From the category archives:

New Homes Research

Barratt Homes Renege on Play Area

I was just writing about issues with parking on a new build estate in Devon and how developers try to maximise the number of units on a site by minimising parking and play areas etc. If residents are lucky the local council will intervene to ensure that certain features are required to [...]

New Homes Complaint?

Do you have a complaint about new build homes? Do you want the chance to win  £30? Then visit www.complaintletter.org.uk.

Housebuilders face home truths over complaints

Complaints about alleged defects in new homes are increasing, despite a slump in the number of properties sold in the recession. Complaints to the National House Building Council (NHBC), which offers warranties on 80% of new homes, topped 64,000 in 2008/09. This is up only slightly from 63,000 in 2007/08 but comes in a year [...]

OFT Market Study Update: Home building in the UK

In addition to gathering evidence, we have been working hard to ensure that our study complements other reviews across government and minimises the burden on our stakeholders. In particular we have held discussions with the NAO about its announced study into part of the planning regime. The two organisations have worked together to make sure [...]

Callcut Review

While we see partnerships between local authorities and developers as key to unlocking the urban land supply that is needed to deliver housing growth, it is essential not to neglect other parts of the market. In the past, it has been the smaller and medium sized housebuilders who have delivered much of the volume growth.We [...]

Call for buyers of new homes to be given better legal rights

IT IS probably the biggest purchase in anyone’s lifetime – yet buyers of newly built homes have fewer rights than someone buying a loaf of bread.
Now the Scottish Consumer Council (SCC) is calling on the government to include new-build houses in the Sale of Goods Act in order to give more protection to purchasers amid [...]

Only 53% think homes are well designed

Nearly two thirds of those questioned (65 per cent) agreed that Britain needs more homes, and 63 per cent think that within the next five years a shortage of housing will be a serious problem.
The survey also canvassed opinion on quality. Some 52 per cent of the public described the appearance and design of new [...]

81% of homes had defects

Those choosing new-build homes, lured by the low running costs and high specifications, may believe they have chosen the safe option. But recent research shows there is a high chance they will move into a home riddled with defects, or snags, potentially costing them a fortune to put right. The problem has steadily been getting [...]

Builders leave home buyers in the dark

Homebuyers are not being given the information they need and are legally entitled to about the energy efficiency of brand new homes, according to the National Energy Services (NES) and De Montfort University.
Undercover researchers discovered that 98% of house builders’ sites fail to comply with the current Building Regulations to display SAP energy ratings. Three [...]

Should Housebuilders be More Responsible?

Professor David Adams (October 2005):
Housebuilders are now expected to deliver much higher standards of urban design, energy efficiency and brownfield development, reflecting the increasing expectations of both government and society so that they can achieve sustainable patterns of urban development rather than merely build housing estates.
He goes on to say:
Although most housebuilders have been slow [...]

A nation of desperate housewives?

Staple of suburbia tops poll for England?s favourite house type
New research from CABE (the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) reveals that the humble bungalow has been usurped by the detached house to become England ’s favourite house type.
The research conducted by MORI for CABE, reveals that over half the population want to live [...]

Why do people buy new-build housing?

Little is known about the relative importance house buyers attach to price, location and property size nor how they trade them off to arrive at a final choice of property. Even less is known about how people value and trade off more detailed aspects of the design of housing or estates as a whole.
Why do [...]