The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) has shared the details of its new Code of practice, which is open for public consultation.
The Code has been designed to address the shortcomings of existing Consumer Codes, with a strong emphasis on aftercare, along with a reliable complaints process that ensures issues are dealt with promptly and the customer is kept informed throughout.
The NHQB was launched in May 2020 as an independent body to implement standards of practice for quality and service in the property industry, as well as appoint a New Homes Ombudsman Service for independent adjudication.
It is hoped that the final version of the Code will be agreed by the summer, meaning developers will soon need to think about refining their processes and training staff to ensure all aspects of the new Code are covered.
Once the Code is in place and an Ombudsman Service has been confirmed (expected by Q4 of this year), housebuilders will be expected to register with the NHQB during a transition period.
Chair of the NHQB, Natalie Elphicke, OBE, stated: "I believe that the New Homes Quality Code fills the gaps in existing protections and will drive up build quality standards and consumer protections."
Currently, the Consumer Code for Home Builders is the standard for new build homes registered with the UK's main warranty providers, such as NHBC, Premier Guarantee, LABC and Checkmate, while alternative Codes exist for smaller warranty bodies.
As the market leader in providing handover solutions, we pride ourselves on staying ahead of the curve, and have been monitoring the situation for a while now, so we can help you make the transition to NHQB. While there are a number of differences between the proposed NHQB Code and the Consumer Code for Home Builders, key areas that we can help address are the requirement for written statements of the aftersales service procedures, as well as a written statement of the process for raising an issue, problem or complaint. There is also a mandate for providing names and contact numbers for the best person to address questions during the sale, purchase and transfer of ownership.
Our printed manuals provide the ideal opportunity to handover written details on the aftersales service, while our online portal, Spaciable, has a Key Contacts feature that allows contact details to be added and updated, ensuring buyers always know who to contact when issues arise.
The flexibility of our printed and digital content allows for developer and development-specific information to be included, as well as details of new regulations, to satiate the requirements of the new Code and avoid the pitfalls of being caught out as being non-compliant with new legislation.
Spaciable also provides the additional benefit of being able to smoothly transition between Codes midway through a development being occupied, without any disruption to the homeowner or additional work for the aftersales team.
If you want to find out more about how the new Code could affect you and how we can help ensure you are covered, please book a call-back, here.