Buying a Property

How to Use the New Homes Ombudsman Service (NHOS) to Resolve Snagging Disputes

The New Homes Ombudsman Service launched in 2023 and provides a free, independent route for new build buyers to resolve disputes with developers who subscribe to the New Homes Quality Code. This guide explains who can use it, how the process works, and what outcomes you can expect.

Published: 1 Jan 2026 · Updated: 1 Mar 2026 · 6 min read

What Is the New Homes Ombudsman Service?

The New Homes Ombudsman Service (NHOS) is an independent dispute resolution body for buyers of new homes in England. It was established under the New Homes Quality Board and launched formally in 2023. Its purpose is to provide new build buyers with a free, impartial route to resolve complaints against developers who have subscribed to the New Homes Quality Code (NHQC).

The NHOS fills a gap that existed for many years: prior to its launch, buyers whose developers fell below acceptable standards had limited options outside of NHBC's Resolution Service (which is technically focused) or civil litigation (which is costly). The NHOS provides a broader consumer protection mechanism, covering not just technical defects but the entire purchase experience.

Who Can Use the NHOS?

You can use the NHOS if **all three** of the following conditions are met:

1. **Your developer subscribes to the New Homes Quality Code.** You can check developer subscription status on the New Homes Quality Board website. Subscription is voluntary, and not all developers are members — though adoption has grown substantially since 2023.

2. **You have completed the developer's own internal complaints procedure** without a satisfactory outcome. The NHQC requires all subscriber developers to maintain a formal internal complaints process. You must exhaust this before the NHOS will accept your case.

3. **Your complaint falls within the NHOS's scope.** The NHOS handles complaints about developers' failure to meet the standards of the New Homes Quality Code. This is broader than NHBC's scope and includes communication failures, misleading sales practices, and failure to respond to snagging within required timescales — not just technical defects.

What Types of Complaint Does the NHOS Handle?

The NHOS handles complaints across all areas of the Code, including:

**After-sales service:** developer not responding to snagging lists within 14 days, failing to carry out agreed remedial work, obstructing access for re-inspection
**Communication failures:** developer providing inaccurate information about completion dates, warranty arrangements, or development specifications
**Pre-completion process:** failure to allow a reasonable inspection opportunity before completion
**Sales practices:** misleading representations about the property or development made during the reservation process
**Management company arrangements:** in developments with estate or service charges, failures to provide required information

The NHOS Complaints Process

**Step 1: Raise with the developer internally**

All NHQC subscriber developers are required to have a formal complaints procedure. Raise your complaint in writing, referencing the specific Code requirement you believe has been breached. The developer must acknowledge within 5 working days and provide a substantive response within 30 calendar days.

**Step 2: Escalate to NHOS if not resolved**

If you are dissatisfied with the developer's response — or if the developer fails to respond within the required period — you can submit a complaint to the NHOS. You should do this within 12 months of receiving the developer's final response, or within 12 months of the date by which the developer should have responded.

**Step 3: NHOS assessment and investigation**

The NHOS will assess your complaint for eligibility and, if accepted, appoint a case handler. Both you and the developer will be asked to submit evidence. The NHOS may appoint an independent technical expert to inspect the property where the complaint involves defects.

**Step 4: Decision**

The NHOS issues a written decision that can include:

A direction to the developer to carry out specific remedial works
Financial compensation for distress and inconvenience (up to a published maximum, currently £2,000 for most cases, higher in exceptional circumstances)
A finding that the developer did or did not breach the Code

The developer is bound by the NHOS decision if they remain a Code subscriber. The NHOS publishes anonymised summaries of decisions, which creates ongoing reputational pressure on developers.

NHOS vs NHBC Resolution: Which Route to Use?

Situation	Recommended route
Technical dispute about whether a defect exists or falls within warranty	NHBC Resolution Service
Developer not responding within required timescales	NHOS (Code breach)
Developer agreed to fix but has not acted	Either, depending on whether the failure is technical or a process failure
Developer provided misleading information during the sale	NHOS
Developer not a Code subscriber	NHBC Resolution Service only

You cannot run both NHBC Resolution and NHOS simultaneously on the same issue — choose the most appropriate route and be consistent.

Strengthening Your NHOS Complaint

Document everything from the moment you submit your snagging list. The strength of an NHOS complaint rests almost entirely on the paper trail: dated emails, the developer's acknowledgements (or lack of them), photographs, and your snagging report. Our [new build snagging calculator](/new-build-snagging-calculator) can help you quantify the financial value of outstanding works, which is useful supporting evidence in any formal complaint.