The recent HomeViews New Build Resident Experience Report has shown that although UK new build homes are highly rated overall, building management was the main factor pulling down ratings for new homes. We take a look at some key findings from the report around the topic and see why residents are rating management lower than all other review categories on HomeViews.
The New Build Resident Experience Report revealed the buying, renting and lived experiences of new build residents across the UK. Drawing on more than 12,000 reviews from carefully verified residents in BTS developments, this first-of-its-kind report from HomeViews reflects the platform’s rapidly-growing dataset, with over 36,000 reviews now on the site.
HomeViews reviews cover every aspect of living in a new build property. They include sections on management, design, facilities, location and value, as well as detailed feedback on the experience of buying or renting, and the best features of the resident’s new home.
So, what does the report say about the state of the UK’s new build residential developments?
UK new builds performing well overall
It’s a positive picture overall for new build homes in the UK, with some key areas for improvement. New build owners rate their homes at an average of 3.90 out of 5 overall – a very respectable average. in addition, 79% of residents said they would recommend their developer to friends and family.
The Resident Experience Report celebrates industry leaders in a range of categories, with highest-rated lists identifying the strongest developers in several key areas. Download your free copy of the report to find out more about the industry’s top performers.
Management a key concern for owners
HomeViews reviews consistently show that building management has a significant impact on the quality of the lived experience of new build residents. The report found that Management was the most popular review topic for owners and shared owners, with 43% talking about this.
Unfortunately, Management was also the lowest rated category for BTS developments across the UK. Design, Facilities, Location and Value categories are all rated higher than Management.
Among resident types, tenants generally expressed greater satisfaction with their Management than owners or shared owners, who would be more involved with ongoing maintenance and other issues. Management ratings also appear to correlate with poor ratings for after-sales care – suggesting immediate issues such as snagging are contributing to lower management ratings.
Why the low ratings?
Snagging was specifically mentioned by 11% of reviewers, but 31% talked more broadly about repairs and items being broken or requiring fixing. Specifically, many reviews show clear confusion for residents on whose responsibility it is to fix overdue items beyond the snagging period – the developers or the management team.
To corroborate this frustration, the most common thing new build owners said they wish they’d known more about before buying was researching both the developer and property manager (36%). Additionally, more than quarter of residents (27%), mentioned communication with management and poor response times in their reviews.
Conversely, on-site management teams were specifically praised in more positive reviews, and recognised as doing their best to support residents.
Some of the highest-rated developments for Management
So, what does it take to be highly-rated for Management on HomeViews? Below we take a quick look at three of the highest-rated buildings on HomeViews for this crucial category. Click through for more details and reviews.
HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, house builders, operators, housing associations and the Government to recognise high performers and help improve standards in the built environment.
