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Last updated: February 2026

What steps has the industry taken to improve the quality of new build homes?

Following an unacceptable drop in customer satisfaction in the mid-2010s, and the subsequent 2016 inquiry into the quality of new build housing by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Excellence in the Built Environment, HBF worked with a broad range of stakeholders, including Government, to look at how a new framework could be established that would address the gaps in existing protections and place greater responsibility on house builders to deliver.

As part of this effort, HBF commissioned an independent review of consumer protections, which highlighted a lack of redress coverage in the first two years after moving in and underscored the need for new measures to protect consumers.

The culmination of this work was the launch of the independent New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) in 2021, initially in shadow form. Following a public consultation, the NHQB established the New Homes Quality Code, which put considerably more responsibility on house builders in terms of how they dealt with customers and any issues they had. Via a public procurement process, the NHQB also set up the independent New Homes Ombudsman Service to provide redress for new home owners in the event they were not satisfied with the service provided by their builder.

Survey results suggest that consumer satisfaction has improved significantly in all areas since the NHQB and Code were launched, and in 2024 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) judged that “most consumers are happy with their new homes, expect some snags, and have sought for these to be fixed following completion of the purchase of their new home.”

What is the New Homes Quality Board and New Homes Quality Code?

The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation set up to oversee reforms in the quality of new homes and the customer service provided by developers.

The New Homes Quality Code, established and operated by the NHQB, sets out the core principles that apply to developers and their dealings with customers, as well as the practical steps that are expected at each stage of the process. The broad range of additional requirements introduced for the NHQB’s registered developers ensures enhanced protection for customers both before and after buying a new home, while also driving up the quality of new homes.

In addition, new home buyers covered by builders registered with the NHQB have access to the independent New Homes Ombudsman Service (NHOS). If the developer is registered with the NHQB, customers not happy with the performance of their builder can take their complaint to the NHOS. This is a free and independent service to customers, which can impartially assess and adjudicate issues that have arisen that fall within the Ombudsman’s scope.

What is the Customer Satisfaction Survey?

The National New Homes Customer Satisfaction Survey (CSS) is sent to the purchasers of new build homes eight weeks after they move in. A second survey is sent at nine months. The CSS was launched in response to recommendations in the Barker Review of Housing Supply in 2004. Its scale ensures that its results provide a robust and accurate representation of industry and builder performance, and it is one of the most comprehensive continuous industry research exercises in the country. The survey is externally validated and is entirely independent of any builder or builder group.

HBF star ratings are awarded to individual home builders based on the results of the CSS.

What do the results of the Customer Satisfaction Survey show?

The 2025 survey shows that 94% of new build home buyers would recommend their builder to a friend - the fifth successive year that the industry has achieved a score of 90% or above, and up 4% from last year. There have been consistent improvements in all areas in recent years, in part due to the introduction of the NHQB and NHOS.

The latest survey also shows that:

• 91% said they were satisfied with the service provided by their builder during the buying process.
• 89% said they were satisfied with the service the builder provided after move-in.

We expect that the impact of the New Homes Quality Code will lead to further improvements in satisfaction levels over the coming years.

How has the industry improved its approach to resolving snags and defects in new homes?

New homes are carefully constructed, but snags and defects can still occur, as they are a hand-crafted product.

The industry has made significant strides in terms of how it rectifies any snags that may occur, ensuring that buyers benefit from high standards of customer service and timely fixes. All new homeowners are protected by a 2-year builder guarantee that requires the builder to rectify any defects with the new home identified in the first two years after purchase, at no extra cost to the homeowner. The New Homes Quality Code also sets a clear expectation in terms of how quickly snags are to be resolved.

In addition, new build customers are also protected by a 10-year structural warranty. Several warranty providers are operating in the market, including NHBC, LABC Warranty and Premier Guarantee. NHBC’s Buildmark policy, for example, requires developers to comply with the requirements set out in the NHBC standards, including building and fire-safety regulations and ten years of cover against damage caused by defects in the structure of the property. Developers are required to provide customers with full details about their warranty cover during the purchase process.

CSS data shows that there have been continual improvements in this area as a result of these initiatives. In 2025, 89% of buyers reported being happy with the service provided by their builder after they moved in, up from 83% in 2024 and 80% in 2023. Furthermore, 86% are satisfied with the standard of finish of their new homes.

What is HBF calling for from the government to ensure consistency of standards?

The industry is absolutely committed to delivering ongoing and consistent improvements to both the product it delivers and the service it provides to its customers. HBF is supportive of calls for the Government to oversee the transition to a single mandatory consumer code and a statutory Ombudsman scheme.

These changes are vital to provide greater clarity and better outcomes for both industry and its customers, ensuring there are consistent standards across the board and that all customers are protected by a robust customer code and have access to the independent redress offered by the New Homes Ombudsman service.

In its housebuilding market study, the CMA supported this position and proposed a single mandatory code and statutory Ombudsman, and suggested that the work of the NHQB form the basis of a new framework. We were pleased that the Government accepted the CMA’s recommendations, and we now hope that the Government will give more indication as to how and when it will take them forward, particularly given that the Government already has the power to introduce a mandatory Code through the Building Safety Act.

It is key that we get this framework right in advance of any increase in volumes that may result in the event the Government tackling the remaining constraints on housing delivery, with the Government aiming to deliver 1.5 million new homes during this Parliament.

HBF continues to engage with the Government and the NHQB to understand how it plans to put the arrangements on a statutory footing, and the industry is committed to doing all it can to respond to any concerns about build quality and to drive up standards for purchasers in the years ahead.

NHQB comment

Emma Toms, Chief Executive at the New Homes Quality Board, says: “Buying a new home is one of the biggest decisions a customer will ever make. The New Homes Quality Code places quality, transparency and customer service at the heart of that journey, and it is the responsibility of developers to uphold these standards, delivering not only well-built homes but a consistently high level of care before, during and after completion.”

Where can I find more information?

• HBF’s Customer Satisfaction Survey and Star Ratings FAQs.
• The Competition and Markets Authority’s 2024 housebuilding market study.
• NHQB’s New Homes Quality Code.
• New Homes Week: Information on new build home warranties and builder guarantees.
• The New Homes Quality Board and New Homes Ombudsman Service websites.
• NHBC’s Buildmark cover.

If you have any questions, contact info@hbf.co.uk.

Find out more about our policy work

View the latest HBF correspondence with Government and recent activity

View the latest HBF research and reports

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