Responding to calls from the National Consumer Council for new home buyers to be given statutory protection, Executive Chairman of the Home Builders Federation Stewart Baseley says:
"The NCC's claim that new homes buyers have no more protection than those buying a new kettle is simply wrong.
"New home buyers enjoy a ten-year warranty, which ensures high standards of quality, remedy for any problems covered by the warranty and formal dispute resolution procedures. This is not the case for people purchasing second-hand homes. In addition, all home buyers have the benefit of legal representation.
"HBF is committed to the development of an evolving, long-term and positive customer satisfaction strategy. The first stage has been to establish an extensive annual customer satisfaction survey for new housing and to promote a HBF customer service code of conduct and a set of model contract terms developed in discussions with the OFT."
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Notes for Editors
1. The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the principal trade federation for private sector home builders and voice of the home building industry in England and Wales. The HBF's 300 member firms account for some 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year, and include companies of all sizes, ranging from multi-national, household names through regionally based businesses to small local companies: www.hbf.co.uk
2. HBF's customer satisfaction survey was published in April 2006, showing that 76% of new home buyers were satisfied with the overall quality of their home, and 77% would recommend their builder to a friend. It is available to view here.
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