Ombudsman to be appointed to protect interests of home buyers

An ombudsman is to be appointed to support people facing problems with their newly built home.

The move is part of a series of government measures to improve the housing market and speed up the building of new properties.

The New Homes Ombudsman will protect the interests of homebuyers and hold developers to account when things go wrong.

The government says it’s committed to delivering 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s and so has announced further plans to speed up the planning system as well as make better use of land and vacant buildings.

This includes more flexibility to extend upwards on existing blocks of flats, shops and offices making better use of space by increasing housing density.

It’s also encouraging councils to make new garden communities a central part of their plans for housing and economic growth.

Local authorities will receive additional powers to make the most of existing brownfield land and dispose of surplus land that could instead accommodate new homes.

As part of its programme to improve building safety following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the government has also confirmed that it will ban the use of combustible materials on external walls of high-rise residential buildings. The ban will also apply to hospitals, care homes and student accommodation over 18 metres.

The government says it will consult on these new measures in due course. We shall keep clients informed of developments.

Please contact Dipak Odedra or Jackie Hand if you would like advice about the legal aspects of buying or selling a home.