New Homes Quality Code extended to Northern Ireland

Recognising the importance of capturing the unique needs of developers of all sizes throughout every corner of the UK, we are pleased to announce the successful launch of our Code’s framework in Northern Ireland. The event brought together a range of developers and decision-makers to discuss consumer protection within the housebuilding industry, and with this achievement, we have achieved comprehensive coverage for homebuyers across the entire UK.

Now, customers of Registered Developers in Northern Ireland can enjoy the same level of consumer protection as their counterparts in England, Scotland, and Wales, extending the benefits of our framework uniformly across the nation.

This follows the success of a pre-launch reception we held earlier this month, exclusively for property developers, where we provided an in-depth presentation of our work and the first-hand developer benefits of registering under our Code.

Having already made a significant impact in England, Scotland, and Wales, the New Homes Quality Code is set to cover 80% of all new homes built next year. The introduction of our Code in Northern Ireland marks a positive step towards fostering a more inclusive and representative ‘gold standard’, that accommodates the unique needs of each developer.

Speaking at the event, Rob Brighouse, Chair of the New Homes Quality Board, commented: “The New Homes Quality Code is more than just guidelines; it is the biggest commitment a developer can make towards excellence and consumer-focused values. I am confident that our framework will not only set the new standard for housebuilding, but also boost the security and confidence customers in Northern Ireland can have when looking to buy a new home.”

Acknowledging the collaborative efforts of our stakeholders in Belfast, Brighouse expressed gratitude to the Forum for a Better Housing Market NI for facilitating the launch of the Code in Northern Ireland.

David Little, Chair of the Forum for a Better Housing Market NI, said: "Over the last 5 years we have completed and published two reports, based on research by Ulster University, and funded by Lloyds Banking Group.  We need to see an increase in housebuilding in NI, and clearly this should be of high quality to meet buyers’ expectations.  We are aware that the New Homes Quality Code was launched in GB nearly 3 years ago, and are pleased today to give the New Homes Quality Board the opportunity to present to a wide range of stakeholders from the new home sector in NI."

Notes to editors:

• The New Homes Quality Board is an independent not-for-profit body which was established for the purpose of developing a new framework to oversee reforms in the build quality of new homes and the customer service provided by developers.
• More information about the NHQB here https://www.nhqb.org.uk/
• The New Homes Ombudsman Service provides robust independent redress for new build buyers who are dissatisfied with the service provided by their developer. Customers buying a new home who are not happy with the quality of their new home or the service provided by their Registered Developer are able to approach the NHOS if their complaint has not been dealt with to their satisfaction by their developer.
• The NHOS, whose decisions will be entirely independent of the NHQB and of industry, considers the evidence provided by the customer and the developer to reach an adjudication. The Ombudsman designate is Alison MacDougall, who is currently Group Director of Resolution at The Dispute Service where she heads up the team of adjudicators and resolution executives dealing with disputes between landlords and tenants.
• The Forum for a Better Housing Market NI, which is led by a steering group of senior figures from across the housing sector and supported by Lloyds Banking Group, is tasked with considering the key issues facing the housing market in Northern Ireland and developing evidence-based policy solutions. Their most recent report, New Foundations: The route to low carbon homes, was published in May 2023.

Contact: Alex Mancini Phone: 07729 039490  Email: [email protected]