National House-Building Council (NHBC)

NHBC, (the National House-Building Council), is the standard setting body and leading warranty and insurance provider for new and newly converted homes in the UK. NHBC's role is to work with the house-building and wider construction industry to provide risk management services that raise the standards of new homes, and to provide consumer protection to new home buyers.

There are approximately 19,000 house builders and developers on NHBC's Register (known as registered builders or registered developers), who agree to comply with their Rules and Standards when building new homes.

About 85% of private new homes built in the UK each year are registered with NHBC and benefit from the 10-year warranty and insurance policy called 'Buildmark'. Around 1.6 million homeowners are currently covered by Buildmark policies, and over the past 40 years, NHBC has protected more than 30% of existing homes in the UK.

Buildmark Choice is NHBC's 10-year warranty and insurance cover, designed to protect Registered Social Landlords and other providers of newly built or newly converted social housing.

NHBC's Solo for Self Build is a 10-year insurance policy, designed exclusively for individuals who want to build their own home (or contract a builder to carry out all or part of the work), and live in it themselves.

Further information can be obtained from NHBC's website at www.nhbc.co.uk