Outstanding satisfaction levels as industry continues to drive improvements in customer service standards
More than nine out of ten home buyers are satisfied with the overall quality of their new homes, according to new figures released by Britain’s home building industry.
The results of the home building industry’s eighth customer satisfaction survey, carried out by the Home Builders Federation and NHBC, reveal another year-on-year increase in customer satisfaction to a level that matches or exceeds those in almost any other industry or sector.
The independently verified survey of 29,330 new home buyers reveals that an overwhelming 91 per cent are very or fairly satisfied with the quality of their new home and the same number would recommend their builder to a friend.
The results will be announced this evening at an industry-hosted event with Housing Minister Mark Prisk in Westminster.
They once again prove the industry’s commitment to achieving the highest levels of customer service and satisfaction. They have been achieved despite a background of continuing economic uncertainty, huge changes with the planning system, restricted mortgage availability and the burden of significant regulatory costs that poses a clear threat to innovation.
In addition to the remarkable and steady improvement in Customer Satisfaction revealed by the survey, the industry also has its own self-imposed Consumer Code, ensuring customer concerns are heard and that disputes can be resolved through an independent adjudication system.
The survey results and the Code, in addition to a ten-year warranty on all new homes, combine to give new build home purchasers genuine confidence in the product they are buying.
Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman of HBF, said today: “These results clearly demonstrate that consumers are overwhelmingly happy with the service house builders are delivering.
“The industry has often faced criticism over the last few years from misguided or ill-intentioned “experts”, but the people who really matter - those who buy new homes - are giving us a clear thumbs up.
“It is essential that we achieve these high satisfaction levels when providing a product that represents most people’s largest investment, both financially and emotionally. But creating a great home is not straightforward. These superb results are a credit to our industry and all its employees.”
Mike Quinton, Chief Executive of NHBC, said: ‘These results are an incredible vote of confidence in the UK house building industry. They underline the commitment of the industry to produce high quality new homes and provide excellent service to consumers.
‘They demonstrate that the vast majority of UK house builders have worked hard to drive up standards despite operating through challenging economic times. I would like to pay tribute to all the builders up and down the country who have contributed to these fantastic results.’
For media enquiries, to arrange an interview, or to book a press place at this evenings Ministerial event, please contact Steve Turner – 020 7960 1606 / 07919 307760 or steve.turner@hbf.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
1. The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the principal representative body for private sector home builders and voice of the home building industry in England and Wales. HBF member firms account for some 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year, and include companies of all sizes, ranging from multi-national, household names through regionally based businesses to small local companies: www.hbf.co.uk
2. NHBC is the leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes in the UK. NHBC's ten-year Buildmark warranty covers around 80 percent of new homes built in the UK, having covered nearly eight million homes since it began and currently protecting around 1.6 million homes. Buildmark has evolved over the years, expanding to cover more areas, offering a greater scope of protection for homeowners. NHBC's primary purpose is to help raise standards to protect homeowners. NHBC is an independent non-profit distributing company, reinvesting all resources in further research and work to improve the construction standard of new UK houses for the benefit of homeowners.
3. HBF’s national survey of new home buyers was launched in 2005 in response to one of the recommendations of the Barker Review of Housing Supply (2004).This report presents results from HBF’s eight Customer Satisfaction Survey, covering the 12 months October 2011 to September 2012
4. The HBF National New Home Customer Satisfaction Survey is a continuous self-completion postal census of the new home purchasers. The results include the HBF member companies highlighted in the attached document (CSS 2013 results) – as well as a representative sample of home builders from across the rest of the industry.
5. Of 53,270 questionnaires mailed, 29,330 were returned, a response rate of 55.1%