The primary objective of the new arrangements being brought forward by the NHQB are to enhance the quality of the product being provided to consumers; and to strengthen protections for consumers in the event they are not satisfied with the quality of their new homes or the performance of their developer. The NHQB is an independent organisation whilst the New Homes Ombudsman Service is a separate independent consumer facing body that will provide independent redress for consumers with issues. There is a consumer representative on the NHQB whilst a separate consumer panel considers all aspects of the NHQB’s work and advises the board directly. The NHOS will be free to use for consumers with all the new arrangements being paid for by a levy on industry that will be collected by the NHQB The NHQB is bringing forward its proposals at pace such that the enhanced protections are in place as quickly as is possible and so benefit as many consumers as possible. The NHQB aims to provide consumers with all the information they require about the service standards they should expect from their developer; to enable them to make informed decisions about making a complaint; and about how to make a referral to the New Homes Ombudsman.

The Code launched in October 2022 and developers are in the process of registering. You can check if your developer is registered on our website by visiting our Register of Developers page. If they are shown as a registered developer and you reserved your new home after their Registration Date, then you are protected by the Code and may be able to contact the NHOS with your concerns. The easiest way to do this is via their website: www.nhos.org.uk If your developer is not covered, or you reserved your home before their Registration Date, you are still protected by the existing consumer code. Customers with issues with their home / developer are advised to: Contact the developer who has a responsibility to deal with issues in the first two years of occupation (if a builder does not resolve the complaint to your satisfaction, you can contact your home warranty provider if they offer a dispute resolution service e.g. NHBC). Contact your warranty provider about issues with a new home in years 3 – 10.

In the first instance, please contact your builder’s customer service team to log details of your complaint. Their contact details should have been provided when you moved in and should also be on their website. If you remain dissatisfied with how your complaint was handled, there are a number of alternatives: If the issue relates to snagging, defects or build quality and you are within your warranty period, you may be able to contact your Warranty Provider for them to investigate your concerns. If your builder is a Registered Developer with NHQB* then you can choose to escalate your complaint to the New Homes Ombudsman. If your builder is not a Registered Developer with NHQB* then you can raise your complaint with the existing Consumer Code provider and your builder can tell you who this is and provide contact details.

The establishment of a NHOS was the number one recommendation made by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment in its report More homes fewer complaints that focussed on the issues experienced by customers of new build homes. In 2017 the Secretary of State announced that the Government wanted to see the introduction of a New Homes Ombudsman (NHOS). The NHOS will provide customers with access to independent, fair and efficient redress as well as more confidence in new build homes. It will also provide Governments with the assurance that as they introduce policies to increase housing supply, the industry will be delivering high standards of quality, service and customer satisfaction.

Customers who reserve a new home from a Registered Developer are protected by the New Homes Quality Code and the New Homes Ombudsman. Customers reserving a new home from a developer that isn’t registered with NHQB will still be protected by an alternative code. Your developer should inform you which consumer code you are covered by and how to contact them.

Yes. The NHQB is an independent, not for profit, stand-alone legal entity. It has an independent chair and deputy chair and members of the board have a vast range of experience from a range of sectors and backgrounds. Constitutional safeguards have been put in place to ensure the board has a majority of non-industry representatives on it, which means that builders can’t control it.

We firmly believe that the new code and the broader framework including the New Homes Ombudsman will deliver a step change in industry behaviours. The New Homes Quality Code introduces a broad range of additional requirements for developers. These aim to fill the gaps in current protections and ensure that every aspect of a new home purchase, from when a customer walks into a sales office, through to two years after the purchase of the home is covered. The Code: Protects vulnerable customers; prohibits high pressure selling; and requires deposits to be protected. Requires the developer to provide all information about the home and any potential costs, earlier in the sales process to allow them to make an informed decision. Sets out requirements for a fair reservation agreement, including a ‘cooling off period’. Allows customers to have a professional carry out a pre-completion inspection of their new home on their behalf. Specifies that a home must be ‘complete’, preventing builders paying customers to move into a new home early. Crucially, and to address the biggest gap in the existing arrangements, the New Homes Quality Code requires builders to have an effective after care service in place to deal with any issues or ‘snagging’ problems; and a robust complaints process that responds to customers concerns in a timely manner. If a customer is not satisfied with how any complaint has been dealt with, they can refer their complaint to the independent New Homes Ombudsman Service.