New Homes Quality Board

[edit] What is the New Homes Quality Board?

The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the quality of new homes and customer service provided by developers. Their framework sets high standards for developers while also delivering fair outcomes for buyers who are disappointed with their purchase.

As part of its mission to improve industry standards, it oversees the New Homes Ombudsman Service to ensure developers fulfil the requirements of the New Homes Quality Code, and provide compensation if necessary. By championing quality new homes and better consumer outcomes, it helps to create a housebuilding sector that benefits all.

Its key responsibilities are:

• Overseeing the performance of the independent New Homes Ombudsman Service.
• Provide support and information to consumers and industry.
• Hold the register of developers of new build homes.
• Collect fees from developers to fund the new arrangements.
• Discipline and sanction poorly performing developers.
• Report and publish details on industry performance.

Registration with the NHQB is not mandatory, although around 80% of housebuilders are registered and the number is increasing all the time. The CIOB in 2023 called on the Government to undertake a review of the NHQB to understand whether registration should become mandatory for all housebuilders.

[edit] Background to the Board

In 2018, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Excellence in the Built Environment published proposals for a New Homes Ombudsman, which the CIOB broadly welcomed.

The NHQB being an “independent body that will champion quality new homes and better consumer outcomes for buyers”. NHQB board members include representatives from consumer bodies, housebuilders, warranty providers, the finance sector and independents – with a constitution that ensures no one body is dominant.

The ombudsman service established by the NHQB will be free to consumers, with the arrangements to be paid for by the house building industry. It will also be applicable UK-wide.

In February 2021, the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB), an independent body formed by Government, was announced. Natalie Elphicke MP OBE was the first official chair of the Board, after having served as the interim chair in 2020. It role being to ensure consistently high standards of quality and service are met by housebuilders.

Early actions for the NHQB included “consultation on - and introduction of - a comprehensive new industry code of practice that will place considerably more responsibility on developers to deliver quality homes and better consumer outcomes on all.”

In 2023 CIOB called on Government to undertake a review of the NHQB to understand whether registration should become mandatory for all housebuilders.

For further information about the NHQB visit https://www.nhqb.org.uk/

[edit] CIOB reactions

Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing Eddie Hughes MP, who is also a member of the CIOB, said, “It’s crucial developers show more responsibility for the quality of their work while also acknowledging when things go wrong – this helps give vital confidence to buyers, especially at a time of general uncertainty."

Caroline Gumble, Chief Executive of the CIOB added, “I want to reiterate that quality remains one of the biggest issues facing the construction industry, and this ombudsman will have a significant role as a mechanism for driving improvements in the quality of new homes."

This article originally appeared on the CIOB website under the headline, 'CIOB reacts to the launch of the New Homes Quality Board'. It was published on 10 February 2021, it was later updated in December 2023, with information updates from https://www.nhqb.org.uk/.

--CIOB

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment.
• BSRIA response to New Homes Ombudsman.
• Building better homes faster.
• CIOB articles.
• New Homes Ombudsman.
• Ombudsman.

[edit] External resources

• New Homes Quality Board.