The New Homes Quality Board: Raising Industry Standards

Published by New-Builds Team

The establishment of the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) represents one of the most significant developments in UK consumer protection for new build homebuyers in a generation. Created in 2021 and fully operational by 2022, the NHQB was formed to develop and oversee the New Homes Quality Code, a comprehensive framework of standards that governs how developers interact with buyers from initial marketing through to aftercare and complaint resolution. The Board also oversees the New Homes Ombudsman Service, which provides buyers with an independent, free-to-use dispute resolution mechanism when issues cannot be resolved directly with their developer. Together, the Quality Code and the Ombudsman Service have created a consumer protection framework that gives new build buyers a level of confidence and recourse that simply did not exist before, and the impact on industry practice has been both rapid and substantial.

This comprehensive guide examines the NHQB's origins, structure, and impact in detail. We explore how the Quality Code works in practice, what it means for developers and buyers, how the Ombudsman Service operates, and the measurable improvements in quality and customer service that have resulted from the Board's work. For anyone considering buying a new build home, understanding the NHQB framework is essential to knowing your rights and protections. For context on the broader quality picture, our article on new build quality improvements in 2026 provides complementary data on industry-wide progress.

Origins and Formation

The NHQB emerged from a period of intense scrutiny of the UK housebuilding industry's approach to customer service and quality. A series of high-profile media reports, parliamentary inquiries, and government reviews during the late 2010s highlighted persistent concerns about build quality, inadequate customer care, and the absence of an effective independent complaints mechanism for new build buyers. The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment published influential reports calling for reform, and the government commissioned a series of reviews that ultimately concluded that a new, independent body was needed to set and enforce standards across the sector.

The NHQB was established as an independent body, funded by the housebuilding industry but governed by a board that includes consumer champions, industry experts, and independent members. This governance structure was designed to ensure that the Board could set genuinely demanding standards while retaining the industry's cooperation and funding. The Board's chair, Natalie Elphicke (originally appointed in 2021), brought a combination of political and housing policy experience, and the Board members were selected to provide a balanced perspective that included consumer advocacy alongside industry expertise. The formation process involved extensive consultation with developers, housing associations, consumer groups, warranty providers, and government, resulting in a framework that has achieved broad buy-in from all stakeholders.

The New Homes Quality Code: What It Covers

The New Homes Quality Code is a comprehensive document that sets out the standards developers must meet when selling and delivering new homes. It covers the entire buyer journey, from initial marketing and pre-purchase information through to the completion process, aftercare, and complaint resolution. The Code is organised into several key sections, each addressing a different stage of the buyer experience, and compliance is mandatory for all registered developers.

Pre-Purchase Information and Sales

The Code requires developers to provide buyers with clear, accurate, and comprehensive information before they commit to a purchase. This includes detailed information about the property itself (floor plans, specifications, finishes, energy performance), the development (community facilities, management arrangements, service charges, ongoing costs), and the surrounding area (transport links, schools, shops, planning applications). Marketing materials must be accurate and not misleading, and sales staff must be properly trained and not use high-pressure sales tactics. The pre-purchase information pack must be provided in good time before exchange of contracts, giving buyers the opportunity to review it carefully and take professional advice.

Contract and Reservation

The Code sets out requirements for the reservation and contract process, including provisions for reservation agreements, cooling-off periods, and the transparency of contractual terms. Buyers must be given a clear reservation agreement that sets out the reservation fee (which must be reasonable and refundable in specified circumstances), the expected completion date, and the procedure for cancellation. The Code requires developers to use fair contract terms and to provide buyers with clear information about their rights and obligations under the contract. The inclusion of cooling-off periods and reasonable cancellation provisions represents a significant improvement in consumer protection compared to the pre-Code era.

Construction, Completion, and Handover

The Code's provisions for the construction and completion phase are among its most impactful. Developers must keep buyers informed about construction progress and any changes to the expected completion date. Before legal completion, the developer must carry out a thorough inspection of the home and rectify any defects or incomplete works. Buyers must be offered a pre-completion demonstration visit, during which the home's features, systems, and controls are explained, and the buyer has the opportunity to identify any concerns. The home must be in a clean, safe, and complete condition at the point of handover, with all agreed specifications and finishes in place. The introduction of mandatory pre-completion inspections has been one of the most effective elements of the Code, as it has created a clear incentive for developers to get things right before handover rather than relying on post-completion snagging.

Aftercare and Complaints

The Code requires developers to provide a responsive and effective aftercare service for at least two years following completion. This includes having a dedicated customer care team, providing buyers with a clear process for reporting issues, responding to reported issues within specified timeframes (typically 5 working days for acknowledgement and 30 calendar days for resolution of non-emergency items), and maintaining records of all customer contacts and resolutions. The Code also sets out a formal complaints procedure, with defined stages of escalation and time limits for responses at each stage. If a buyer's complaint cannot be resolved through the developer's internal process, the buyer has the right to refer the matter to the New Homes Ombudsman Service.

Developer Registration and Compliance

All developers that build and sell new homes in England are expected to register with the NHQB and comply with the New Homes Quality Code. Registration involves a commitment to meet the Code's standards, to participate in the Ombudsman scheme, and to undergo compliance auditing. By early 2026, the NHQB reports that registered developers account for over 95 percent of all new homes built in England, representing a near-universal adoption that exceeds initial expectations. The major volume housebuilders, including Barratt Developments, Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon, Bellway, Redrow, Vistry Group, and Berkeley Group, were among the first to register, and most medium and smaller developers have followed suit.

Compliance monitoring is carried out through a combination of regular audits, analysis of Ombudsman case data, and review of customer satisfaction surveys. The NHQB conducts programmatic audits of registered developers, assessing their policies, procedures, and documentation against the Code's requirements. It also analyses patterns in Ombudsman complaints to identify developers or issues that require further attention. Where non-compliance is identified, the NHQB engages with the developer to agree a remediation plan and monitors progress against that plan. In the most serious cases, the Board has the power to de-register a developer, which would effectively prevent them from selling new homes with the Quality Code's protections, although this sanction has not yet been needed, reflecting the high level of industry compliance.

The New Homes Ombudsman Service

The New Homes Ombudsman Service is a cornerstone of the NHQB's consumer protection framework, providing buyers with an independent, free-to-use dispute resolution mechanism that can deliver binding outcomes. Before the Ombudsman's creation, buyers who were unable to resolve complaints with their developer had limited options beyond costly and time-consuming legal action. The Ombudsman has transformed this landscape, providing an accessible, proportionate, and effective route to resolution that is genuinely independent of both the developer and the buyer.

The Ombudsman can investigate complaints about any aspect of the developer's obligations under the Quality Code, including build quality, customer service, completion delays, snagging, aftercare, and complaint handling. After investigating, the Ombudsman can make a range of determinations, including requiring the developer to carry out remedial work, pay financial compensation (up to specified limits), issue a formal apology, or implement changes to prevent similar issues recurring. The developer is required to comply with the Ombudsman's determination, and failure to do so can result in sanctions including referral to the NHQB for compliance action.

Data from the Ombudsman's first three years of operation shows that the service has been both used and effective. Over 2,400 cases have been resolved, with the most common complaint categories being build quality and snagging (38 percent of cases), aftercare responsiveness (25 percent), completion delays (18 percent), and pre-purchase information (12 percent). The Ombudsman has upheld or partially upheld buyer complaints in approximately 84 percent of investigated cases, indicating that the complaints reaching the Ombudsman stage generally have merit. The average compensation award is approximately 2,800 pounds, though awards have ranged from a few hundred pounds for minor service failures to over 25,000 pounds for the most serious cases.

Impact on Developer Practice

The NHQB's impact on developer practice has been substantial and measurable. The requirement to comply with the Quality Code has driven changes in processes, training, and culture across the industry, with developers investing in the systems and people needed to meet the Code's standards. Some of the most significant changes include the introduction of comprehensive pre-purchase information packs by all major developers, the establishment of dedicated customer care teams with defined response times, the implementation of pre-completion inspection processes, and the creation of formal complaint management procedures with clear escalation routes.

The Ombudsman's case data has also provided developers with valuable feedback on where their processes need improvement. Several major developers have made specific changes to their practices in response to patterns identified in Ombudsman cases, demonstrating that the system is working as intended to drive continuous improvement. For example, Ombudsman data identified common issues with the accuracy of marketing materials on some developments, leading to industry-wide improvements in how sales information is reviewed and approved. Similarly, patterns of complaints about aftercare response times led several developers to invest in additional customer care staff and improved digital reporting tools.

How the Code Protects Buyers: A Practical Guide

For prospective new build buyers, the Quality Code provides a clear set of entitlements that you should be aware of before, during, and after your purchase. Understanding these entitlements will help you hold your developer accountable and ensure that you receive the standard of service that the industry has committed to deliver.

Complaint Categories and Resolution

The NHQB publishes data on the types of complaints received by the Ombudsman, providing valuable transparency about the issues that matter most to buyers and the areas where developers still need to improve. Analysis of this data reveals patterns that are informative for both prospective buyers and the industry itself.

The NHQB and Other Industry Bodies

The NHQB operates alongside several other industry bodies and regulators, each with a distinct role in the quality and consumer protection ecosystem. Understanding how these bodies relate to each other helps buyers navigate the support available to them and understand the multiple layers of protection that exist for new build purchases.

The NHBC (National House Building Council) is the UK's leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes, providing the Buildmark warranty that covers structural defects for 10 years from completion. The NHBC's role is primarily focused on construction quality and structural integrity, and it operates independently of the NHQB. The two bodies are complementary: the NHQB focuses on the buyer experience and service standards, while the NHBC focuses on construction quality and structural warranty. A buyer who has both NHBC warranty cover and the protections of the Quality Code is well-served by two robust and independent quality assurance systems.

The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the industry trade body representing UK housebuilders, and it operates the annual National New Homes Customer Satisfaction Survey that produces the star ratings for individual developers. The HBF has been supportive of the NHQB's work and encourages its members to achieve full compliance with the Quality Code. The Building Safety Regulator, established under the Building Safety Act 2022, has a different but related role, focusing on the safety of higher-risk buildings (typically those above 18 metres in height) and the competence of building control professionals. Together, these bodies create a comprehensive regulatory and quality assurance framework that provides multiple layers of protection for new build buyers.

Looking Ahead: The Code's Evolution

The Quality Code is not a static document. The NHQB is committed to reviewing and updating the Code regularly to reflect emerging best practice, lessons learned from Ombudsman cases, and changes in the regulatory landscape. The first major review of the Code, completed in 2024, introduced enhanced requirements in several areas including digital communication standards, environmental information provision, and the treatment of delays and cancellations. Future reviews are expected to address the growing importance of sustainability information, the integration of smart home technology into homebuyer information packs, and the specific needs of buyers in different tenure categories including shared ownership and build-to-rent.

The government has also signalled its intention to place the Quality Code on a statutory footing, making compliance a legal requirement rather than a voluntary commitment. While the current voluntary approach has achieved near-universal adoption, statutory backing would close the gap entirely and provide an additional enforcement mechanism through trading standards and consumer protection legislation. This legislative step, when it comes, will cement the NHQB's role as a permanent feature of the UK housing landscape and ensure that the quality and consumer protection gains achieved since 2022 are irreversible.

The NHQB's work represents a fundamental shift in the relationship between developers and buyers, establishing clear expectations, providing independent oversight, and offering accessible dispute resolution. For buyers, it means greater confidence, better information, and stronger protections. For developers, it means higher expectations but also the opportunity to demonstrate commitment to quality and build stronger customer relationships. The new homes industry is better for the NHQB's existence, and buyers are the primary beneficiaries of the improvements it has driven.

For further reading on related topics, explore our articles on new build quality improvements in 2026, developer partnerships with housing associations, and developer investment in local infrastructure and amenities.

Annual Reporting and Transparency

One of the NHQB's most valuable contributions to the housing sector is the transparency it brings through its annual reporting programme. Each year, the Board publishes a comprehensive report on developer performance, compliance levels, Ombudsman case data, and industry trends. This report provides buyers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders with an independent, data-driven assessment of how the housebuilding industry is performing against the Quality Code standards. The reports include anonymised data on compliance levels by developer size, regional variations in Code compliance, and detailed analysis of Ombudsman complaint categories and outcomes.

The annual reports have proven to be a powerful tool for driving improvement. Developers are keenly aware that their compliance performance is being tracked and reported, creating a healthy competitive dynamic where companies strive to demonstrate their commitment to quality and customer service. The reports have also informed policy development, with government ministers and officials citing NHQB data in parliamentary debates and policy consultations. For buyers, the annual reports provide a reliable, independent source of information that can be used alongside HBF star ratings, NHBC data, and individual developer reviews to build a comprehensive picture of developer quality.

Developer Investment in Compliance

Meeting the Quality Code standards has required significant investment from developers across the sector. Major housebuilders have recruited additional customer care staff, invested in digital systems for tracking customer interactions and complaints, redesigned their sales processes to meet the Code's transparency requirements, and trained their site and sales teams on the Code's provisions. Barratt Developments estimates that its compliance programme has involved an investment of over 15 million pounds since the Code's introduction, covering systems development, staff recruitment and training, process redesign, and ongoing compliance monitoring. Taylor Wimpey, Bellway, and Persimmon have each made comparable investments, reflecting the seriousness with which the industry is treating the Quality Code requirements.

The investment is paying off. Not only are compliance rates near-universal, but the improvements in customer service processes are delivering measurable benefits in terms of customer satisfaction, complaint resolution times, and the quality of the pre-purchase and post-completion experience. Developers report that the Quality Code has provided a clear, consistent framework for customer service that has helped standardise best practice across their operations, reducing variability between different regional businesses and individual sites. The Code has also provided a useful benchmark for training, with new staff able to understand exactly what is expected of them through the clear, detailed requirements of the Code.

Small and Medium Developers

While the major volume housebuilders have the resources to invest heavily in compliance infrastructure, the NHQB has been mindful of the need to ensure that the Quality Code is accessible and proportionate for small and medium-sized developers (SMEs). The Board has published guidance specifically for smaller developers, explaining how the Code's requirements can be met through simple, practical measures that do not require expensive systems or large compliance teams. The NHQB has also engaged with the Federation of Master Builders and the Home Building Industry Working Group to ensure that SME concerns are heard and addressed.

SME developers have responded positively. Many smaller builders already delivered excellent customer service before the Quality Code was introduced, and the Code has simply formalised and documented practices that they were already following. For some SMEs, the Quality Code has provided a competitive advantage, allowing them to demonstrate to potential buyers that they are committed to the same standards as the largest developers and that buyers will benefit from the same protections, including access to the Ombudsman Service. The inclusion of smaller developers in the NHQB framework has strengthened the system overall, ensuring that buyers receive consistent protections regardless of which developer they purchase from.