The New Homes Quality Board, an independent body charged with overseeing new home build quality and to make customer redress smoother, has launched today.

It is headed by a permanently appointed board that includes people from consumer bodies, housebuilders, warranty providers and the financial sector.

The body says that it will be funded by the house building industry, “likely” through annual fees and a volume-based levy alongside additional fees for referrals.

Among the first tasks the NHQB will be the introduction of a new industry code of practice and the appointment of a new homes ombudsman service to act as a port of call for buyers in dispute.

The new code of practice – the New Homes Code – is currently in a consultation period.

The NHQB aims to be operational “later this year”, which will be followed by a transition period to allow developers to sign up to the body.

NHQB chair Natalie Elphicke says: “The new arrangements will lead to a step change in how new homes are built and sold and how customers are treated.

“The board is committed to driving new build quality and strengthening protections for buyers.

“A new home is the most important purchase most of us make and it is essential that buyers have confidence in both the product and the processes in place to support them.”

And Home Builders Federation executive chairman Stewart Baseley adds: “The industry is absolutely committed to putting measures in place to help deliver consistently high-quality new homes and effective redress for buyers.

“Recent years have seen significant improvements made in build quality and customer service and we are determined to go further.

“Today’s announcement is the next step in a process HBF started some years ago involving a broad range of stakeholders. The proposed arrangements will present the industry with some challenges but will, I believe, ultimately prove of considerable benefit to builders and customers alike.”