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Response to Consultation Government Delay with New Homes Ombudsman

Response to consultation and government delay in creating the Statutory New Homes Ombudsman

Another consultation? On 1st October 2018, now ten months ago, the then Housing Secretary James Brokenshire announced the government would create a statutory new homes ombudsman which in his words:

 will champion homebuyers, protect their interests and hold developers to account. And give confidence that when you get the keys to a new home you get the quality build you expect and the finish you’ve paid for.” 

It is hugely disappointing that this has yet to take place, meaning tens of thousands of new homebuyers have no available recourse to seek unequivocal, 100% independent redress and meaningful compensation awards for the often nightmare new homes they now own and the indifferent service received from errant housebuilders and inadequate warranty policies.  

As the one person that suggested the statutory new homes ombudsman at the APPG EBE Inquiry on 23rd November 2015, I had no idea at that time, it would take this government over 4 years to implement. Many thousands of new homebuyers are aware of the government’s failure to listen to their concerns, hear their pleas and start a long process of change, beginning with the creation of a statutory new homes ombudsman. The government should be aware that the lack of urgency and constant prevarication will lose votes, from homebuyers, their families and friends, whatever their political persuasion.

Will Robert Jenrick create the statutory new homes ombudsmanIt is my hope that following this somewhat unnecessary Consultation (closing on 22 August 2019), the statutory new homes ombudsman will become fully operational and not be further delayed by Brexit fallout, political grandstanding and become yet another one of those classic wishy-washy government promises that take a decade to materialise if at all.

When 99% of new homebuyers report defects to their housebuilder, 43% reporting more than 10 defects* within the first few weeks of moving in and many new homes not even built in full compliance with existing building regulations, clearly government must act.

It has come to my attention that the MHCLG has been giving advice to the Consumer Code for Home Builders (CCHB). The cynic in me is concerned that the CCHB could be being tasked by government, to come up with a watered-down set of rules and requirements agreeable to plc housebuilders and warranty providers, with a view to setting up an industry-led “Ombudsman” perhaps a temporary ‘beta’ version of the new homes ombudsman, ahead of legislation “at the earliest opportunity” “when parliamentary time allows” which will be operated on a voluntary membership basis. Could this even be the “Shadow form” the MHCLG has outlined?

The time for debates, announcements and consultations with stakeholders has passed. It is now time to deliver on the promise made on 1st October 2018 and create a statutory new homes ombudsman.

Too many new homebuyers are suffering, many are physically drained as a result of engagement with indifferent housebuilders when trying to get their new homes brought up to warranty standards and statutory regulations. For some buyers, the mental anguish has become almost unbearable, with some contacting me for help even mentioning thoughts of suicide, such is their hopelessness! Like Yvette Davis and her contaminated uninhabitable Linden new home in Sarisbury Green

New Home Expert’s Consultation responses:

Having completed the online version and answer all the specific questions I also sent in expanded comments some aspects. 

Q4      Who should be covered by the new homes ombudsman
To avoid housebuilders wriggling out of compliance with the statutory new homes ombudsman and depriving new homebuyers of effective redress, it should also encompass anyone who is involved in the selling of new homes or what are effectively new homes as ‘second-hand’. 

Q5      Should a New Homes Ombudsman only cover complaints where redress cannot be sought elsewhere?
NO! Clearly the New Homes Ombudsman should cover ALL complaints from new homebuyers regardless of the nature or existence of alternative Ombudsman or redress. The “limited in its scope” Consumer Code for Homebuilders has clearly failed new home buyers over its ten-year existence.
It should also include warranty providers as the Financial Ombudsman Services NHBC complaint decision in Appendix A demonstrates, this despite 71% of complaints against the NHBC being upheld in new homebuyers favour * originally shown here  now deleted because, according to Which, The NHBC is a “warranty supplier and not a home insurer” and the data was therefore “not correct.” 

Q6      Anyone else able to seek redress through the New Homes Ombudsman?
YES! Anyone who buys a new home from the original buyer within the 10-year warranty period.  

Q7      Should anything be excluded from the new homes ombudsman remit?
NO! It should include anything and everything including complaints about new home warranty providers.

FREE – FAIR – FOR EVERYTHING

Q8      Awareness of requirement to belong to the New Homes Ombudsman
The requirement should be a condition of planning and building regulation approval. Building control inspectors and warranty providers should be legally required to seek proof of membership before carrying out inspections.  

Q9      Should there only be a single New Homes Ombudsman
YES! It should be single Statutory New Homes Ombudsman administered by a PUBLIC BODY in a way not dissimilar to the Financial Ombudsman Services.

There should not be any form of “voluntary” New Homes Ombudsman, “shadow form” New Homes Ombudsman or any “Ombudsman” scheme or services, created by any of the housebuilding industry’s stakeholders. 

Q10b Additional circumstances a purchaser can access the New Homes Ombudsman

  • When a sale did not go through and housebuilder is withholding money, such as reservation fees and other payments such as for optional extras.
  • It should also cover breaches of written agreements regarding carrying out remedial works to defects.
  • When a purchaser of a new home is given a non-disclosure agreement to sign as a condition of carrying out remedial works to defects. 

Q12    Should the New Homes Ombudsman be delivered by a public sector body?
YES! Anything less, would be a sell-out to the housebuilding industry and a betrayal of trust to every new-build buyer. On no account whatsoever, should any private sector organisation, either existing or newly created, be allowed to deliver the New Homes Ombudsman. Already the industry’s own Consumer Code for Home Builders (CCHB) is attempting to manoeuvre and reinvent itself as an ‘Ombudsman’ with advice from the MHCLG! The New Homes Ombudsman must be unquestionably, 100% independent of the house building industry and its stakeholders (various Codes and warranty providers) and be clearly seen to be. The only way to ensure and guarantee independence is a New Homes Ombudsman service delivered by the PUBLIC SECTOR.

The MHCLG should take note of the abject failure of deregulation of Building Control function with the use of “approved inspectors” with the now many documented, poor quality standards and examples of non-compliance in “completed” “inspected” and “signed off” new homes. 

Q16    Should access to the New Homes Ombudsman be free for purchasers of new build homes?
YES! Any charge to access redress will deter consumers making complaints and questioning their validity. It has been previously announced by government that the New Homes Ombudsman would be free and on Page 41 of the 24 January 2019 response to the last Housing Redress Consultation it stated it would be free. Even on page 17 (3.19) of this consultation it states “we want to see better redress faster so that consumers can benefit from FREE, FAIR and EFFECTIVE redress as soon as possible”  

Until this year, the CCHB charged new homebuyers seeking redress £120 (including vat!) as a registration fee. Just 357 complaints were received in 8 years with many no doubt being put off by the fee and the bias of adjudication.  

It would be idiotic to have the opinion that a free service would be subject to misuse giving rise to vexatious complaints, as any new homebuyers that angry and frustrated, would in all probability have genuine, justified grounds for making a complaint.  

Q17    Funding the New Homes Ombudsman
A simple levy for each and every house built. I am suggesting £100 per home built giving around £20 million on 200,000 homes a year completed. In addition, for each complaint the housebuilder concerned should also pay £750 towards the cost of investigating the complaint and also any additional amounts to cover the cost any independent external specialist’s inspections, assessments and testing. 

Q20    Sanctions for New Homes Ombudsman
All of the above. In addition, when considering sanctions, expulsion or suspension, this should apply to all companies and regional companies within a plc housebuilder’s group. It should also apply to the directors of those companies. This is to prevent any plc corporation simply using another company within its Group, acquiring another housebuilder or setting up a new company to carry on trading and avoid the Ombudsman sanctions. 

Q21    Powers of the New Homes Ombudsman
It is essential that the New Homes Ombudsman has the power to force housebuilders to buy back (‘reverse the purchase’) defective new homes at full market value. This should be offered to the buyers of any new home where defects are serious or extensive enough to require the new home owners to move into temporary accommodation for more than 28 days.  

In addition, the New Homes Ombudsman should have the powers to stop work on any development where serious defects are reported, such as weak mix mortar, missing fire barriers and structural issues. In all such serious instances, the New Homes Ombudsman should INFORM all other home owners on any particular development, that their home may have a serious defect(s). This will nullify the use of non-disclosure agreements by both plc housebuilders and warranty providers to cover up their shortcomings and limit their financial liabilities. 

The purpose of a New Homes Ombudsman is to make meaningful, justifiable levels of compensation awards to new homeowners, taking into full account the impact on their family life. It should not just exist to enforce the rectification of defects and ensure any financial loss is reimbursed. This should ensure that housebuilders are suitably encouraged to improve quality and service. Each case should be judged fairly on its merits, in most cases compensation awards of less than £2,000 will be insufficient, as it will be cheaper for plc housebuilders to write-off the Ombudsman’s award for the few buyers that take their complaint to the New Homes Ombudsman against the cost of improving quality for every new home built.  

Q22    Maximum award by New Homes Ombudsman
This should be up to £200,000, in line with the Financial Ombudsman Service upper limit. A home is the most expensive purchase anyone makes in their lifetime; indeed, it can take a lifetime to pay off the loan. The upper limit must therefore properly reflect the investment, thus the likely cost of a total demolish and rebuild, to properly cover those new homebuyers who do not wish to take advantage of the buy-back option. 

Statutory New Homes OmbudsmanBy implying that taking legal action is an option for larger claims would dismiss its impossibility for most new homebuyers. For even those with legal expenses insurance, this is a lengthy and costly process with no guarantee of a successful and just outcome. Indeed, housebuilders have deep pockets and vigorously defend every attempt by the very few new homebuyers who take this course of action, in the full and certain knowledge that it will cost less to defend the small number of claims that could potentially end up in court, than routinely pay justifiable compensation to homebuyers. Even if an agreement is reached ahead of a court hearing, this is normally subject to a non-disclosure agreement clause, (“gagging order”) to avoid any precedent being established and to reduce likelihood of action being taken by others, often with identical issues.  

Taking legal action against a plc housebuilder is a serious barrier to access to justice, in terms of cost, risk and time. As I said on national television, “Buyers who go to court will run out of money long before the housebuilders ever will.” Most having just bought a new home at a premium price, perhaps using help to buy, cannot simply afford long and protracted legal battles with plc housebuilders and their bullying ‘Rottweiler’ litigation mitigation solicitors.

Q23    What information should be published to empower consumers?
There should be a builder league table, revised bi-annually naming house builders and the number of complaints made against them to the New Homes Ombudsman. It should detail the number of complaints upheld, amount of awards and compensation, with statistics divided into categories such as pre purchase, defects and poor quality, non-conformance with building regulations and unfair terms and charges. 

In time, this incorruptible government data, should replace the industry’s own, in-house and highly criticised ‘8-week HBF survey’ designed with the sole intention of “providing data to rebut negativity” and completed by purchasers at a time when the full extent of defects and their housebuilder’s indifference are unknown. Indeed the NHBC have said that the responses to its 9-month survey, which is never made public, show the satisfaction levels are normally 5-10% lower than those in the 8-week survey. 

Q26    Should a New Homes Ombudsman remit be UK-wide
Whilst there is a case for this, given most plc housebuilders have operations in the devolved nations and clearly have the same need, it will inevitably result in further legislative delay. For this reason the Statutory New Homes Ombudsman should apply only to England with devolved nations free to copy or amend their own legislation if they choose to do so. 

The nations were devolved for a reason and have autonomy to change and revise their own building regulations, so why, if they feel a statutory New Homes Ombudsman is required, would they not be able to act and create their own? A requirement for a UK-wide New Homes Ombudsman would only serve to delay implementation. 

Q28    What should be included in a Code of Practice for developers?
Obviously everything listed in the consultation should be included, but any industry collaborated/created Code of Practice will invariably be used to limit or restrict the redress available to new homebuyers and the effectiveness and powers of the New Homes Ombudsman (as is the case with the industry’s own CCHB). This must not be allowed. 

The New Homes Ombudsman must not be confined to decisions from any Code requirement not met. Each and every complaint should be judged in its own individual merits. Whilst the FOS does make reference to the ‘Banking Code’ and the ABI ‘Statement of general Insurance Practice’ it does not appear bound to them implicitly. Neither should the Statutory New Homes Ombudsman be restricted in what it can and cannot rule on. 

FREE – FAIR – FOR EVERYTHING 

It must be said, that the universal practice of housebuilders encouraging, incentivising and in some cases insisting, new homebuyers to use a particular solicitor of the housebuilder’s choice must be banned. Clearly this practice leaves buyers at a distinct disadvantage as there is a clear conflict of interest. This being demonstrated by the harm thousands have suffered as a result of being led into leasehold ownership of houses, without fully understanding the implications and disadvantages of doing so. Housebuilders recommending/suggesting solicitors (because “it will be quicker/easier as they know the development and have already done the searches”) should and must be banned. Until it is, this should be included under the New Homes Ombudsman remit. 

3          Conclusion
The housebuilders and warranty providers operational policy is to bat away buyers’ complaints and warranty claims rather than work in the consumer’s best interests. Despite many years of opportunity, nothing has changed. It is now time, as the previous Consultation recognised, a Statutory New Homes Ombudsman is required to award justifiable and meaningful levels of compensation. It needs creating now, as a government priority, without further and unnecessary delay.

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Is the Government Consultation to delay a Statutory New Homes Ombudsman?

New Homes Ombudsman Consultation

Not another consultation! As the person that first suggested a statutory new homes ombudsman be set up as long ago as 15 November 2015 at the APPG EBE Inquiry, I was delighted, after my many years of campaigning, that at the Conservative party conference on 1st October 2018 some nine months ago, Time for Mr Brokenpromises to deliver the New Homes OmbudsmanHousing Secretary James Brokenshire announced the government would create a statutory new homes ombudsman which in his words:
“will champion homebuyers, protect their interests and hold developers to account. And give confidence that when you get the keys to a new home you get the quality build you expect and the finish you’ve paid for. “

So what has happened since then?
It took the government 284 days after the “Strengthening Redress in the Housing Market” consultation  closed (16 April 2018) before finally publishing the results and its response on 24 January 2019. The 1,209 (355 new homeowners) that responded showed a clear, unequivocal and virtually universal desire that new homebuyers should have access to an ombudsman (91%), with 84% replying it should be statutory.

A year on, we are still awaiting the House Building Federation (HBF) publication of its formal report on the APPG’s New Homes Ombudsman Inquiry findings published on 26 June 2018.  The HBF have also set up a working group to “…simplify the legal process and create a clearer and simpler process for signing off new homes as complete”. They have also commissioned an independent report on consumer redress for new home buyers. But just when are the HBF publishing these? And government isn’t exactly showing any sense of urgency either!

Last week on 27 June 2019, the government published yet another Consultation “Redress for Purchasers of New Build Homes and the New Homes Ombudsman.”  Seeking “views on the detail of the proposed legislation and how a New Homes Ombudsman can be delivered and will run until August 22.”
New homebuyers can respond to the consultation here

But it appears house builders have until 2021 to get their act together and belong to the new homes ombudsman or they will be excluded from Help To Buy. This was previously “announced” so not new and not exactly showing any degree of urgency. “The purpose of the consultation is to gather evidence and seek views on improving redress for purchasers of new build homes. Any policy changes brought forward as a result of the consultation would be subject to appropriate assessment.” Just how long would that take?

No doubt this will end up in can-kicking the eventual legislation, not just further down the road, but into the long grass beyond the next general election. If it takes another 284 days for government to respond to its latest consultation, publication may be as far away as June 2020! So much for “access to redress is a priority for this government”

At least the members of the Committee for Public Accounts in their report “Planning and the Broken Housing Market”  have put a time limit on when the government should say what it is going to do regarding poor quality news homes and compensation for new homebuyers!

“By October 2019, the Department should set out how it will work with local authorities, developers, and other agencies on how they will prevent, penalise and compensate for poor residential build quality.”

But the MHCLG statement in this paper says it all! “21.  In terms of new builds, the Department acknowledged that it did not have a specific programme to address concerns about the quality of new builds……” 

We find the same old rhetoric from the “ministry of cut & paste” [MHCLG]: “we will” – “we Intend” – “when parliamentary time allows” But when will these work-shy wasters actually get on with setting up the badly-needed statutory new homes ombudsman?

In stark contrast, there is considerable momentum in Scotland where MSP Graham Simpson has submitted a private members Bill “Proposed New-Build Homes (Buyer Protection) (Scotland) Bill” Not one Westminster MP has bothered to do this despite many receiving hundreds of letters from their constituents about their defective new homes and indifferent housebuilders.

Perhaps this is the reason that the consultation asks in Q26 whether the new homes ombudsman’s remit should be UK-wide. Whilst this is desirable given that most the large plc house builders also operate and commit the same scandals in Wales and Scotland, “engaging and consulting with devolved administrations to seek agreement on UK-wide legislation” will inevitably lead to even further delay and ministerial procrastination.

Does this Government fully appreciate the urgent need for a new homes ombudsman?

Government has been to an extent, hoodwinked by the industry and its spin-doctoring Home Builders Federation (HBF), into making statements such as:

“The Government knows that on occasion things may go wrong.” On occasion? Around 99% of new homebuyers report defects to their housebuilder within a few weeks of moving in;  42% reporting more than 10 defects. Most experience difficulty in getting their plc housebuilder to come back and deal with these!

“The Government believes that the majority of developers act responsibly when building new homes.”
“The majority of new home purchasers are satisfied with their new homes.” Believes? From the propaganda of the HBF and its highly suspect customer satisfaction survey, which exists purely “to provide data to rebut negativity” which is sent to new homebuyers just 8-weeks after they move.
Wake up at the back and smell the coffee!
Government should stop thinking most new homebuyers are satsifiedThe consultation states: “In March 2004, Dame Kate Barker DBE’s review of Housing Supply made a number of recommendations for the house-building industry to improve service quality and customer satisfaction ratings”
But nothing changed!

“In 2008, the OFT’s review into ‘Home Building in the UK’ identified problems for consumers when buying a new home, such as delays in moving in, faults in new homes and potentially unfair terms in contracts. If the industry failed to deliver a solution to these issues…….the review recommended that a statutory redress mechanism should be implemented with the ability to award homebuyers compensation”

Since then, 11 years later, the house building industry and our government has failed to deliver a solution!

Voluntary Code of Practice for new homes

No! “Voluntary” doesn’t work in the housebuilding industry. The failed “limited in its scope” Consumer Code for Home Builders (CCHB) being a prime example. CCHB Graphic

Legislation and regulation is what is required yet this government intends to “..work with industry and consumer groups to establish a voluntary code of practice for new homes ahead of legislation” Thus far I have not been contacted to take part, despite the thousands of new home buyers that have over the last 10 years, contacted me for help and advice. Q28 suggests what the Code of Practice might contain, but any finite Code of Practice means the powers of the new homes ombudsman, will be restricted and limited. Apparently “Good progress has been made towards a unified code of practice” says government.

Warranty schemes excluded from the new homes ombudsman

The Financial Ombudsman Service upholds an average of one in three complaints in favour of the consumer. The NHBC has the highest percentage of complaints found in the customer’s favour at 71%. This shows that clearly the NHBC are not dealing with warranty claims and customer complaints fairly and as it claims “Protecting Homeowners” . However, many disputes with the warranty companies are of a highly technical nature and would be better addressed by the new homes ombudsman.

It is also planned that the scope of new homes ombudsman will be limited to the “first two years, when the majority of problems occur.” But this means latent defects, often of a very serious structural nature such as weak mortar, would be excluded.

Different consultation – same questions!

Struggling to fill 51 pages with needless questions, this latest consultation is asking some of exactly the same questions as the previous redress consultation (question in brackets).

  • Q10a  Time frame – How long before buyers can use NHO (Q14)]
  • Q20   Sanctions (Q16)
  • Q22   Amount of award (Q16)
  • Q23   Complaints awards data published (Q13)
Do we want the new homes ombudsman delivered by the private sector?

The consultation has added a sneaky move where the government is trying to devolve who administers the new homes ombudsman to the private sector. Respondents have an opportunity to indicate it should delivered by a public sector body in Q12. Especially given the abject failure of building regulation compliance since private sector companies were able to carry out the building control function as approved inspectors. It is also not inconceivable that the house building industry could create a company, specifically to tender for the role of new homes ombudsman.

Q16 Should access to a new homes ombudsman be free for new homebuyers? Strange as it is stated earlier in the consultation notes (page 17) that the government expressed its desire and intention “that consumers can benefit from free and fair and effective redress as soon as possible”

Q17 How should new homes ombudsman  funded – By far the most fair and effective way to fund the new homes ombudsman is by a levy for each new home each housebuilder sells. This can (and perhaps should) be collected at the planning stage. Alternatively, it could be collected on legal completion. I have suggested £100 per home completed meaning the larger plc housebuilder pay more than SME housebuilders building 20 homes a year. In addition each housebuilder should be required to pay £500 towards the cost of investigating each complaint made, this should encourage housebuilders to settle small disputes with their customers.

Q21 New homes ombudsman – additional powers
Yes! in the most serious complaints the new homes ombudsman should be able to require the housebuilder to re purchase the home at a fair (non-defective) market rate, adding an extra award to compensate and cover the costs of moving home, stamp duty, carpets, legal fees removals etc.

“Shadow form” new homes ombudsman!

Quite frankly, I hope James Brokenshire is watching this programme and seeing the anguish of these poor people, who don’t deserve to be treated like this by plc companies.”On 11 April 2019, I was asked by Victoria Derbyshire what is the latest on the New Homes Ombudsman?  All I could say at the time was that James Brokenshire had announced it would possibly be in shadow form until parliamentary time allows for legislation for the statutory new homes ombudsman. At that time as now, are no further details of what shadow form means or when it would be operational. On 27 June 2019 Brokenshire said: “we are also exploring the options to appoint a New Homes Ombudsman in shadow form – someone to work closely with industry, consumer groups and government to ensure improvements and standards are delivered quickly and help shape the future scheme”

It would seem the ‘shadow form’ could even be an industry-led, voluntary new homes ombudsman, shackled to a new Code of Practice drawn up by the industry itself and limiting its scope and overall effectiveness!

What exacxtly is a shadow form new homes ombudsman?As James Brokenshire said in his “ministerial foreward“There can be no excuses for half measures when it comes to quality, safety or standards” It is a pity he does not appear to do as he says. Since his announcement, we have had half measures from him and his MHCLG such as the ‘shadow form’ new homes ombudsman! “We are committed to taking bold action to reform the sector and will be pressing ahead as soon as parliamentary time allows” You cannot claim to be “committed” but only when “parliamentary times allows” a phrase used as an excuse for delay over the last 9 months. In the meantime new home buyers like Yvette Davis are being driven to the brink of suicide from the stress and despair they are suffering at the hands of this indifferent, failing industry. New homebuyers deserve better than a plastic ‘shadow form’ new homes ombudsman in name only.

At the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) conference on 27 June 2019 in Manchester, Brokenshire said: “I’m mindful these aren’t quick wins. These are decisions taken today to help tomorrow.” He also acknowledged the government was currently undergoing change, even foreseeing his own demise as housing secretary: “There may even be a new housing secretary. But our approach to housing won’t change. We’ll continue to approach all of this in a serious way.”

In May 2019, Brokenshire told The Sunday Times that he is frustrated by the slow pace of change. “There is a real pressure on legislative slots going through parliament right now — something that prolongs the two years it usually takes for new laws to take effect. “You sort of think, Oh, for goodness sake!”

Yes you do, but an MP’s private members bill to outlaw upskirting on 6 March 2018 gained Royal Assent and became law on 12 April 2019,  shows can be done!

It’s time James Brokenshire stepped up, or stepped down, so someone more capable could start doing, rather than announcing, re announcing, dilly-dally-delaying and making silly videos showing his ‘support’ for minority groups. Unfortunately, “Mr Brokenpromises” time and that of his government’s is fast running out. As Boris says “Get it Done”

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Consumer Code for Homebuilders – Causing the Confusion!

So much for “Clearing the confusion” the Consumer Code for Home Builders (CCHB) appears to be creating it with its latest webpage purporting to “answer” consumer’s questions following the government announcement last month that a statutory new homes ombudsman was being created.

It would seem that the conclusions in the APPG Report published in July 2015 “More homes Fewer Complaints” appear to be lost on the Consumer Code for Home Builders as it ramps up rhetoric in a battle for its very survival now government has announced the creation of a statutory new homes ombudsman.

Under the headline “Clearing up the confusion”  the CCHB allegedly answers questions from consumers:

 

“Will the proposed New Homes Ombudsman replace the need for the Consumer Code?

Consumer Code for Home BuildersYes it would. The APPG Inquiry Report number 1 “Key recommendation” that a New Homes Ombudsman be set up saying “it would need to be completely independent and replace the dispute resolution service offered as part of the Consumer Code for Home Builders. This same Inquiry reported that the Consumer Code for Homebuilders:

  • “does not appear to give homebuyers the safeguards we think they should expect”
  • “it does not appear to us objectively to offer consumers a wholly satisfactory form of redress”
  • “is limited in its scope”

Yet the Consumer Code for Homebuilders ‘clears the confusion’ saying:

“The spotlight is on proposals for a new homes ombudsman once again, and we are actively working with government to understand how the new proposals will work in practice and what rights consumers would have under the scheme. In the meantime, however, there has been some confusion about the role of an ombudsman.

There are clear rules about what an ombudsman can and can’t do. While they can award a remedy (including money) to rectify a problem, they don’t have jurisdiction to fine organisations or apply standards. So introducing a new homes ombudsman may help with dealing with the complaints about existing problems, but it won’t prevent future problems arising.”

Wrong! An Ombudsman can award substantial justifiable compensation to consumers which would amount to a fine in all but name. All adjudication decisions would be publicly available in full with housebuilders named and shamed. By its very existence it would, as the APPG Inquiry Report alluded to, “put pressure on housebuilders to up their game in the first place and spur them on to improve workmanship and increase levels of customer service”

“We want service standards in home building to improve. Training and compliance checks are needed which is one of the areas we focus on.”
[The training being of housebuilders’ sales staff and estate agents – The CCHB specifically does not cover defects, poor quality or warranty issues]
“Furthermore, under the Consumer Code, builders can and have been held to account for not complying with an adjudicator’s decision.”
Really? Where is the evidence? James Brokenshire said the new homes ombudsman would go further and “champion homebuyers, protect their interests and hold developers to account”

This is an industry-led and industry funded Code that would never bite the hand that feeds it.

“Our Advisory Forum advises the Code on policy and action. We also have a fully independent disciplinary and sanctions panel which considers what action should be taken against those builders that breach the Code requirements. For example, one builder was suspended from building any new homes until all staff had been trained on the Code to prevent further breaches of the Code.”
But presumably not many, if any, have had their registration cancelled by the warranty providers. We don’t know because it has never been published!

Does the Consumer Code offer any more rights than existing legislation?

“Unfortunately, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 does not cover purchases of new homes.”   That’s why the protection provided by the Consumer Code is so important – the Code gives buyers of new homes protection if they change their mind or find sales literature misleading or inaccurate.”
Wrong! It does as far as ‘services’ are concerned. However, no consumer legislation at all specifically covers property. The CCHB does not give consumers any “Protection” it is merely a set of requirements that plc housebuilders appear to pay little more than lip service to at best.

“The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 offers some protection.”
Wrong again! Not “some protection” – it covers every area regarding selling property. The CCHB was set up by the industry to prevent housebuilders being reported to Trading Standards and ending up in court.

“However, it requires Trading Standards to take enforcement action or consumers to bring their own action, which can be complex and costly.”
That is specifically why the Statutory New Homes Ombudsman is being created.

“Where issues are identified under the Consumer Code, home buyers can use the Code’s Independent Dispute Resolution Scheme rather than take lengthy and costly legal action through the courts. We’re raising awareness of the Code  because we want more home buyers to make use of this scheme to seek redress where a breach of the Code has been identified.”
The CCHB has existed for over 8 years yet apparently raising awareness is still necessary? A statutory new homes ombudsman would give consumers a right to redress in any dispute with housebuilders, in the same way the Financial Ombudsman Services does with financial providers. The statutory new homes ombudsman would not and must not be, restricted and shackled by specific Code requirements drawn up in collaboration with the industry and its own vested interests.

Why doesn’t the Code deal with more cases?
Good question!
Because no housebuilder is going to promote the CCHB as it would make complaints more likely! In addition, the CCHB charges consumers an administration fee of £120 to register a complaint, and in some “successful” cases, this fee has not been refunded.
“We are continually raising awareness of the Code”
It hasn’t improved in the last 8 years! In fact I’ve done more to raise awareness of the CCHB and encourage buyers to use it after they sought my advice.
“so that we can encourage more people to access our independent dispute resolution scheme, including lawyers involved in new home purchases.”
The majority of solicitors being those that housebuilders force or coerce buyers to use even though this breaches requirement 2.5 of the CCHB!
“We are also working on removing/reducing any barriers that may exist to raising a complaint as well as investigating options to raise the maximum award limit.”
This is too little too late. Now consumers will hopefully soon be able to use the new statutory new homes ombudsman:  FREE – FAIR- FOR EVERYTHING

“Satisfaction with new homes has increased according to the Home Builders Federation which surveys new home owners.”
Wrong! Satisfaction has not increased. True it is 2% higher than in the previous years survey at 86%, but still way below the 91% in 2013!

“The latest survey response rate was 62% (57,972 responses), in which 90% said they would buy a new build again. Warranty bodies have also seen a drop in claims raised.”
Spin and PR?  An example of this industry never letting an opportunity for a bit of HBF survey spin pass by!
FACT – 99% of new homebuyers reported defects to their housebuilder within weeks of moving in.
FACT – 41% reported more than ten defects!

There is a danger that Government will bow to industry pressure and propaganda like this, placing limits on the effectiveness and powers of the statutory New Homes Ombudsman.

Bearing in mind the government said it “will work with consumers and industry to develop our proposals and publish more details in due course.”  But is this a delaying tactic? Whatever the perceived necessity for “further work”, the housebuilding industry is grasping it as an opportunity to lessen the impact that a statutory new homes ombudsman will undoubtedly have on their businesses.

Any perceived failure, collusion or delay with regard to the creation of the statutory new homes ombudsman will only serve to increase consumers (voters) existing and growing belief that  government is ‘in bed’ with the housebuilding industry, for example some have already questioned the recent extension of  help to buy to 2023, albeit restricted to first time buyers. It is time that for once government ignored the whining of this broken uncaring industry, one that has been running roughshod over new homebuyers for decades ans is ruining lives. This Hansard debate from 22 April 1998 is as relevant today as it was then Why have so many successive governments failed to act? They must do so now.

 

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Housebuilding industry attempts to derail the setting up of an independent new homes ombudsman.

As the Consumer Code for Homes Builders (CCHB) fights against its own imminent extinction, an ever growing recognition that a fully independent New Homes Ombudsman is gaining traction and support in government circles. The CCHB starts to “bend and amend” in an vain attempt to head off fully independent consumer redress, which would make the CCHB redundant and take control of buyers’ complaints away from those paid by the industry, to safeguard housebuilders’ vested interests.

The APPG Inquiry in 2015 and the subsequent report published as long ago as July 2016, stated as its number 1 “key recommendation” that a New Homes Ombudsman be set up by government. Indeed it went further saying that the Consumer Code for Home Builders “was limited in its scope” and “did not give a satisfactory form of redress.” The CCHB does not, as it so often claims, “give new homebuyers extra protection”. It is merely the industry’s interpretation of requirements of existing laws such as the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

So what are Noel Hunter Chairman ‘Consumer Code for Home Builders’ Management Board suggestions to the Consumer redress consultation?

1.2 An Ombudsman will not deal with issues of build quality and customer service which have concerned consumers but would simply address the problems that arise. A more fundamental approach to improving the quality of all new homes is therefore essential, and that is what the Consumer Code for Home Builders (“the Code”) is working to achieve.

"limited in its scope" - The Consumer Code for Home BuildersNot true. A fully independent, government-appointed new homes ombudsman (NHO) would force housebuilders to look at what they do. All complaints to the NHO would be public and through meaningful, justifiable compensation payments housebuilders would be forced to improve the quality of the homes they build. The Consumer Code for Home Builders has been in existence for 8 years and it is a quantifiable fact the overall quality of new homes has fallen over that period. “Working to achieve”? – maybe, but only now a new homes ombudsman is about to make the CCHB redundant.

1.5 We are currently working with the Home Builders Federation, Homes for Scotland and others in the home warranty and home building sector to find an industry-led solution that could more easily be implemented to address concerns in the new home build sector.

“Find an industry-led solution”? The CCHB was industry-led and was found by a government inquiry to “not give a satisfactory form of redress” This profit-driven industry has had the last twenty years to improve quality and customer service when buyers report defects. It has failed all-ends-up to do so. It is not about doing what is “easily implemented” but doing what will be better and most effective for new home buying consumers.

2.5 Whilst we are supportive of the Communities Secretary Sajid Javid’s desire to improve consumer protection within the housing sector, we do not believe that a single Housing Ombudsman will provide the solution given the complexities involved in the construction and sale of new homes and the very different issues within the broader housing sector relating to second-hand homes, the rental market and social housing sectors, by way of example.

On this we can agree. The CIOB also agree that a separate, stand-alone New Home Ombudsman is required their spokesperson told me: “it shouldn’t be about condensing all the work of the various ombudsman but in fact offering something that really meets the needs of the consumer”

2.8 However, on those occasions where there are matters that need to be addressed, an Ombudsman will not be able to deal with any intrinsic systemic and operational issues within a specific home builder company that do concern those consumers, but will simply address the problems that arise. A Consumer Code can work with builders to ensure quality is further raised across the board.

“Can work with builders to ensure quality is further raised”  The quality of new homes has got worse, it has never been raised at all. More and more new homebuyers are contacting me in distress, due to their indifferent housebuilders failing, to not only fix defects in their homes, but even to recognise their own responsibility to do so. There are also increasing instances of buyer’s dissatisfaction with the way NHBC deals with buyers’ warranty claims. How could the CCHB possibly ensure quality is raised, when it hasn’t even managed to get plc housebuilders to abide with the basic 19 requirements of the CCHB in 8 years!

3.2 Since its launch, the Code has led to a step-change in how builders deal with customers through the sales process and is now in its fourth edition. It has been reviewed three times with wide consultation across the industry; consumer groups and Government, most recently in 2016 whereby the review was overseen by a former Director General of Fair Trading. Each time, the Code has been updated and improved to provide greater protection for consumers.

Four revisions to the CCHB in 8 years! “Updated and improved” – for who? The latest CCHB evision making it more difficult for new homebuyers to get justice. The CCHB is not even a Chartered Institute of Trading Standards approved scheme!

Moving forward
4.1 All that said, to further improve consumer protection and address any identified gaps when dealing with new home problems, we are working closely with the HBF, Homes for Scotland and representatives from other warranty providers. To date, those discussions have included:
• Working towards a single common Code;
• Working towards an agreed set of warranty standards which conform to best practice;
• Improving the independence of the existing governance structure;
• Improvement of the existing Independent Dispute Resolution Scheme(s) by way of providing free access to consumers and extending it to cover any gaps identified between the home builder and the home warranty cover in relation to dealing with quality issues;
•  Implementation of an Ombudsman redress scheme.

All of which is too little, too late. It is ONLY now being looked at because of the threat of a fully independent, government-appointed, new homes ombudsman. Otherwise why haven’t the CCHB and the industry acted before now? The Barker Review was way back in 2004 and the Office of Fair Trading Market Study of Home Building in the UK published in October 2008, both many years ago!

7.2 However, we believe it [CCHB] can be strengthened further by making it more independent of the Industry. This would not preclude the Industry being represented on the Board; on the contrary we believe that this would be desirable in the interest of reaching effective and practical solutions. However, the Board should be balanced, but with a majority of independents. Plans are already in place to make such changes.

The CCHB will never be independent of the industry. Its tentacles will be all over it, even with “independents” on the board. The NHBC has a council from many disciplines, but it has been controlled and influenced by housebuilder representation. Only a government-appointed new homes ombudsman, accountable and answerable to government, would be truly and demonstrably independent.

8.1 We are currently looking at ways we can improve the existing Independent Dispute Resolution Scheme by way of providing free access to consumers and extending it to cover any gaps identified between the home builder and the home warranty cover in relation to dealing with quality issues.

The CCHB should have included defects, poor quality and warranty issues but these were and still are, specifically excluded to protect housebuilders and warranty providers, not new homebuyers.

8.2 You have asked within your consultation whether purchasers of new build homes should have access to an Ombudsman scheme; we consider that the importance is not necessarily whether it is an Ombudsman scheme, but more that there should be access to an Independent Dispute Resolution Scheme that can determine on issues that arise.

Unsurprisingly, as a proper new homes ombudsman would make the CCHB redundant. IDRS has not served new home buyers within the “limited scope” of the existing CCHB. Far too often, even when buyers succeed, payments are a small fraction of what was justifiable.

8.3 Whilst we understand that the Property Ombudsman and Ombudsman Services (Property) have proved to be effective in addressing issues with estate agents in the second-hand homes market, our Code along with others in the sector already use CEDR Ltd:  They are the leading independent commercial Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider in Europe and one of the largest and leading ADR organisations internationally, dealing with over 300,000 people in commercial disputes and resolving over 100,000 consumer disputes across 30 differing sectors.

CEDR Ltd are indeed a commercial ADR, As such they have commercial interests to protect. An independent new homes ombudsman would be non commercial: FREE – FAIR – FOR EVERYTHING

8.4 CEDR Ltd are accredited with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute under the ADR Directive and are an associate member of the Ombudsman Association and we are already in discussion with them as to how they may alter their services to meet Government’s expectations.

CEDR may well be accredited with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) but the CCHB is not approved by the CTSI.

8.6 We do not believe an Ombudsman scheme in isolation would, or could, offer the same levels of protection to consumers as home buyers currently have under the Code as it would not, by definition, embody a compliance regime as referenced above. A voluntary Ombudsman scheme inevitably would not engage all home builders as happens with the current warranty-led scheme where involvement in the Code is made mandatory by way of the warranty bodies’ Rules of Registration.

As previously mentioned, the CCHB does not offer any “protection” to buyers whatsoever! A New Homes Ombudsman scheme would not be voluntary at all. Every housebuilder would be legally required to be bound by its decisions and scrutiny, paying a levy based on the number of homes each build.

8.14 Many of the issues being raised recently in the media are deemed to be “snagging” issues. This is a broad term and further clarity on what this means would help – some may be quality issues, others maintenance issues that appear over time as the property “settles in” and dries out, and others might relate to work that needs to be completed. An agreed timeframe for resolution of defects may reduce the volume of complaints and it is then possible to consider that those that are not dealt with in that time could then be escalated either through the home warranty provider or failing that, the Independent Dispute Resolution Scheme.

This is typical of this industry, to attempt to minimise often serious defects in new homes as minor, snagging, or maintenance issues after “settling in”. In reality, thousands of new homebuyers have recently found a voice and engaged with the media to make very public the extent and often serious defects in their new homes, such as missing insulation, weak mortar, defective render and issues with timber floors.

Increasingly, buyers are required to move out of their dream homes whilst their homes are torn apart and (hopefully) defects are rectified. It is neither fair nor just that in these instances, many of which cause ill health due to the stress and anxiety caused by housebuilders’ persistent denial of obvious issues, that there is currently no independent mechanism for justifiable compensation to be paid. An independent new homes ombudsman would address this gap.

8.16 Given all of these issues, we would suggest that a time-limited and independent study is carried out to review the way in which quality issues are dealt with, and to identify the gaps which an independent dispute resolution service would be best to address. Such a study would ensure consumers are fully covered for all matters of complaint in the future.

The last thing beleaguered new homebuyers need is yet more delay. There is no need for a study, this industry knows full well the serious nature of defects, poor quality and how it acts towards its own customers. It chooses to do nothing. Further consultations, calls for information or green and white papers will only give more delay. What is needed is action, the setting up of a new homes ombudsman as soon as possible.

Sanctions
9.1 In respect of your consultation question around what kind of sanctions should a redress scheme have access to, we do not believe the purpose of a redress scheme is to act as a regulator but rather the purpose of the scheme should be to put the individual back in the position they would have been in had the service failure not occurred.

A redress scheme that does not actively punish or sanction miscreants or act to prevent reoccurrence of similar complaints will be ineffective and not give consumers the redress they deserve or seek. To “put the individual back in the position they would have been in had the service failure not occurred.” With new homes would mostly mean remedial works to bring the new home up to the required standard. It would not address the issue of compensation for inconvenience and stress caused both before and during the required works.

Publication of decisions
10.2 A large business may receive more complaints just by the nature of the volume of homes sold but that may not mean that it is worse than perhaps a small business that might receive one or two cases, which could, therefore, indicate a more severe problem. Consumers often only look at the volume of complaints and perception is often the more complaints the worse the company.

The more complaints the worse the company is a fairly logical conclusion. Barratt (17,395 homes) have fewer complaints than Taylor Wimpey (14,842 homes) and both have fewer complaints than Persimmon (16,042 homes) – based on HBF survey star rating and social media. With a housebuilder league table, new homebuyers would be able to avoid the worse of the plc housebuilders, or at least know what they were letting themselves in for!

10.3 Trends data and context is key here and while we would not oppose the publishing of such information, it nonetheless should be in a considered and balanced way given that consumers will often buy a new home due to the location and affordability as opposed to the identity of the developer building it.

“A considered and balanced way”? In other words, in a way that the industry approves of.

Next Steps
11.1 The consultation asks if there should be a statutory body and our concern is that this will require parliamentary time to establish, which could take several years through the legislative framework. 90% of the home building industry is already supported by, and complies with, our Code and we believe that by finding an industry-led solution, we can increase the cover.

Time is of the essence. The only delay being government lack of urgency. Any legislation could be sorted out in a week if there was a will to do so. Implying a new homes ombudsman would take several years as a justification to trust the existing and failing CCHB to “find an industry-led solution” is ridiculous. That time has long since passed as Tony Lloyd MP for Rochdale said:
“We must have not a nice, cosy, industry-led ombudsman, but an ombudsman process that has real teeth and the capacity to make a material difference” During a debate in the House of Commons the then APPG EBE chair Jo Churchill said: “I applaud the Department for Communities and Local Government for getting the Home Builders Federation to look into the voluntary ombudsman scheme, but perhaps the time for any such voluntary scheme has passed.”

11.2 By expanding its remit to cover the issues currently being faced by home buyers in relation to redress, and by working with others within the home warranty and home building sector, supporting HBF, we believe we can provide an industry-led solution that could more easily be implemented with support of both the industry and key stakeholders.

The CCHB had an opportunity to “expand the remit” during the fourth revision to the CCHB.  Yet the latest incarnate of the Code made it even more difficult and placed new obstacles for new homebuyers seeking redress.

11.3 If agreed, we will continue to work with HBF, Homes for Scotland and other colleagues to address the issues raised within the consultation setting out a framework and agreed timetable for implementation.

In other words work with the wider industry to protect its interests and ensure that any new homes ombudsman redress scheme is managed and set up by the industry, no doubt as the CCHB was and will be “limited in its scope” and “not appear to us objectively to offer consumers a wholly satisfactory form of redress”

The British new homebuyer deserves better from government! The CIOB hold the view that only a fully independent New Homes Ombudsman, by its very existence, would drive housebuilders to reflect on the work they carry out and drive them to aspire to ‘do better’ in the knowledge that their customers can complain to an independent ombudsman.

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Are new homebuyers taken in with bogus builder star rating?

Home Builders Federation (HBF) 8-week “Satisfaction” Survey 2018

So six months after the industry’s in-house “customer satisfaction ” survey year-end on 30 September 2017, the HBF have finally released the results. So what do they say to the new home buying British consumer?
HBF 8-week Satisfaction Survey

The HBF claim “Homeowner satisfaction with new homes remains high”

Despite the HBF survey responses being repositioned this year, (with the key question “Would you recommend your builder to a friend?” buried in the third row!) the ongoing failure of this industry to its customers cannot be hidden.
FACT: Whilst the “Would you recommend your builder to a friend?” key star rating question score this year was 86% – up 2% on last year’s nine-year low of 84%, it is still at the same level it was in 2011 so no improvement.

“As output has risen, so quality has fallen – The evidence points to an industry…..which will at times ride rough-shod over dissatisfied buyers”+++ This demonstrated by the fact that 4% fewer would recommend their builder, would buy another new home from any housebuilder.

Credit is due for the slight increase the number of surveys issued and the percentage returned. Out of 156,120 new homes built by housebuilders in the survey year, 93,444 (73%) surveys were sent out to the 127,800 private new homebuyers with 57,972 (62%) returned. Avant, rated 2 stars in 2016 are now 4 star rated in just two years, with a 193% increase in their “sample size” over that period.

The HBF say their Star Rating scheme:
“awards participating members a star rating based on the survey results is now an established barometer of performance and a widely used industry marketing tool. The survey also helps participating members identify areas they can improve and is used by HBF to rebuff unwarranted criticism of our industry.”

“Identify areas they can improve”
Taylor Wimpey have been rated 4 stars for the last 4 years, one of the few housebuilders to publish their actual percentage for the key star rating question – 87% (2014); 86% (2015); 85% (2016) and 88% in 2017. Just a 1% improvement over three years! Persimmon have been 3 star rated every year over the same period.

HBF 8-week Satisfaction SurveySurvey results “used by HBF to rebuff unwarranted criticism of our industry.”

Well they try to. The fact is, 99% of homebuyers reported defects in their new homes to the housebuilder within a few weeks of moving in. For the second year, 41% reported more than 10 defects. Imagine if virtually all new cars had defects? If housebuilders built cars, many would be on our roads with defective brakes and wheels falling off!

Why does the HBF not publish individual builder results for every question?
John Stewart HBF Director of Economic Affairs told me back in 2011:
“From a personal perspective, I think publishing more detailed company results would not have had any more impact on raising customer satisfaction among new home buyers. But it would most certainly have provided food for those who are prejudiced against the industry and simply seek to criticise. I see no value in this.”  

Yet according to HBF chief Stewart Baseley who is by his own admission says he is “a great believer in transparency” – “achieving such high levels of customer satisfaction, whilst delivering the steepest increase in the rate of house building we have seen for 40 years, is a considerable achievement.”
Considerable achievement? Well Bovis are still rated just two stars. This despite building 332 FEWER new homes last year – a drop of over 8% on the previous 12 months, according to the company, to “focus us once again on delivering high quality product and service to our customers.” Bovis have became the only plc housebuilder to be rated 2 stars in consecutive years, with less than half of Bovis’ buyers completing the survey.

Quality and satisfaction are not the same

To many, being “fairly satisfied” does not indicate full satisfaction, yet the structure of the HBF survey adds the “fairly” score to the “very” to get the overall “satisfaction” score the HBF publish.  In addition, a heavy emphasis is placed on the Yes/No responses to “would you recommend your builder to a friend?” It could be argued that many would, give a ‘Yes’ purely on the basis their experience was “not that bad” rather than “terrible” which would be a ‘No’. This is borne out by the result from the second question: “how likely would you recommend your builder to a friend?” with just half indicating a positive response. In addition: “NHBC 9-month customer satisfaction survey scores generally 5-10% LOWER than the HBF 8-week survey”+++ These 9-month survey responses have never been made public!

The HBF claim these latest results: “once again prove the industry’s commitment to achieving the highest levels of customer service and satisfaction. The results have been achieved over period that saw the steepest increase in house building activity we have seen for 40 years.”
Well not exactly. The number of total new homes built in 2017 was 162,490 still below the peak of 168,640 to 30 March 2007. As for the “prove industry’s commitment to achieving the highest levels of customer service” this is a disgraceful statement considering the nightmare that thousands of new homebuyers are suffering across the country, due to the ineptitude of indifferent housebuilders. Tell that to the 11,000* buyers – equating to 8.4% of all new homes completed in 2017 – that make an NHBC warranty claim every year, 30% ** of which are within the initial two-year period when housebuilders are responsible!

In addition to the high level of Customer Satisfaction revealed by the survey, the industry also has its own self-imposed Consumer Code, ensuring customer concerns are heard and that disputes can be resolved through an independent adjudication system.”
Self imposed? The requirements are derived from the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Customer concerns regarding poor quality, defects and warranty issues are not covered by this Code which “does not appear to objectively to offer consumers a wholly satisfactory form of redress and is limited in its scope”+++

“The survey results and the Code, in addition to a ten-year warranty on all new homes, combine to give new build home purchasers genuine confidence in the product they are buying.”

A survey with results used by this industry to “rebuff unwarranted criticism” and for marketing, an ineffective Code “limited in its scope” and warranties that seeks to bat away claims.
Let’s face it; this in-house industry survey is easily manipulated. All housebuilders can see their customer’s responses in real time on the NHBC portal, enabling them to incentive buyers of their homes to answer positively to the crucial star rating question: “Would you recommend your housebuilder to a friend?”  Furthermore 11,803 survey responses were not used for the sample size of the key question.  I asked the HBF why and they said:
“The Star Rating part of it is just for HBF members. Hence adding up the sample sizes for the Star Rated builders will not get you to the total 57,972 responses as other non HBF members are sampled as we want to get as full a picture as possible. However, every single valid Barratt response counts towards Barratt’s rating; every single valid Bovis response counts towards their score etc. Valid simply means completed by an owner occupier within the 20 week response window. Not one single valid survey was ‘not used’”

The APPG EBE in the report “More Homes – Fewer Complaints” agreed with me that the survey should be conducted completely independently of the industry. “Recommendation 10: Housebuilders should make the annual customer satisfaction survey more independent to boost customer confidence.  We believe it would boost consumer confidence if the Customer Satisfaction Survey is seen to be more independent of the NHBC and the HBF – bringing in a high profile third party to conduct and take ownership of the research….”
The HBF reaction? To attempt to reaffirm via a IPOs MORI review of the survey that said it is “fit for purpose” nevertheless “changes are being implemented in the next survey year.”
It may well be fit for the industry’s purposes, but is not in my opinion, fit to demonstrate rising customer service, satisfaction or that higher quality new homes are being built. In fact it is and always has been, woefully inadequate. Nevertheless, such as it is, it does paint a grim picture of an uncaring industry, hell bent on ever increasing their profits, whatever the consequences for naïve, trusting new homebuyers that believe their spin and hype.

*       NHBC annual report to 31 March 2016
**     Figures supplied by NHBC
+++ APPG Inquiry Report “More Homes Fewer Complaints” July 2016

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New Homes Ombudsman – APPG Inquiry 2018

The government has finally recognised the need for an independent New Homes Ombudsman and an APPG Inquiry is currently calling for evidence on how it would operate.

It is not impossible to build a defect-free new home. All that is required is the will to do so – building with care and with a thorough inspection regime that requires all sub-standard work to be taken down and re done. Yet 98% of new homebuyers report defects to their housebuilder within a few weeks.

Defects in UK new homes are injuring children!

For far too long the industry has used the “built in the open in all weathers” excuse and lowered buyers’ expectations. Bricklayers do not and cannot work in the rain! Render is not applied in the rain, yet there are many defects associated with both. Superstructure accounted for 38% of all NHBC warranty claims in the year to 31 March 2017, costing £35million (41% of total claims) to rectify. Adverse weather does not contribute to walls being built out of plumb, render cracking or missing insulation! All other trades (apart from groundworkers) work inside, often in the same conditions found in most factories.

I suggested the need for an independent, government-appointed New Homes Ombudsman when I attended the second session of the APPG EBE Inquiry ‘Into the Quality of New Homes in England’ on 23rd November 2015.

The APPG Inquiry Report, published on 13th July 2016, concluded: 

  • “Housebuilder’s own quality control systems are not fit for purpose”
  • “there needs to be an industry aspiration to achieve a zero-defects culture”
  • “good practice should be seen as building a new home that is defect-free” 

It clearly stated the number 1 “key recommendation” – the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) setting up a New Homes Ombudsman: 

“The role would include mediating disputes between consumers and their builders or warranty providers to offer a quick resolution procedure paid for by a housebuilders’ levy.

We see this is as the key recommendation to provide more effective consumer redress, if things go wrong, and a good way of applying pressure on housebuilders and warranty providers to deliver a better quality service.

Our view is that the new service should be funded by a levy on the sector, but it would need to be completely independent and replace the dispute resolution service offered as part of the Consumer Code for Home Builders. Our recommendation picks up on one made by the Office of Fair Trading, in its 2008 market study into the house building industry, which suggested that, if the industry failed to make satisfactory progress, it would recommend further intervention in the form of a statutory redress mechanism for new homebuyers funded by a levy on the industry.” 

So it is somewhat disappointing that, 18 months after the report was making the recommendation that an independent, government-appointed New Homes Ombudsman be set up to give buyers an independent form of redress, there has been so little progress. It is to be hoped that following this latest Inquiry, an independent New Homes Ombudsman will be set up by government without recourse to further delay, consultation, consideration, or review.

“Too many new homebuyers are suffering, many are physically drained as a result of engagement with errant housebuilders when trying to get their new homes brought up to warranty standards and statutory regulations. For some buyers the mental anguish has become almost unbearable.”  – Rob Wilson ex MP Reading East

The housebuilders’ lobby group the Home Builders Federation (HBF), will no doubt tell this Inquiry that (according to the industry’s own customer satisfaction survey) “84% of new homebuyers are satisfied with their new home.”  But as Communities Secretary, Rt Hon Sajid Javid alluded to in his speech at the NHBC on 29 November 2017:

too many new-build homes are simply not good enough.” You [HBF] can point to customer satisfaction levels of between 80 and 90%, something I’m often told about but [of new homebuyers] finding faults that take months and sometimes even years to remedy. It’s not just disappointing – it’s devastating. But just think about those 217,000 new homes built last year. Even if 80% of them have no issues, that still leaves well over 40,000 families living in accommodation that they don’t think is good enough.” 

Indeed they do. The HBF frequently use the 84% “satisfaction” statistic. It is a fact that the HBF use their 8-week Customer Satisfaction Survey primarily to provide data to rebut negative claims on build quality.” HBF Chair Stewart Baseley who says he is a great believer in transparency and a great believer in people having access to services that are cheap for them to use to get qucik remedies to their problems”  Nevertheless this survey is all we have at the moment. Far from “if 80% have no issues” as Javid assumes, the HBF survey actually demonstrates that 98% of new homebuyers report “problems” (in other words defects), to their housebuilder within a few weeks of moving in. Indeed 41% report more than 10 defects. The quality of new homes has further deteriorated. This is an undisputable fact, now even demonstrated by the industry’s  dubious own customer satisfaction survey results 2017.

An ever growing number of new homebuyers have to move out of their new homes, often for several months, whilst their house is taken apart to rectify serious, often structural defects. More recently, there is a growing incidence of weak-mix mortar.

It is to be noted that the APPG Inquiry deadline for written submissions has recently been extended – the day after the BBC reported on the dire quality and defective new homes – from 22 December 2017 to 12 January 2018. It is hoped this is not to give the industry extra time to get its “ducks in a row.”

The current “procedures” limited as they are, serve to protect housebuilders and the warranty providers rather than help consumers. The only “alternative”, as has been written in many letters from various housing ministers and staff at the DCLG over the years, is for buyers to take action through the courts for monetary compensation.

As most buyers realise, even those with legal expenses insurance, this is a lengthy and costly process with no guarantee of a successful and fair outcome. Indeed, housebuilders have deep pockets and vigorously defend every attempt by the very few new homebuyers who courageously take this course of action. Housebuilders do this in the certain knowledge that it will cost them far less to defend the small number of claims that could potentially end up in court, than routinely pay justifiable compensation to homebuyers. Even if an agreement is reached ahead of a court hearing, this is normally subject to a non-disclosure agreement clause, (“gagging order”) to avoid any precedent being established and to reduce likelihood of action being taken by others, often with identical issues.

It is no longer a case of getting (all be it eventually) a few minor defects and snags rectified by the housebuilder being a satisfactory outcome. Now there is a clear case for justifiable compensation paid by housebuilders and/or warranty providers, to all buyers of sub-standard defect-ridden new homes.

A recent announcement by Communities Secretary Sajid Javid on 29 November 2017, mentioned “bold options” that the Government “will look at to improve consumer redress across the housing sector” – Setting up an independent New Homes Ombudsman should be its priority. 

Worryingly, it would appear that it is the Government’s intention of rolling all existing ombudsman (Housing Ombudsman, the Property Ombudsman and Ombudsman Services’ Property, and the Property Redress scheme) into one, all-encompassing, ‘one-size-fits-all’ “Housing Ombudsman” rather than a simplified New Homes Ombudsman, purely for consumers that buy new homes. I firmly believe a separate, stand-alone, fit-for-purpose, independent New Homes Ombudsman is the only way that this industry will be forced to look inwards at what it does and make both the quality of new homes and customers, their number one priority.

As it stands, housebuilders are showing no intention of taking proactive measures to improve the quality of the new homes they build. Consumers need a fully independent means of redress. It is now essential to appoint a New Homes Ombudsman for the house building industry. All existing legislation to protect consumers, including The Consumer Rights Act 2015, does not apply to property.

During a debate in the House of Commons APPG EBE chair Jo Churchill said:

“I applaud the Department for Communities and Local Government for getting the Home Builders Federation to look into the voluntary ombudsman scheme, but perhaps the time for any such voluntary scheme has passed.”   Perhaps? 

“…the repointing of joints on walls where purposeful demolition and reconstruction should have happened” – No doubt in response to the growing incidence of weak-mix mortar.

We must have not a nice, cosy, industry-led ombudsman, but an ombudsman process that has real teeth and the capacity to make a material difference” said Tony Lloyd MP for Rochdale

A New Homes Ombudsman, by its very existence would force housebuilders to look at what they do (and don’t do) forcing them to strive to do better, in the certain knowledge that a buyer can complain to an independent ombudsman who would potentially, be able to award unlimited, justifiable compensation. Such awards would become a matter of public record. No longer would housebuilders be able to delay and defeat buyers’ repeated attempts to have their defective new homes fixed.

New Homes Ombudsman:         FREE – FAIR – FOR EVERYTHING

Free – At no cost to new homebuyers making a complaint following the housebuilder or warranty provider issuing a final deadlock letter.

Fair – A New Homes Ombudsman would (and must) be entirely independent of the housebuilding industry – something that clearly the warranty providers and the Consumer Code for Home Builders are most definitely not! Fully transparent, appointed and audited by Government.

For everything – Everything and anything that can and does arise when buying and living in a new home. Dealing with buyers’ complaints including misleading and incomplete marketing information and underhand selling practices, unfair contracts, poor build quality, defects, non-compliance with Building Regulations and/or warranty standards, inadequate or indifferent after sales service, conflicts of interest, tenure and boundary issues, contractual disputes – with the New Homes Ombudsman being able to order housebuilders and/or new home warranty providers to pay buyers justifiable and meaningful compensation awards.

The New Homes Ombudsman must be fully-independent and government-appointed, NOT one of many “Ombudsman” in the Ombudsman-services.org who act as little more than an outsourced dispute resolution service to various sectors. Cost Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) is not going to work either!

But the New Homes Ombudsman should not be part of a wider, ‘one-size-fits-all’ one-stop, general purpose “Housing Ombudsman” as the current rhetoric from Government would indicate. I was horrified that merging the various existing residential Ombudsman into one “Housing Ombudsman” is being given serious consideration even though it would also include a mechanism of independent redress for new homebuyers for the first time. Whilst this is better than the complete absence of any independent means of redress that new homebuyers currently have, it would not be in the best interests of new homebuyers if the badly needed New Homes Ombudsman was set up as part of a wider “Housing Ombudsman” service.

It would take a considerable amount of time and presumably new legislation to combine the existing ombudsmen into one office. Furthermore, the new-build industry is sufficiently large and errant to fully justify a dedicated New Homes Ombudsman of its own – which would specialise in the many unique issues and technicalities of the new-build sector. Camouflaging a New Homes Ombudsman under the umbrella of a general “Housing Ombudsman” would also make the New Homes Ombudsman less conspicuous to the very people who would need and benefit from it.

Housebuilders and warranty providers operational basis is to ‘bat away’ buyers’ complaints and warranty claims rather than work in the consumer’s best interests. Despite many years of opportunity, this isn’t going to change. It is now time, as I would hope this Inquiry will conclude, that UK new homebuyers were given something from this government. A small concession that if (or rather when) they are unfortunate enough to discover major, preventable defects in their new home, or housebuilders fail to rectify defects in a timely manner, they can apply to an independent, government-appointed New Homes Ombudsman who could award justifiable and meaningful levels of compensation.

As Communities Secretary Sajid Javid MP announced on 29 November 2017 recognising the need for an Ombudsman to give new homebuyers a form of redress, I would hope, following the recommendations and evidence I have submitted to this Inquiry, he will announce that a stand-alone independent New Homes Ombudsman will be now be set up by the end of 2018.

In the past, government ministers and the DCLG have been hoodwinked into believing that the industry’s own voluntary Code, the new home warranty and the building regulations offer sufficient protection for new homebuyers. Government also believed that consumers are “more likely to be supported by independent professional advice from lawyers and others capable of giving advice top their clients and because the terms of the contract are more likely to be negotiated.” and “they can take action through the courts for monetary compensation.”

However, despite the obvious need and benefits a New Homes Ombudsman would give consumers, many within the industry, will maintain that a fully independent New Homes Ombudsman is not necessary. Their lobbyists, the Home Builders Federation (HBF) claim “the overall quality of new homes has never been higher than it is today” stating that “the overwhelming majority of people are happy with their new homes. In the small number of cases where buyers encounter problems the industry is fully committed to completing them as soon as practically possible.”

This is quite simply, not the case.

 

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Consumer Code For Home Builders Revised

New homebuyers are short-changed as the latest revision to housebuilders’ ‘non-mandatory’ Consumer Code is published.

A year ago, I wrote an article that I showed the Consumer Code for Home Builders (CCHB) is failing new homebuyers.  The all-party parliamentary group (APPG) Inquiry Into the quality of new homes concluded in its Report that: 

  • “The evidence points to an industry…..which will at times ride rough-shod over dissatisfied buyers”
  • the Code [Consumer Code for Home Builders] does not appear to give homebuyers the safeguards we think they should expect”
  • “it does not appear to us objectively to offer consumers a wholly satisfactory form of redress”
  • “The Consumer Code for Homebuilders is limited in its scope”

Well it’s about to get a whole lot worse!
In September 2015, the CCHB announced a triennial review of  Code, at that time changes were expected to come into effect in 2016 – “to ensure it continues to evolve with the industry and changing consumer needs and as a result of adjudication cases.” It claims “The industry has now made great strides in producing an updated Consumer Code which is fit for purpose in today’s world”   Talk about hype!Changing consumer needs? Fit for purpose?
Consumer CodeLast week the CCHB published the 4th incarnation of their consumer code, which I believe now contains specific revisions which severely diminish the likelihood of a successful claim by new homebuyers seeking redress and justice from errant housebuilders. The changes, place additional restrictions that can best be described as obstructive, the sole purpose of which is to protect the industry from the very few homebuyers that go through the rigmarole of Code’s dispute adjudication process.

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Reward for failure as ex Bovis CEO David Ritchie stands to receive nearly £2m pay off

Ex Bovis CEO David RitchieRegardless of what fictional character Gordon Gecko once said, “Greed for want of a better word is” most definitely not good!  As details emerged earlier this week of David Ritchie’s pay-off. The former chief executive of Bovis Homes resigned” on 9th January 2017 after a profit warning and ahead of the scandal of buyers being paid up to £3,000 to legally compete on homes that were not finished, and the announcement by Bovis that they had set aside £7 million in February to redress complaints.

A Section 430(2b) statement by Bovis homes, confirmed Ritchie is to be handed a total of £635,430 in salary and bonus and a further £909,250 in shares under the long-term-incentive-plan. He also stands to receive a further tranche of 40,556 shares currently worth £357,805 up to 24 February 2018. A total possible payout of £1,902,485!

He will be paid a lump sum of £242,180 and will receive a total of £338,250 from July until December salary in lieu of notice. His contractual notice period runs until 8 January 2018.

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No Problem With New Home Quality Says HBF Stewart Baseley

Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman of HBF interview on BBC Radio 4 Today – Saturday 11 February

Stewart Baseley HBFTrue to form the Home Builder’s Federation [HBF] the industry’s PR and lobby group, conducts a perfect whitewash on the facts as their executive chairman Stewart Baseley trots out a well-used, well-rehearsed HBF rhetoric. The two main points the industry is keen to focus on at the moment:
“promoting awareness of increases in output and rebut negative claims on build quality” are well covered. Mission accomplished! Move along there is nothing to see. Money well-spent? The HBF was funded mostly by its house builder members to the tune of £3,037,449 in the year to 31 December 2015.

Questions to Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman of HBF
Do you accept there is a problem?
“No I don’t accept there is a problem although clearly there are in some cases that you have highlighted some of those on your report and I totally accept that anybody that’s in a situation where they have got a problem, it’s very serious for them.”

“No problem – some cases”
Fact: As Stewart Baseley knows, the NHBC paid out £90million in warranty claims for remedial works to fix serious defects in 11,000 new homes (an average of £8,181 each) in the 12 months to 31 March 2016. That equates nearly 9% of the 124,720 new homes built in the same period. In the previous year, the NHBC spent £86million on remedial works including £23million on foundations and £32million on superstructures to 11,000 new homes.

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Sajid Javid’s Housing White Paper – Britain’s Broken Housing Market

“We were promised a White Paper, but we have been presented with a white flag – feeble beyond belief”.. said John Healey shadow minister of state for housing. Others commented it was a “predictably damp squib” and a “missed opportunity.” Even Redrow said it was “disappointing” with chief executive John Tutte saying the housing white paper was very light on details and he was surprised it was more of a consultative document.  This is hardly surprising as the stench of the Home Builders Federation (HBF) was all over this housing white paper, an example being the caving into pressure from the likes John Tutte regarding newts “delaying” new home buildingSajid Javid the builders puppetBritain needed ‘Donald Trump’ style action and got a Donald Duck builders’ puppet. “Hard-hitting” proposals were watered down to Westminster’s famous thin gruel, generally becoming ideas for consultation, subjects for further discussion and situations to monitor. This 104 page housing white paper is little more than a plan for more talking and a missed opportunity for decisive, positive action.

On Tuesday DCLG secretary Sajid Javid declared that Britain’s housing market was indeed broken. With the average home costing eight-times average earnings and a total of 2.2 million working households with below-average incomes, spending a third or more of their disposable income on housing, it’s hard to disagree! Mr Javid claimed his housing white paper will provide “radical lasting reform” to fix it.

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