Homeowners

The Code covers the New Home buying process to ensure that the selling activities the Developer engages in are of a consistently high standard. This includes:

  • Pre-Purchase Stage: Ensuring high standards of customer service, fair and clear documentation, adequate information provision
  • Contract Exchange Stage: Governing the Contract of Sale, requiring minimum standards for fair and transparent contracts, accurate information about when the property will be available and protecting deposits
  • Handover and After Sales: Providing minimum standards for handover and after sales processes, ensuring consumers’ health & safety and ensuring they have suitable information for maintaining and living in your property
  • Complaints & Disputes: Giving consumers access to clear, speedy and free dispute resolution if things don’t go according to plan

Is my New Home covered by the Code?

You are covered by the Consumer Code for New Homes if you have bought or are buying a new build home from one of our Registered Members and the provisions of the Code apply to your New Home for a period of two years after the date of completion of the sale.

You can check if your Developer is registered with us by looking at our list of Members here.

The Consumer Code for New Homes does not apply to:

  • second-hand properties (for example, homes taken by Developers in part exchange and re-sold).
  • any new-build properties which were not sold by a Developer registered with the Code.
  • properties which remain under the ownership of the Developer.
  • properties acquired by social landlords for rent.
  • properties acquired by corporate bodies, partnerships, charitable organisations, commercial landlords or other non-consumer purchase (individuals who purchase properties for investment purposes [i.e. buy-to-let] will be covered provided the New Home is registered in their personal name and not by a company).
  • properties built by self-builders or under contract between a builder and an individual for their own occupation.
  • properties assigned or sub-sold by an investor to a third party prior to ownership of the properties transferring from the Developer to the Buyer on receipt of the purchase monies paid by the Buyer to the Developer.
  • New Homes built under architects’ certificates, unless a Warranty Body has also issued a Structural Warranty.