A new customer satisfaction survey has revealed that an increasing majority of new home owners are happy with their housebuilder and their new home.
Results from the annual industry customer satisfaction survey, conducted by HBF and NHBC, show that the industry has delivered a second successive year of improvements across all question areas after a period of declining results.
According to the findings, 2018 saw more satisfied new home owners than in any previous year since the survey began in 2006 following a recommendation by Kate Barker as part of the then government’s Barker Review of Housing Supply in 2004.
The survey was sent to almost 100,000 new build buyers and revealed that 87% of new buyers would “recommend their builder to a friend". This is up from 86% last year, and 84% in 2016. More than 90% of those who bought a new build home would buy new again and 86% were satisfied with the quality of their new home, up 1%.
As output increased rapidly between 2014 and 2017 the survey reported falls in satisfaction levels across all question areas, something the industry was heavily criticised for.
HBF said: “As a result, there has been an intense focus both within individual companies and at an industry level on build quality and customer service. This has been allied with a massive recruitment and training drive that has seen tens of thousands of new employees boosting industry capacity.”
Stewart Baseley said: “The survey proves conclusively that the people who buy and live in new build homes are overwhelmingly happy with their purchase. There has been a huge focus on quality and service across the industry and this is reflected by successive annual improvements across all question areas.
The intense focus on quality and service, allied to a huge recruitment and training campaign has enabled builders to further raise standards whilst increasing output. New build buyers already have far more protection than second hand buyers with the security of a consumer code and ten year warranty. The vast majority of customers are already happy with the service and quality of their home, but the industry is determined to deliver even higher levels in the years to come. The industry is committed to further increases in protection and redress and is working with a range of stakeholders on how an ombudsman can be introduced.”
