The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) recently released a briefing paper report after major concerns about the quality of new-build housing.
The briefing paper looks at the building control regime and how customers’ can get redress after finding numerous defects in their newly built home. The paper also gives a synopsis of what APPG found following their 2016 inquiry – and includes suggested actions to take, and explains the Government and industry’s response to the situation.
There has been a big focus on the need to increase house building rates but equally there has been growing concern about the workmanship of new housing developments.
Many new owners of new builds are being left with defects to their property which are not being rectified satisfactorily once it has been reported to the builders.
Last summer, there was concerns over the UK’s housing quality which had increased substantially over the past five years.
According to the HomeOwners Alliance’s ‘The Home Owner’s Survey 7th Annual Report’, 63% of UK adults believed housing quality is declining and becoming a serious problem. Since 2014, this issue has increased by 14% when less than half (49%) of the population considered this to be a problem.
Figures also indicate that the quality of new build property could be an issue leading to the UK’s negative perception of its current housing stock. 40% of new build homeowners were unhappy with the snagging process with many (20%) concerned that they are coerced into paying their deposit and buying the property before they are able to identify snags and defects in their new built home.
In November 2019, The National House-Building Council (NHBC) announced a number of technical standards set to be launched in 2020.
From 1st January this year, every home covered by an NHBC warranty would need to ensure that they comply with the new quality standards.
The NHBC hope that changes will reduce construction defects, improve consumer satisfaction and decrease the amount of remedial work needed to ensure basic standards are met.
In February this year, the government ploughed ahead with plans to introduce a New Homes Ombudsman.
The government statement claimed the Housing Secretary is set to ‘clamp down on shoddy housebuilders’ by offering the new independent ombudsman increased powers to protect homeowners.
Read APPG’s August 2020 full report ‘New-build housing: construction defects – issues and solutions (England)’ here.
