The Consumer Code for Home Builders (the Code) is an industry-led scheme which gives protection and rights to the purchasers of new homes, ensuring that new home buyers are treated fairly and are fully informed about their purchase before and after they sign the contract.
All home builders registered with NHBC, and the other home warranty bodies who support the scheme, agree to comply with the Code requirements.
The Code is designed to help you understand what levels of service to expect from your home builder, feel fully informed about your purchase and know your consumer rights before and after you move in.
While we hope that buying your new home is both exciting and trouble free, the information below provides some examples of the problems you may come across and who to refer to in order to get them put right.
This is usually referred to as the builder warranty period or defects insurance period. If you feel that an element of your new home is not finished to the required standard, please get in touch with your builder who is responsible for putting right defects that develop within the first two years of your purchase.
If you have reported these to your builder and they have either failed to rectify them in a reasonable time or are unable to rectify them due to insolvency, then you should contact your home warranty provider who may be able to help or offer advice through their own dispute resolution service. They may even be able to complete the work if the builder is not able to.
This is usually referred to as the structural insurance period and usually continues to protect the home by insurance cover until 10 years after completion.
This means your home warranty provider will pay the cost or carry out remedial works for issues covered by your policy and will usually include items such as foundations, walls and cladding, roofs, flues and chimneys, ceilings and load bearing parts of the floor and glazing in outside windows and doors.