MP for Sherwood Forest, Michelle Welsh, leads debate at Westminster Hall on construction standards of new build housing

The MP for Sherwood Forest, Michelle Welsh, has said that new build homes are “not fit for purpose” during a debate on construction standards.

Ms Welsh led a debate in Westminster Hall on the construction standards of new build homes, with a focus on ensuring that people receive the quality they expect when buying a new home.

During the recent debate, the MP acknowledged the hard work of local builders, electricians, and plumbers, and sent a strong message that developers who fail to maintain high standards should be held to account.

The MP spoke about the experiences of constituents such as a couple from Bilsthorpe, who moved into their new home expecting it to be a safe and comfortable, but were instead met with numerous issues, including an improperly installed boiler, a faulty bath, damaged flooring, and scratched windows.

Ms Welsh said cases such as this highlight the “urgent need” for better oversight and accountability in the housebuilding sector.

During the debate, Michelle Welsh, said: “We are too often seeing new build homes that are not fit for purpose, that are damaged, drafty or unsafe to live in.

“It is wrong that when you are moving to a new home or into your first ever house, that you may not get the quality that you are paying for.

“Home buyers deserve to feel confident that their new home is safe and won’t begin to crumble as soon as their key is in the door.”

She welcomed the government’s recent acceptance of recommendations from the Competition and Markets Authority’s market study into housebuilding, particularly the introduction of a statutory UK-wide New Homes Ombudsman scheme. It is argued that this will provide consumer protection and ensure that homebuyers do not have to take up issues with developers alone.

However, the MP also called on government to take further steps to ensure that the right companies and builders are selected for future housing projects, that proper infrastructure accompanies new developments, and that quality is maintained throughout the housebuilding process.