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Natalie Elphicke to chair New Homes Ombudsman set-up
Former Housing & Finance Institute boss Natalie Elphicke will chair the creation of the New Homes Ombudsman, it has been announced.
Ms Elphicke, who is now Conservative MP for Dover and Deal, has been selected to head the interim board developing the new arbitration service for complaints about poor building work in new builds.
An interim New Homes Quality Board has been assembled to oversee the creation of a permanent governance set-up, develop a new code of practice for the housebuilding industry, and agree an appointments process for the independent ombudsman.
Ms Elphicke’s fellow board members include Nicholas Boys Smith, a co-chair of the government’s Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission and founding director of Create Streets, and Barry Cummins, national development director at Homes England.
Representatives from consumer bodies, house builders, warranty providers and lenders are among the remaining eight board members.
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Ministers confirmed plans to step up an independent New Homes Ombudsman in February, having first announced plans for the body in October 2018.
Ms Elphicke was named ‘new homes quality champion’ by the government last year and has since led appointments to the interim board.
She said: “This is a welcome move and a much-needed step in the right direction. I am committed to ensuring that the new arrangements will deliver a step change in the quality of new homes and customer experience.
“They will be based in the principles of independence, transparency and integrity – values I know this government, and the industry, are determined to instil.
“I look forward to working with all parties to finalise and implement these changes as quickly as possible.”
A permanent chair and board are expected to be in place by autumn, with a target to have the ombudsman service open for builders to sign up by the start of 2021.
Stewart Baseley, executive chair of the Home Builders Federation, said: “The new robust arrangements will provide a huge challenge for builders but the industry fully recognises the need to deliver, and we will.”
Under the new code of practice, developers will be required to provide more information to customers during the sales process, tighten up sign-off processes and deal with snagging issues in a set timeframe.
Members of the Interim New Homes Quality Board include:
- Natalie Elphicke (chair), MP for Dover and Deal
- Jackie Bennett, director of mortgages at UK Finance
- Joanne Casey, managing director at Mactaggart and Mickel
- Gillian Cooper, interim head of energy policy at Citizens Advice
- Douglas Cochrane, head of housing development at Lloyds Banking Group
- Barry Cummins, national development director at Homes England
- Jennie Daly, group operations director at Taylor Wimpey
- Katy Jordan, managing director at Storey Homes
- Paul Smee, chair of the Conveyancers Association
- Nicholas Boys Smith, founder director of Create Streets
- Steve Wood, chief executive of the National House Building Council
