Non-Profit Firm Given The Authority to Run New Homes Ombudsman

After The Dispute Service was given the green light to run the New Homes Ombudsmen, the tenancy deposit resolution body could make its first referrals within months. Housing Industry Leaders looks at what will change in the coming weeks.

The Dispute Service, a non-profit firm, has been approved by an industry body to operate the New Homes Ombudsman Service (NHOS).

Following approval from the membership body, the Ombudsman Association, The service that handles disputes over tenancy deposits, will run the new ombudsman service for the New Homes Quality Board.

Building Safety Act gets given royal assent

Coming from the Building Safety Act that stipulates the housing secretary to set up an ombudsman scheme, people in social housing and private rented accommodation will see renewed options from difficulties in tenancy deposits.

Furthermore, the new ombudsman will uphold the NHQB’s code of conduct and practice. This requires builders to have an efficient aftercare service to deal with issues that occur post build and have a robust complaints procedure to ensure remnants in social housing, often vulnerable, have protection in their homes.

Additional powers to hold developers to account

Under these measures, the ombudsman would have additional powers to force developers to rectify issues in the buildings and to award compensation.

Speaking in an interview, Steve Harriott, chief executive at The Dispute Service, said: “We have worked hard with the NHQB to develop the NHOS and we will be ready to take our first referrals when developers start to activate their accounts with NHOS over the coming months.

“We will be spending our time over the coming weeks explaining what we are going to be doing with developers, consumers and others. We expect to get our first referrals in the autumn.”