The Consumer Code for New Homes (CCNH) celebrated its formal approval by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute’s (CTSI) Consumer Code Approval Scheme at Westminster last week. CCNH is the only CTSI Approved Code in the new-build sector which is backed by an industry collective of warranty bodies.
The launch was attended by high profile speakers including: Maria Miller MP, Paul Nash, past president of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Barbara Hughes from CTSI, Andrew Saunders-Davies from Berkeley Group and one of the Code founders, Clare Thomas of Q Assure Build, along with representatives from the housebuilding industry that included the HomeOwners Alliance.
Leon Livermore, chief executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said: “There’s no doubt that buying a new home is one of the most challenging purchases you can make, with unexpected difficulties along the way. Even the most seasoned consumer can be left vulnerable and unaware of their rights. We’re pleased to welcome Consumer Codes for New Homes to our approved code sponsor scheme.”
The Consumer Code for New Homes has been created to maximise benefits to consumers and to ensure best practice in the marketing, selling and purchasing of new homes.
It aims to provide a genuine commitment to improving standards of construction and raising customer service standards in the new-build homes market, recognising that part of that commitment is providing consumers with a voice (and a clear complaints process) when things don’t go according to plan when buying a new home.
Paula Higgins, CEO from HomeOwners Alliance, said: “We have more houses being built than ever before, and as government encourages people to buy, quality issues are a major concern. At HomeOwners Alliance we have been calling for greater protection for consumers buying a new-build property. Consumers find it difficult to know where to go when they have problems and their developers have turned a blind eye in the past. I’m pleased to see protection for new-build buyers being brought under the spotlight by the CCNH and I’m certain they will continue to promote a united approach across the industry to encourage the housebuilding industry raise its game.”
