Results from the Home Builders Federation’s latest customer satisfaction survey show that 94% of new build home buyers would recommend their builder to a friend.
The figure marks an increase of 4% on the previous year and the fifth straight year that the industry has achieved a score of 90% or above.
The results are collected from surveys which are sent to new build home buyers eight weeks after completion.
Launched 20 years ago, the survey acts as a barometer for quality and customer care with the aim of driving improvements across the industry and helping consumers make informed decisions. In recent years, scores across all question areas have risen, reflecting the industry’s positive progress.
The survey shows that more than 90% of homeowners are satisfied with the quality of their home, with one in five reporting fewer snags than expected – despite nearly 70% of respondents having never previously owned a new-build home.
The HBF has also published Star Ratings for individual companies based on the results of the survey, with 50 housebuilders receiving five stars.
Steve Turner, executive director at the Home Builders Federation, said: “This year’s increased scores evidence the industry’s commitment to its customers, outperforming satisfaction levels achieved by most sectors.”
“In the overwhelming majority of cases, customers are happy with their builder and their new home. With hundreds of thousands of new homes being delivered every year, it is inevitable that in some cases there are some, usually minor, issues. What is absolutely key is that any issues that do arise are dealt with promptly and to the satisfaction of the customer. Industry is now achieving this in the vast majority of instances, and where they don’t customers increasingly have access to an independent ombudsman who can adjudicate and provide redress.”
“Achieving such high levels of customer satisfaction from the people best placed to rate your performance is a fantastic achievement for the industry. Such scores are the result of hard work and dedication across the home building workforce, from sites to the boardroom.”
The latest results come as more than half of the country’s housebuilders are now voluntarily registered with the independent New Homes Quality Board (NHQB), offering buyers enhanced consumer protections and access to the independent New Homes Ombudsman Service, which demonstrates the industry’s commitment to high customer satisfaction.
Participating builders of the NHQB commit to the New Homes Quality Code, which sets rigorous standards to drive continuous improvements in quality and customer satisfaction.
