New home registrations surge 45%

The number of new homes registered with the National House Building Council (NHBC) has surged 46% year-on-year.

The NHBC revealed 66,855 new homes have been registered for its 10-year Buildmark warranty in the three months to 30 June, up from 46,217 in the same period a year ago.

The sharp increase in the numbers, seen as an indicator of housebuilding activity levels, comes at a time when many commentators are warning that we may be about to see a slowdown in the housing market.

However, the NHBC said the rise was in part due to housebuilders bringing forward schemes to avoid the introduction of new energy efficiency requirements in ‘part L’ changes to building regulations that came in on 15 June.

The NHBC figures also rose 16% year-on-year from 34,777 to 40,289. This increase was solely down to private completions, which rose by 5,519 homes. Affordable housing and build-to-rent completions remained largely unchanged.

The completions figure is the highest in the second quarter of the calendar year since 2019, pre-pandemic.

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Steve Wood, chief executive of NHBC, said: “Our latest figures demonstrate that output from the new homes market has made a solid return to pre-pandemic levels.

“At this stage we are not seeing evidence that the cost-of-living crisis or risks of recession are affecting consumer demand, whilst registration levels reinforce continued confidence within the sector.”

However, figures published yesterday by market analysts Glenigan suggested housing starts had slowed in the three months to the end of July compared to last year, as housebuilders get to grips with the part L changes.