AQW 34741/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 05/11/2025
Answered On Date: 17/11/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy for her assessment of the powers of the Northern Ireland Trading Standards Service to support those purchasing new build housing, in terms of its engagement with the developer on quality standards.

Answer:

The responsibility for quality standards in building new homes here is primarily enforced through Building Regulations, overseen by the District Councils’ Building Control services and supplemented by industry schemes like the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) and 10-year warranty providers such as the New Homes Building Council (NHBC).

The NHQB is an independent, non-profit organisation that aims to improve the quality of new homes and customer service. It operates the New Homes Quality Code - New Homes Quality Code published, which sets high standards for registered developers and provides access to the independent New Homes Ombudsman Service for dispute resolution if a customer is not satisfied with the developer's after-sales service. Registration with the NHQB is currently voluntary, but widespread among major developers.

Most new homes are covered by a 10-year warranty (e.g. NHBC's Buildmark policy), which is often a requirement for mortgage lenders. These providers have their own technical standards (e.g. NHBC Standards) that builders must adhere to, in addition to Building Regulations.

My Department’s Trading Standards Service has local enforcement responsibilities under the Estate Agents Act 1979 and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA); however, neither of these Acts deals with quality standards.