A year-long report by the Competition Markets Authority (CMA) into the state of the housebuilding industry in England, Scotland and Wales has been published, concluding that “the housebuilding market is not delivering well for consumers and has consistently failed to do so over successive decades”. 

The report makes several recommendations, including establishing a new homes ombudsman “as soon as possible, and setting a single mandatory consumer code so homeowners can better pursue homebuilders over any quality issues they face”.

It also recommends requiring councils to adopt amenities on all new housing estates and the introduction of enhanced consumer protections for homeowners on existing privately managed estates – including making it easier for homeowners to switch to a more competitive management company.

The published report also included alleged breaches of the Competition Act by eight UK housebuilders and a subsequent probe has been launched into whether or not they shared sensitive information.

Here’s what major industry players and analysts are saying about the report’s findings: