Yet another Ombudsman - this time one covering only new homes

The government, which only recently said there would be one Ombudsman covering the entire housing sector, has announced that there is to be a new redress champion just for New Homes.

A statement issued last evening, coinciding with comments on housing at the Conservative party conference, described the New Homes Ombudsman as “a watchdog that will champion homebuyers, protect their interests and hold developers to account.”

The statement continues: “We intend to legislate to require all new developers to belong to a new homes ombudsman. House buyers should be confident that when they purchase a new home, they get the quality of build and finish they expected.

“We will work with consumers and industry to develop our proposals and publish more details in due course. In the meantime government expects industry to continue to improve the current redress arrangements and improve the consistency of quality for new build homes.”

Commenting on the news, The Property Ombudsman Katrine Sporle says she welcomes the announcement.

“We have always agreed that new homes should be covered by an Ombudsman, as consumers have no idea that when they buy a new home directly from a developer they will have no access to a redress scheme. This announcement will mean the housing market becomes a fairer place for all involved.”