MPs call for New Homes Ombudsman

Following reports that some new homes are uninhabitable, a number of MPs have called for a New Homes Ombudsman to help drive up the quality of housebuilding and customer service.

Widespread complaints from new home owners about the quality of workmanship by UK house-builders have prompted an All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment (APPGEBE) to recommend the creation of a new homes ombudsman to protect customers.

The group has published a report entitled ‘More homes, fewer complaints‘. Oliver Colvile MP, Chairman of APPGEBE, explained:

“Over one million new homes are expected to be built by 2020. Whilst this is a welcome step to combat the chronic shortage of housing in the UK, the Government must ensure that these newly built homes are of good quality and of a high standard.

The UK housebuilding industry needs to raise supply. In tandem, it also needs to ensure that the quality of new build housing is good enough for people to live in. Although large numbers of homebuyers are happy with the quality of their new homes, there have been too many reports of new homes that are quite simply uninhabitable. When problems occur they can be devastating.

Starting in late 2015, as chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment, I chaired an inquiry into the quality of new build homes taking evidence from housebuilders, consumer groups, insurance companies and homebuyers.

We need to build more homes, but I want quality homes for quality homeowners. We also need to ensure that there is a clear process whereby developers can be held to account and are responsible for correcting any below-par workmanship as soon as possible.”