Housebuilders, buyers of new homes, the wider industry and policymakers are being asked to review the proposed changes to the code, submit feedback and add their recommendations.
Around 54% of all new homes currently being built in England, Scotland and Wales are already protected by the code, which means that these buyers have an independent route for redress through the New Homes Ombudsman Service.
When the NHQB introduced the New Homes Quality Code in 2022, it committed to having the code regularly reviewed by an independent council, with an in-depth review every third year.
Lewis Shand Smith, chair of the Independent Code Council, said: “We started by asking for feedback from stakeholders on the existing code and on areas that are not, but perhaps should be, included. That produced a list of issues, which we considered in depth and on which, where necessary, we took advice. From there, we decided on proposed changes that are the basis for our consultation.”
Smith said at the core of the review was whether the code had a strong ethical foundation to treat customers fairly.
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Mandatory membership
The New Homes Ombudsman Service recently called on the government to make it a legal requirement for builders to join the scheme.
According to the New Homes Ombudsman Service, which was established by the NHQB and deals with complaints by homebuyers about the quality of new housing, the Building Safety Act in 2022 contained provisions to create an ombudsman that all builders had to join.
However, this has not been the case, as membership is still voluntary.
