New Homes Dispute Resolution Service
Managed independently by Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution
Get in contact
Before making a complaint you should read our Guidance Notes. You can then make and submit your complaint online. If you have any questions, just get in touch.
What is the New Homes Dispute Resolution Service?
We are an independent dispute resolution body that adjudicates disputes between home owners and home builders in the United Kingdom.
We cover any new home that has been sold with a new home’s warranty body that that subscribes to the code of conduct listed on our website.
Purchasing a new home is a significant expense for most consumers and there are many different factors which purchasers consider including location, design and suitability as well as price and reputation of the developer. The New Homes Dispute Resolution Service has been established to ensure that best practice is followed by our registered developers in the marketing, selling and purchasing of New Homes and sets standards for after sales service. The Code has been developed to be of maximum benefit to consumers and its ultimate aim is to provide a genuine commitment to consumers to improving standards of construction and raising customer service standards in the New Homes Dispute Resolution market, recognising that part of that commitment is providing consumers with a voice and a clear complaints process when things simply don’t go according to plan when they buy a New Home. Dispute Resolution: One of the fundamental aspects of the New Homes Dispute Resolution Service is providing consumers with access to a low-cost and effective dispute resolution scheme in the event that a dispute arises between a Buyer and a registered Developer. This can help to avoid costly and protracted legal action.
Adjudication is a process by which an adjudicator, who is usually legally qualified, weighs up the documents and evidence provided by the customer and the company in order to reach a decision. The adjudicator will take into account the law relevant to the subject matter of the dispute at hand. The adjudicator’s decision is binding upon both parties* if the customer chooses to accept it. If the customer chooses not to accept the decision, it will have no binding effect on either party.
New Homes DRS Downloads
Warranty Bodies Covered
Consumer Code for Residential New Homes for Ark Insurance Group Limited, Building Life Plans Code for the Sale of New Homes, Build-Zone Structural Warranty Policies, Consumer Code for Home Builders.
The steps you must take before submitting a complaint
Step 1.
Raise your concerns with the Home Builder
Step 2.
If you remain dissatisfied escalate your complaint to your Home Warranty Body
Step 3.
Apply for adjudication if the Home Warranty Body does not resolve your complaint to satisfaction
The team will make a number of telephone contacts throughout the process. This consists of:
- Introductory call to the Home Buyer upon acceptance of the case. This call will be to explain the process, any associated timeframes, the role of the adjudicator and to clarify the nature and substance of their complaint. Further, this call will give the Home Buyer a final opportunity to add any additional information or evidence to their claim.
- Introductory call to the Home Builder advising that we have sent them a new case and to inform them of the process and associated timeframes. For the high-volume home builders, this would not be necessary on every case.
- Call to Home Buyer to advise that the case has been assigned to an adjudicator, and that no further comments or information can be provided. The call will also advise that a Preliminary Decision will be issued and it will be followed by a Final Decision (if no comments are received by either party within the required timeframe).
- Call- to either party if the adjudicator has requested further information/evidence.