New Homes Quality Board

The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) is here to improve the customer experience of buying and moving into a new home. It was set up as a direct response to two government reports in 2016 and 2018 about concerns regarding the quality and service new home customers receive from their developers.

The NHQB operates the New Homes Quality Code (The Code) for developers to adhere to and provides customers of new homes with protection through an independent New Homes Ombudsman Service (Ombudsman) if they are not satisfied with the quality of the new home or the service provided by the developer. The Code raises standards throughout the industry by monitoring compliance and providing education and training resources to improve the new home buying experience delivered by developers for customers.

VISIT : NHQB (ext. website)

CERTIFIED

Approved Code of Practice

This is to certify that the published Consumer Code of Practice of the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) was officially granted APPROVED CODE status in March 2025. Since then, the relevant provisions, processes and procedures have been continuously monitored and regularly audited by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) - the representative body of the UK Trading Standards profession, since 1881, and one of the primary Government-endorsed consumer protection bodies in the United Kingdom - operating on behalf of the Approved Code Scheme (see Code Audit Record, below).

Approved Code Registry :

Code Sector	Homes and Property
Code of Practice	Click here to view (pdf opens in new tab)
Year of Approval	2025
Members	TBC
Last Audited	TBC
Code Audit Record	TBC

More about NHQB

VERIFY A COMPANY : If you want to check that a business displaying the Approved Code Scheme logo is genuinely a member of the scheme, please enter their details in the search box at the top of the page (or use the main search box on the Homepage).

The NHQB Code of Practice

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Buying a new home is one of the biggest financial commitments most people will ever make. So, it is important to be clear about the buying process, what to expect from your developer and what to do if things do not go right.

The NHQB provides the following framework to protect buyers of new homes through:

The New Homes Quality Code: This code sets mandatory standards for developers in the quality of the new home and the service they provide to customers.
The New Homes Ombudsman Service: This service protects customers from the point of reservation until two years after completion by providing customers with an independent Ombudsman to use if their developer fails to meet the standards set out in the code.

Over half of all new homes being built in England, Scotland and Wales are covered by the NHQB framework. You can find out which developers are covered by the Code by searching the Register of Developers here.

The NHQB is the only organisation providing new home buyers with an independent ombudsman service. To find out more about how the Ombudsman can help customers click here.

Read the NHQB Code of Practice (pdf)

Why is a Code of Practice so essential in this Sector?

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All new homebuyers deserve a quality new home and good service from their developer.

The NHQB was set up as a direct response to two government reports in 2016 and 2018 about concerns regarding the quality and service new home customers receive from their developers, and the need for an Ombudsman to help customers.

Having a strict code in place, covering a broad range of additional requirements for developers, ensures that every aspect of a new home purchase is covered; from the moment a customer first walks into a sales office, all the way through to two years after they have moved into their new home.

The NHQB is the only organisation which offers customers with an Ombudsman service; providing customers with an additional layer of protection through an independent route for resolving any issues they may experience around quality and customer service.

Summary of the NHQB Code of Practice

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The New Homes Quality Code sets strict requirements for consumer protection which go above and beyond the law. It is made up of:

A Statement of principles: These are the main principles which developers agree to follow for the benefit of their customers. They are fairness, safety, quality, service, responsiveness, transparency, independence, inclusivity, security, and compliance.
The practical steps: These are the stages of buying and settling into a new home. A summary of what customers should expect is provided below and full details are available here.

Marketing of New Homes

The Code seeks to ensure that every customer receives all the information about their selected home and development, which will enable them to make a fully informed decision about their purchase.

Sales and marketing material and details of any part exchange scheme must be clear, fair, legally compliant, and confirm whether your developer is registered with the NHQB. It must also consider the needs of vulnerable customers.

When describing a new home, developers must provide clear information about the home, including (but not limited to) the size and layout of rooms, tenure (whether freehold or leasehold), specification (what is included over and above the structure of the building), any associated management or service charges, and the expected completion date.

The Buying Process

Reservation Agreements must be clear, fair, and compliant with all relevant legislation. Developers must inform customers of any change that alters the size, appearance, or value of the new home, and their right to cancel if they disagree with the change.

Customers will have the opportunity to visit the completed new home before moving in, for a demonstration of fixtures and fittings, or to appoint a suitably qualified inspector to undertake a pre-completion inspection on their behalf. Developers must inform customers of any known future work on the development and likely timescales and have in place adequate arrangements to protect contract deposits and other fees.

Living in a New Home

Developers must provide a comprehensive after-sales service for at least two years following legal completion and explain how this operates. They must have a system for handling issues and complaints, including details of how customers can escalate complaints to the Ombudsman. Unless there is a substantial reason for a delay, any snags/defects identified in the new home should be resolved within 30 calendar days.

Read the NHQB Code of Practice (pdf)

What types of businesses are Members of NHQB?

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Developers of all sizes commit to the New Homes Quality Code ranging from those building a handful of new homes, through to those building 10,000+ new homes a year. Over half of all new homes being built in England, Scotland Wales are protected by the code, meaning that the code provides the widest reach for the largest number of new home customers across the UK.

How are businesses vetted - before and after joining?

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When developers apply, they must meet a rigorous set of criteria before they are able to tell their customers that they are an Active developer, complying with the Code and giving the customer access to the Ombudsman. This includes completing prescribed training and implementing the Code across their business, including having a complaints procedure which is Code compliant.

Developer compliance is routinely monitored both through online self-assessment and by conducting on-site audits. Any non-compliance and improvements to raise standards are addressed through support provided by NHQB, in the form of learning and compliance support.

What happens if a business breaks the NHQB Code of Practice?

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Registered developers agree to follow the Code, including accepting decisions of the Ombudsman in relation to dealings with customers.

If a developer does not meet the required standards or fails to accept and act in line with the decisions of the Ombudsman, they may be referred to our independent Discipline and Sanctions Committee who can be contacted at escalations@nhqb.org.uk. This committee investigates whether developers have failed to keep to the Code or committed another disciplinary offence and, if so, decides what action to take or disciplinary measures to enforce. The action can range from fines, requiring developers’ employees to be retrained, or removing developers from the scheme.

Disputes and Complaints

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As a consumer, if you ever enter into a dispute with a business that is a member of the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB), the business must offer you Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). This is a simpler, cheaper and faster alternative to going to Court. And the adjudications of the independent ADR body are binding on the business (although you are still free to go to Court afterwards).

Offering customers ADR is a mandatory and non-negotiable requirement for membership of the Approved Code Scheme - ensuring that only the best, most customer-centric businesses remain in the scheme. It also acts as a powerful incentive for any member business to treat you with respect, courtesy and fairness, at all times.

While New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) became an approved ADR body in 2025, to maintain impartiality when a dispute arises, they have nominated an independent ADR provider: the New Homes Ombudsman Service (NHOS). Whenever necessary, the NHOS will work with both the developer and the consumer to mediate and to help achieve a mutual agreement in resolving the complaint.

Full information and processes are available to view on the NHQB website.

NHQB's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) :

Independent ADR Body	The New Homes Ombudsman Service (NHOS)
Website	https://www.nhos.org.uk/
Email address	customer.services@nhos.org.uk
NOTES

Complain about a NHQB Member business

If you feel you have been mistreated by a business that is a member of the Approved Code Scheme, there are steps you can take. In the first instance, please reach out to them - explaining the nature of your complaint in clear and unambiguous language, and mentioning that you are aware of their membership of the New Homes Quality Board and the Approved Code Scheme. In most cases, this approach will ensure your complaint receives proper attention - and, ideally, a resolution will be forthcoming. If you are not happy with the result, they must offer you Alternative Dispute Resolution, or you can request it.

Only if this approach fails to bear fruit should you contact NHQB, or their nominated ADR body, the New Homes Ombudsman Service (see their contact details above) - who will then do their best to help you resolve your dispute with the business.

NHQB's Advice

In the first instance, if a customer is unhappy with the quality of their new home or the service provided, they should contact their developer. Details of how to do this can usually be found on their website or in any information provided to them when they moved in.

If the developer is listed as Active on Register of Developers and the customer reserved their home on or after the developer became Active, then they are covered by the Code and can ask the independent Ombudsman to investigate their complaint. Customers can contact the Ombudsman here.

The New Homes Quality Board routinely publishes case studies from Ombudsman decisions to support developers to learn from these decisions.

Complain about NHQB (Code Sponsor)

If a consumer is unhappy with NHQB's services, they can write to us to make a formal complaint via the following email address: escalations@nhqb.org.uk . Alternatively - and in the interests of complete transparency and fairhandedness - if you represent a business and would like to complain about the way that the New Homes Quality Board operates as part of the Approved Code Scheme, please contact us at : ccab@tsi.org.uk.

Organisation Information

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Code Sponsor Name	New Homes Quality Board (NHQB)
Website	www.nhqb.org.uk
Contact Number	n/a
Email or Online Form	Online Contact Form (opens in new tab)
Contact Address	86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE

Corporate Details (from Companies House) :

Registered Name	NEW HOMES QUALITY BOARD LIMITED
Company Reg. No.	13116068
Established	2021
Reg. Address	86-90 Paul Street, London, England, EC2A 4NE

Return to the Approved Code Directory

PLEASE NOTE : We recently changed the consumer-facing name of the scheme from the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS) to the Approved Code Scheme. However, some of our publicity and contractual materials (produced before June 2024) may still include references to the original name. Until we have adapted everything, both names remain valid - and we apologise for any confusion.