the people behind it and the contract simply leave a bad taste. One does not feel really taken seriously by the company.

By the way, the second half of the plot, a 13-meter-wide strip, for which the "3-4 interested parties" allegedly outbid each other, was later offered as a developer-free plot and about €20k more expensive on Immoscout. So that statement was just hot air.

One more thing: The company only offers about a dozen different houses. Nevertheless, the house we chose had never been built before by TAFF; there was only a parallel construction project. That also worried me a bit because when building a house, I don't necessarily want to be a pilot project.

When we broke ties with TAFF and their associates, we were first sad, but then glad about the experience and what we learned.