Activities

Home builders are committed to achieving high levels of customer satisfaction. Companies employ a range of measures to monitor satisfaction among their customers, to build on areas of strength and to bring about improvements where weaknesses are identified. For example, almost all larger companies regularly survey their own customers and many staff incentive schemes include customer satisfaction results.

HBF, as the industry's representative body, has an important role to play in helping the industry achieve high levels of customer satisfaction. In response Barker Review Recommendation 32, HBF developed a number of initiatives.

A national annual survey of new home customers, developed in association with NHBC, continuously monitors levels of customer satisfaction across the larger HBF member companies. The first survey, published in February 2006 and including 22 larger companies, covered new home buyers completing between April and September 2005. The second survey, launched in April 2007 and including 20 larger companies, covered completions from October 2005 up to September 2006.  The third survey published in April 2008, included 17 companies and covered completions from October 2006 - to September 2007.

The third annual survey of new home buyers showed that 76% of purchasers were satisfied with the overall quality of their home and 75% would recommend their builder to a friend.

Another important initiative was a Customer Service Code of Conduct for home builders. This voluntary Code, also in association with NHBC, was designed to help home builders develop higher standards of good practice in customer service.  HBF has encouraged all member companies to adopt the Code. 

Note: Addedum to the Code - April 2008 Pricing Guide

The third initiative was to develop model terms for consumer contracts, in consultation with the OFT, to assist member companies bring their constracts into compliance with the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999.